Warminster, PA, September 2006 - As one of the first CompactPCI single board computers (SBC) featuring the Intel® 2.16 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, the F17 from MEN Micro delivers the high throughput and rugged operating capabilities needed for the most demanding embedded communication and industrial control applications. MEN Micro is a leading supplier of industrial real-time and embedded computer products.

The F17 extends MEN's family of single-slot, 3U CompactPCI SBCs, offering 30 percent more compute bandwidth than MEN's previous Core Duo-based SBC, the F16. MEN's family of single-slot system master Compact PCI SBCs begins with Pentium M processors and scales upward to this new family of Core 2 Duo boards.

"The higher throughput of the Core 2 Duo processor continues our track record of constantly pushing the performance capabilities of our CompactPCI family of SBCs," said Udo Fuchs, president of MEN Micro. "But just as critical for embedded communication and control applications, the F17 has the same robust and rugged operational characteristics that all MEN SBCs are known for."

The F17 is a 32-bit/33 MHz single-slot SBC that can function as a System Controller in a CompactPCI chassis or as a standalone embedded processor. The 945GM Express chipset makes use of six lanes of high-speed PCI Express serial communications as well as two Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) ports. When used with the appropriate companion side-card, the F17 also be configured as the System Controller in a CompactPCI Express system.

Among the standard input/output (I/O) functions available on the F17's front panel is a VGA graphics port that, as an option, can be brought to the front panel as two DVI connectors. In this configuration, the same or different images can be displayed on multiple monitors. Other front-panel I/O includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports which utilize PCI Express and two USB 2 interfaces.

Additional onboard resources include up to four gigabytes of fast Double Data Rate2 (DDR2) memory and a CompactFlash slot which can accommodate either flash memory or a 1.8-in. disk drive. Several watchdog monitors on the F17 can be used to track board temperatures or other operational characteristics. Rear-panel I/O is also supported. Board support packages are available for Windows, Linux and VxWorks.

The F17 is equipped with a specially designed passive heat sink to facilitate efficient thermal management. In addition, all components soldered in place (no on-board sockets), thus enhancing the shock and vibration resistance of the SBC. For humid or dusty environmental conditions, the F17 can be delivered with a conformal coating. The rugged industrial operating characteristics of the F17 make it an appropriate solution for a wide range of applications including monitoring, visualization, mechanical control, test and measurement, and even some types of mobile systems such as vehicular control systems.  

MEN offers a guaranteed minimum availability of five years for the F17.

Pricing and Availability
The F17 is available now from MEN Micro, Inc. Pricing starts at $2,635 for single units. In the United States, MEN Micro products are sold through a national network of technical manufacturer's representatives. For sales information, call 215-956-1583, send faxes to 215-956-1585 or email sales@menmicro.com.

The D601 single board computer (SBC) from MEN Micro, Inc., a leading supplier of industrial real-time and embedded computer products, features Intel Pentium™ M processors and conduction cooling for fanless operation in military, aerospace and various industrial control applications.

With either the 1.4 GHz Low Voltage (LV) Pentium M or the 1 GHz Ultra-Low Voltage (ULV) Celeron processors, the conduction cooled, 6U CompactPCI D601 is a low-power SBC capable of operating over the entire extended industrial temperature range of -40 to +85 degrees Centigrade without the benefit of forced air cooling. Alternatively, the D601 can also be equipped with Intel processors with speeds up to 2 GHz. In addition, to enhance the SBC's resistance to shock and vibration, there are no socketed components on the D601; all are soldered directly to the printed circuit board.

 "While working with system integrators and government contractors over the years, we've seen a need for sophisticated computing platforms that operate over an extended temperature range but don't require fans for cooling," said Udo Fuchs, president of MEN Micro. "The robust design of the D601 and the low-power but high processing bandwidth of Intel's embedded processors make this SBC a good match for all sorts of industrial applications, and especially airborne systems involving monitoring, visualization and control."

 The single-slot D601 has a 32-bit/33 MHz interface to the CompactPCI bus, but it can also function as a standalone processing unit in busless systems. The new SBC features Intel's 915GM chipset which provides high-speed communication for Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and graphics. The chipset also supports two high-throughput Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) ports. 

 The D601's standard input/output (I/O) on the rear panel includes VGA graphics which can display the same or different images on multiple monitors, two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces that utilize the board's PCI Express lanes and three USB 2 ports. On-board memory is high-speed Double Data Rate 2 (DDR2) DRAM with access rates of up to two gigabits per second (Gbps). In addition to the two SATA interfaces, the D601 also has a parallel ATA port, which can be connected to robust IDE CompactFlash memory or a hard disk device for extensive application storage capacity. Several watchdog monitors are available for observing the performance of the D601's processor, board temperature or other performance metrics.

 The D601 has comprehensive board support packages for Windows, Linux, VxWorks and QNX.

Conduction Cooling &endash; What is it?
Conduction cooling involves dissipating heat from electronic components by conducting it to the system's housing. Typically, aluminum or copper "thermal pipes" connect the hot surfaces of the electronic components to the housing. The housing itself is then cooled by some sort of active thermal management method. In effect, the SBC's active components are cooled without moving any air over the circuit board itself.

Pricing and Availability
The D601 is available now from MEN Micro, Inc. Pricing starts at $5,994 for single units. In the United States, MEN Micro products are sold through a national network of technical manufacturer's representatives. For sales information, call 215-956-1583, send faxes to 215-956-1585 or email sales@menmicro.com.