I/O-Rich Form Factors Enable Innovation-Rich Designs

摘要

Developers can't getrnenough processing power, memory, and I/O ports. Of course, having them on-chip is just the start. Getting them connected to do useful work is another matter. Modular techniques have led to a range of form factors, from board-level systems such as VME to modules like COM Express.rnThe VIA Technologies Em-ITX form factor is designed to bring lots of I/O ports to the outside world with dual I/O port coast lines. The EITX-3000, the first entry for this form factor, incorporates a 1.3-GHz VIA Nano processor and the Em-IO expansion connector (Fig. 1). I/O interfaces include an 8-bit digital port, a VGA port, dual low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet, four serial ports, dual SATA II ports, six USB 2.0 ports, and HD audio. It can handle up to a 2-Gbyte DDR2 SODIMM. A Compact Flash socket is on the bottom.rnThe entire case is an aluminum heatsink.