The G20 single-board computer which is based on the new PICMG CompactPCI serial standard has got reinforcements.

MEN has constantly extended its product range of CompactPCI Serial components and is now able to offer the user complete solutions consisting of different peripheral boards, a CompactPCI serial rack and a mezzanine board for extended functionality.

CompactPCI Serial PICMG CPCI-S.0 is a new independent base standard. This standard introduces a completely new connector, which enables a much higher signal density and supports even higher transmission frequencies of 12 Gb/s and more. In addition, this connector only supports modern point-to-point connections.

Thanks to the new, extremely fast Intel Core i7 processor, the G20 reaches a base frequency of 2.53 GHz. The 64-bit CPU uses hyper threading to provide four virtual processor cores. If the processor load is low, Intel’s Turbo Boost technology makes it possible to reach a frequency of 3.2GHz.

As another special feature, the computer has a CPU-independent microprocessor in the chipset which is based on the Intel Active Management Technology (AMT). The microprocessor can be accessed via the network using the integrated Ethernet controller even when the computer is in soft-off or stand-by state. This way, different functions such as reading status information, changing configurations, switching the PC on and off, forwarding or redirecting I/O devices like hard disks, CD-ROM etc. (Serial Over LAN) and remote control via keyboard/video/mouse are possible. Especially in systems where the operating system has crashed or the hard disk is defective, the new technology offers a decisive advantage. Even remotely, an error diagnosis with repair can be carried out as long as the system has at least standby voltage.

The standard I/O at the board front includes two PCIe-driven Gigabit-Ethernet and two USB 2.0 interfaces as well as two DisplayPorts which can also be used as an HDMI or DVI connection using an external adapter. A total of eight PCI Express links is available. At the rear, eight USB, six SATA, a display or HDMI port, five PCI express x1, and two PEG x8 ports are provided for the user’s applications.

For extending the functionality of the G20, the new mezzanine module GM1 is now available. It is used to lead four of the possible eight Ethernet interfaces specified in the CompactPCI Serial standard to the backplane. The four interfaces are implemented on CompactPCI Serial connector P6 which is directly assembled on the GM1, saving costs and increasing flexibility. A microSD card can be plugged additionally.

For building up a complete system in full mesh Ethernet architecture, the 19in CompactPCI Serial rack from Schroff offers a system slot and eight peripheral slots on the backplane, with two of the peripheral slots supporting PCI Express x8.

An already wired 460W ATX wide-range PSU is accessible at the front. As an option, a slim-line DVD drive can be integrated. The system is cooled using two 12V fans at the bottom of the system. The rack complies to the IEEE 1101.10/11 and is particularly well suited for applications in harsh environments.