Acrosser has announced a 3.8 x 3.6 inch single board computer (SBC) equipped with a 600MHz Celeron M CPU. The fanless, Linux-compatible AR-B5020 can be expanded with an optional daughterboard that adds PC/104 and PCI-104 expansion slots, says the company.

(Click here for a larger view of the AR-B5020/ARB-5020D stack)

The AR-B5020 (shown above and below, on the left) uses the standard 3.8 x 3.6 dimensions of PC/104 modules, although it does not provide PC/104 expansion all on its own. Instead, expansion can be added via the companion AR-B5020D daughterboard (below right), which attaches to the AR-B5020 via a high-density Hirose ETX connector and four copper standoffs. The AR-B5020D adds PCI-104 and PC/104 expansion slots, and combined with the AR-B5020, forms a rigid stack.

Acrosser's AR-B5020 SBC (left) and companion ARB-5020D daughterboard (right)
(Click to enlarge)
The AR-B5020 includes a 600MHz Celeron M ULV processor, which operates fanlessly, thanks in part to the board's top-mounted heat spreader. The chipset for the SBC is Intel's popular 852GM, along with the ICH4 southbridge. A single SO-DIMM slot supports up to 1GB of 200/266MHz DDR DRAM, Acrosser says.

As usual for the 852GM chipset, Intel's Extreme Graphics is featured, with up to 64MB of shared system memory, 2D/3D graphics acceleration, and MPEG-2 decoding. Pin headers provide interfaces for both VGA and LVDS LCD displays.

Additional interfaces — also via pin headers, though Acrosser naturally sells optional cables with standard PC-style connectors — include 10/100 Ethernet, IDE, two serial ports, and eight independent GPIO lines. There are also two USB ports and a PS/2 port for a keyboard and mouse.

The ARB-5020D includes ITE's ITE8888 PCI to ISA bridge. This allows it to provide both ISA-based PC/104 and PCI-based PCI-104 expansion slots. It also offers a Type II CompactFlash socket, an additional two serial ports, and two added USB ports.

Acrosser lists the following features and specifications for the AR-B5020 and AR-B5020D combo:

• Processor — 600MHz Celeron M ULV
  
• Memory — Single SO-DIMM slot, supporting up to 1GB of 200/266MHz DDR DRAM
  
• Display — Supports CRT and TFT monitors, with up to 64MB of shared system memory
  
• Networking — 10/100 Ethernet
  
• Other I/O (all via pin headers):
  • 1 x VGA
    
  • 1 x LVDS
    
  • 4 x RS232 (2 on module, 2 on daughterboard)
    
  • 4 x USB (2 on module, 2 on daughterboard)
    
  • 1 x EIDE (supports Ultra DMA 33)
    
  • 8 x independent GPIO lines
    
  • 1 x PS/2 for keyboard/mouse

• Expansion:
  • 100-pin Hirose ETX connector linking module and daughterboard
    
  • 1 x PC/104 expansion slot (daughterboard)
    
  • 1 x PCI-104 expansion slot (daughterboard)
    
  • CompactFlash Type II socket (daughterboard)

• Dimensions (l x w, height of stack not cited) — 3.8 x 3.6 inches
  
• Operating temperature — 0 to 60 deg. C

The AR-B5020 runs Linux “6.5 and above,” as well as Windows XP Embedded, Windows XP, and Windows CE. Pricing was not cited, but the AR-B5020 and AR-B5020D are “available now.”

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