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ETXexpress computer module hosts Core2Duo

Computer-on-module format extends power efficiency and ruggedness

9th May 2007 - Kontron's ETXexpress-MC is the latest addition to its family of ETXexpress Computer-On-Modules, built around the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor (up to 2.2GHz) and Intel’s latest 965GM Express chipset that is part of the fourth generation of Intel’s Centrino notebook platform. The ETXexpress-MC will offer optimized graphics features and will be the most robust and power-efficient COM Express solution. It employs up to 800MHz FSB, with dynamic control of clock speed, suiting it to embedded applications including those that are temperature- and power-sensitive. The design allows the processor to go into a deeper sleep state for greater power efficiency. The chipset logic recognises whether data is stored on the processor’s on-chip cache memory or in RAM. Consequently, the chipset does not have to wake up the processor to check the on-chip cache memory and unnecessarily draw on battery power. The inclusion of onboard TPM 1.2 suits applications that call for enhanced security options. The module uses Intel’s Direct-X9 compliant Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) X3100 for piping video data through the pixel shaders. The integrated Display Power Saving Technology (DPST) 3.0 saves up to an additional 400mW of power by switching between progressive and interlaced display modes. It will also be one of the first COM Express pin-out type 2 compliant modules supporting fast dual-channel memory up to 4 GB via two 533 MHz or 667 MHz DDR2 SO-DIMM sockets positioned on the top side of the module. This latest COM Express solution has 5x PCI Express x1 lanes, 3x SerialATA ports, and 8x USB 2.0 ports along with Gigabit Ethernet.