Computer-On-Module extends life of ETX-based systems.

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Ampro Introduces XTX 820 to Extend the Life of ETX-Based Systems

Smooth migration path to PCI Express(TM) and Serial ATA prevents unnecessary redesigns NUREMBERG, GERMANY, February 14, 2006. - Ampro Computers, Inc., a leading supplier of standards-based computer systems and single board computers, introduced today at Embedded World the XTX 820 Computer-on-Module (COM) to allow OEMs to access the latest chipset technology without a complete redesign of their ETX baseboard. Ampro's presence in the XTX market will give assurance to embedded system integrators and manufacturers that their existing investments in custom baseboard designs can be preserved and leveraged for years to come. Featuring performance up to 1.8 Gigahertz Pentium® M, the XTX 820 COM retains legacy peripherals while offering the latest high-speed interconnect and storage technologies: PCI Express(TM) and Serial ATA. Visit ampro.com/html/XTX_FormFactor_820.html for product information. "For 23 years, Ampro has earned a solid reputation for making long-term commitments to modular computing form factor standards for the embedded market such as industry standards PC/104 and EBX," said Joanne Mumola Williams, president and CEO of Ampro. "The XTX 820 signifies Ampro's intention to support ETX customers for a very long time rather than abandon them or impose complete redesigns. We understand how much OEMs have invested in custom baseboards. Consequently Ampro is joining other key suppliers committed to XTX to further strengthen this new industry standard in order to provide the cleanest path forward for OEMs to adopt new processors and chipsets." The XTX 820 COM offers the next generation Intel 915GM chipset along with a choice of 1.0GHz, 1.4GHz, or 1.8GHz processors, DDR 400 RAM to 1GB, (6) USB 2.0 ports, both EIDE and Serial ATA interfaces, 10/100 Ethernet, PCI expansion, and RoHS compliance. XTX modules plug into a baseboard to allow customization of board size and shape, I/O circuitry, connector locations, and easy migration to higher performance modules in the future. The XTX 820 is designed with full ACPI 2.0 support including S3 suspend-to-RAM. AMI BIOS provides full support for wake-up devices including LAN, keyboard, mouse, power button and PCI or SMBus activity. Although the ETX standard does not accommodate new high-speed serial technologies such as Serial ATA and PCI Express, the new XTX standard provides an extension to ETX by replacing the ISA bus signals with four PCI Express lanes, two Serial ATA ports, two additional USB ports and the Low Pin Count (LPC) bus. The LPC bus has already replaced the ISA bus in desktop and notebook PCs and chipsets. Access to both the PCI bus and the LPC bus at the XTX baseboard interface gives OEMs two options for generating the ISA bus if it's needed: Through a PCI-to-ISA bridge or an LPC-to-ISA bridge on the baseboard. Unlike other COM architectures, XTX retains support for legacy peripherals such as serial ports, parallel port, floppy drive, Parallel ATA (IDE) and PS/2 keyboard and mouse. XTX uses the same four baseboard connectors and in the same location as the ETX and the module holes and dimensions are identical for seamless migration from a mechanical standpoint. Electrically, only the signals on one connector are different (ISA bus). For OEMs not using ISA, the XTX 820 plugs directly into existing ETX baseboards allowing easy access to the latest chipset technology, graphics, and processors plus a "bridge to the future" so that baseboards can take advantage of PCI Express and Serial ATA when it's convenient for each OEM. Other new module standards use completely different connectors, signals, locations, and board sizes, which causes a substantial baseboard design immediately even when PCI Express is not needed in the short term. The XTX 820 QuickStart Kits include drivers and Board Support Packages (BSPs) for Windows® XP, Windows XP Embedded, Windows CE 5.0, VxWorks®, and QNX® operating systems, and a full Linux® 2.6 distribution (Fedora(TM) Core 3). Pricing and Availability RoHS-compliant production XTX 820 modules will be available in March, 2006. Prices start in the low $500's in moderate quantities. About Ampro Computers, Inc. Ampro Computers, Inc. is the leading global provider of modular embedded computing solutions for OEM applications. Ampro's mission is to provide time saving solutions for embedded systems designers that accelerate the product deployment process. Ampro pioneered the embedded PC industry creating the popular PC/104 and EBX standards, and recently co-invented the new EPIC and EPIC Express standards. Ampro offers the ReadySystem Computer as a complete turnkey industrial computer solution, ETX and XTX Computer-on-Modules, PC/104-compatible CoreModule CPUs and MiniModule I/O expansion products, EBX form factor LittleBoard single-board computers (SBCs), EPIC form factor ReadyBoard SBCs, and Mini-ITX form factor MightyBoard SBCs. For more information about Ampro Computers, please visit www.ampro.com. Media Contact: Victoria Kostka 408-360-4324 vkostka@ampro.com