Kontron ETX-OH - Manual (Page 7)

ETX-OH / Introduction
2 Introduction
2.1 Product Description
Kontron's ETX®-OH extends availabiltiy and reliability of the established form factor ETX®. It is a successor product for
existing ETX® designs. ETX®-OH raises your investment protection for your ETX® designs.
This Computer-on-Module is populated with AMD's Fusion technology and brings new graphic performance for
userfriendly interfaces or HD video onto your designs.
2.2 ETX® Documtentation
This product manual serves as one of three principal references for an ETX® design. It documents the specifications and
features of ETX®-CD. The other two references, which are available from the Kontron Europe GmbH Web site, include:
» The ETX® Specification defines the ETX® module form factor, pinout, and signals.
» The ETX® Design Guide serves as a general guide for baseboard design, with a focus on maximum flexibility to
accommodate a wide range of ETX® modules.
Some of the information contained within this product manual applies only to certain
product revisions (CE: xxx). If certain information applies to specific product revisions (CE:
xxx) it will be stated. Please check the product revision of your module to see if this
information is applicable.
2.3 ETX® Benefits
Embedded technology extended (ETX) modules are very compact (114 x 95 mm), highly integrated computers. All ETX®
modules feature a standardized form factor and a standardized connector layout that carry a specified set of signals. This
standardization allows designers to create a single-system baseboard that can accept present and future ETX® modules.
ETX® modules include common personal computer (PC) peripheral functions such as:
» Graphics
» Parallel, Serial, and USB ports
» Keyboard/mouse
» Ethernet
» Sound
» IDE (and SATA)
The baseboard designer can optimize exactly how each of these functions implements physically. Designers can place
connectors precisely where needed for the application on a baseboard designed to optimally fit a system’s packaging.
Peripheral PCI or ISA buses can be implemented directly on the baseboard rather than on mechanically unwieldy
expansion cards. The ability to build a system on a single baseboard using the computer as one plug-in component
simplifies packaging, eliminates cabling, and significantly reduces system-level cost. A single baseboard design can use a
range of ETX® modules. This flexibility can differentiate products at various price/performance points, or to design future
proof systems that have a builtin upgrade path. The modularity of an ETX® solution also ensures against obsolescence as
computer technology evolves. A properly designed ETX® baseboard can work with several successive generations of ETX®
modules. An ETX® baseboard design has many advantages of a custom, computer-board design but delivers better
obsolescence protection, greatly reduced engineering effort, and faster time to market.
7