The PCI/104-Express specification was adopted by the PC/104 Embedded Consortium in March 2008, and is one of the newer iterations of the compact, self-stacking SBC format that originally began with PC/104. As the Consortium explains, and, of course, many readers will already be aware, PC/104 supports ISA expansion only; PC/104-Plus supports ISA and PCI; PCI-104 supports PCI only; and PCIe/104 supports PCI Express only.


The venerable PC/104 standard and its variants
Source: PC/104 Embedded Consortium

At the same time, PC/104-Express (above right) supports both PCI and PCI Express expansion. Switzerland-based Digital Logic co-developed this PC/104 extension with Lippert and RTC Embedded Technologies, then released the first SBC based on it, the MSM945, back in 2006.

ADL, meanwhile, distributes the MSM945 and other products from Digital Logic -- acquired by Kontron last year -- but is an otherwise-independent company. Now, however, it's demonstrating its ongoing commitment to the PC/104-Express format by releasing a new product of its own, the ADLGS45PC (below).

ADL's ADLGS45PC
(Click to enlarge)

According to ADL, this 4.55 x 3.7-inch SBC has room for up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and supports SFF (small form factor) processors from Intel that can be either the 1.2GHz Celeron M, the 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo SU9300, the 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo SL9400, or the 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo SP9300. As its name tends to imply, the ADLGS45PC uses Intel's GS45 northbridge and ICH9M-E southbridge, adds ADL.

A notable feature cited by ADL is the ADLGS45PC's four onboard SATA ports, offering 3Gb/sec. transfer rates plus RAID 0/1/5/10 support. Other interfaces, all apparently provided via either the PCI/104-Express connectors or headers, are said to include two gigabit Ethernet ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, 2 x RS232/422/485 serial ports, PS/2 keyboard and mouse, and AC '97 sound.

ADL says the ADLGS45PC supports dual independent CRT and LVDS displays, the former offering resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 pixels and the latter offering up to 1600 x 1200. The device also integrates a TPM (trusted platform module), hardware monitoring, a real-time clock, and a watchdog timer, the company adds.

Features and specifications listed by ADL for the ADLGS45PC include:

• Processor -- 1.2GHz Celeron M, 1.2GHz Core 2 Duo SU9300, 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo SL9400, or 2.2GHz Core 2 Duo SP9300
• Chipset -- GS45 northbridge and ICH9M-E southbridge
• Memory -- Up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM via single SODIMM slot
• Expansion:
  • PCI bus with support for 4 masters
  • 4 x PCI Express x1; 1 x PCI Express x16 (PCI Express Graphics)
• Networking -- 2 x gigabit Ethernet
• Other I/O:
  • CRT
  • LVDS
  • 4 x SATA (RAID 0/1/5/10)
  • 8 x USB 2.0
  • 2 x serial (RS232/422/485)
  • LPT2/floppy controller
  • 2 x PS/2
  • Audio -- mic in, line in/out, S/PDIF in/out
• Power -- +5V, +12V, +5V suspend; consumption n/s
• Operating temperature -- n/s
• Dimensions -- 4.55 x 3.8 inches

Further information

According to ADL, the ADLGS45PC will ship during the second quarter of this year, but pricing and operating system support were not detailed. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

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