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INTRODUCTION
2.
PC/104-PCMCIA-1
2.1
PCMCIA cards are becoming more common because of their small size and ruggedness as
well as low-power consumption. There are a variety of PCMCIA cards – network, modem,
and memory - that you can buy to extend your system. Because of the PC/104 form factor,
the PC/104-PCMCIA 1 is especially suitable for industrial applications. It is a 16-bit,
PC/104, ISA-based module.
The PC/104-PCMCIA-1 module comes with a Vadem 469 controller that supports two slots:
2 x type I/II
or 1 x type III
PC/104 an Embedded PC Standard
2.2
Over the past decade, the PC architecture has become an accepted platform for far more
than desktop applications. Dedicated and embedded applications for PCs are appearing
everywhere.
By standardizing hardware and software around the broadly supported PC architecture,
embedded system designers can substantially reduce development costs, risks, and time-
to-market.
For these reasons, companies that embed microcomputers as controllers within their
products seek ways to reap the benefits of using the PC architecture. However, the standard
form factor of a PC bus (12.4" x 4.8") and its associated card cages and backplanes are too
bulky and expensive for most embedded control applications.
The only practical way to embed the PC architecture in space-and power-sensitive
applications has been to design a PC chip by chip directly into the product. But this runs
counter to growing trend away from "reinventing the wheel." Whenever possible, top
management now encourages outsourcing of components and technologies to reduce
development costs and accelerate product design cycles.
A need has arisen for a more compact implementation of the PC bus, satisfying the reduced
space and power constraints of embedded control applications. PC/104 was developed in
response to this need. It offers full architecture, hardware and software compatibility with
the PC bus but in ultra-compact (3.6" x 3.8") stackable modules. PC/104 is ideally suited to
the unique requirements of embedded control applications.
Introduction
4
Kontron
PC/104-PCMCIA-1 User's Guide
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