Computer-on-module standard gathers support

The ETX 3.0 community is growing rapidly: nine leading global vendors have now signed up to support the latest 3.0 specification of the world's best proven computer-on-module standard ETX. The newest members of the ETX Industrial Group now supporting ETX 3.0 are Arbor, Axiomtek and Blue Chip Technology. MSC, Evalue, Adlink, Seco and Aaeon were initial supporters of this updated specification initiated by Kontron.

More providers of ETX modules also plan to support ETX 3.0 and will subscribe soon.

ETX 3.0 introduces 2x Serial ATA without changing any of the given ETX pins, making new modules 100% pin-to-pin backward compatible with previous versions and ensuring long-term support for the vast number of embedded application solutions based on these already highly integrated COMs.

Applications based on ETX COMs range from automation, medical, gaming and entertainment, to military and aerospace.

100% pin backward compatible ETX 3.0 modules ensures that an existing ETX carrier boards need absolutely no change.

ETX 3.0 adds real value to the embedded market's most established computer-on-module standard.

It is for this reason that even more vendors are expected to support ETX 3.0 soon.

'The rollout of ETX 3.0 will be the fastest de facto standardisation process the embedded computing industry has ever seen', comments Dirk Finstel, CTO of Kontron Embedded Modules, on the significance of the new specification.

'No other computer-on-module standard has ever been accepted that fast and being supported by all major vendors worldwide'.

Kontron and other members of the ETX Industrial Group have adopted ETX 3.0 with the intention of keeping this genuine standard viable, undiluted and reliable until at least 2010.

Additional modules built around dual-core processors and others from Intel, AMD and VIA are planned for release over the course of this year, with more to follow in future.