PC/104 boards deliver a range of interfaces while supporting the PCI and ISA bus. The PC104+DEV open-frame development platform from Parvis Corp. allows access to the PC/104 boards, plus the PC ISA and PCI boards. This is handy for development and diagnostics, in addition to providing access to peripherals destined for a custom PC/104 board. Likewise, it lets designers migrate custom ISA or PCI boards to PC/104 applications prior to new board availability.
The PC104+DEV contains an ATX power supply, a CD-ROM drive, a 3.5-in. floppy drive, and a 2.5-in. integrated-device-electronics (IDE) hard drive in an aluminum case. Also incorporated are two DB9 serial connectors, a parallel port connector, an ATX power connector, an IDE connector, and a PS/2 keyboard and mouse connector. The lineup of expansion slots includes two ISA connectors, two PCI connectors, and a PC/104 connector.
Priced at $533, the PC104+DEV typically comes with one of Parvus' Pentium-based or x86-based SpacePC single-board computers. These fanless, passive cooled boards also include 10/100-Mbit Ethernet interfaces. The latest SpacePC is the 4500, which is a PC/104-Plus SBC. Priced at $795, it includes a 400-MHz Celeron processor and 128 Mbytes of memory, along with a rather hefty heatsink.
Parvus Corp.www.parvus.com