Kontron has introduced a new product in its family of low-profile “flatware” SBCs (single-board computers) that target applications such as mobile panel-PCs, webpads, test equipment, door and gate stations, and vehicle seat-back systems. The “ultraflat” ePanel-PM is intended to mount directly behind an LCD display panel, according to the company.

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The ePanel-PM supports a range of Celeron M and Pentium M processors, from 600 MHz to 1.4 GHz, and up to 1 GB of DDR RAM. Kontron says the product's use of an x86 processor ensures “practically unlimited” software support; presumably, this includes Linux, as well as other popular embedded and desktop OSes.

With a board size of 7.1 x 5.5 inches (180 x 140 mm), the unit can mount behind an LCD as small as 8 inches, according to Kontron. It provides LVDS and TTL digital video out, as well as VGA analog out. The board supports 4, 5, and 8-wire touchscreens.

By now, you're probably wondering how thick the board is. Oddly, given the product's focus on flatness, the company has thus far not stated the board's thickness dimension.

According to Kontron the ePanel-PM comes with a wide range of I/O ports including:

• 10/100 Ethernet
• 3 USB 2.0
• 2 serial, TTL levels
• PAL/NTSC video input, TV out is optional
• LPT
• CompactFlash slot

A PC card interface and optional mini-PCI slot provide support for wireless options or additional interfaces such as CAN.

The ePanel-PM is apparently not yet available for shipment. The company's website currently lists the product as “coming soon.”

 
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