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Industrial computer offers 12 serial ports

Feb 17, 2011 — by Eric Brown — from the LinuxDevices Archive — 16 views

Adlink announced a fanless, Atom N270-based industrial computer featuring extended temperature support and 12 serial ports, some of them programmable. The MXE-1200 offers CompactFlash storage, Mini PCI Express and SIM slots, LVDS and VGA, gigabit Ethernet outputs, and the ability to work on power supplies from 6~36 Volts, the company says.

The MXE-1200 is designed for space-constrained applications including transportation, factory automation, home security, environmental monitoring, and research, says the company. The fanless, 8.3 x 7.7 x 2.1-inch (210 x 170 x 54mm) computer incorporates the tried and true, 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 matched with 1GB of DDR2 memory, says Adlink.


Adlink MXE-1200

(Click to enlarge)

The MXE-1200 offers a Compact Flash (CF) slot and SATA port, as well as internal Mini-PCI-Express (PCIe) and SIM slots for expansion. An SMA antenna connector is available to boost wireless connections, says the company. Dual display support is available via the supplied VGA and DVI-D (18-bit LVDS) ports, the company adds.

MXE-1200, rear view
(Click to enlarge)

A gigabit Ethernet port and four USB 2.0 ports are provided, but the main story here is serial connectivity. The MXE-1200 features 12 COM ports, with two RS232 ports and two more ports programmable between RS-232, RS-422 or RS-485 via a BIOS setting, says Adlink. The other eight serial ports are said to be dedicated to a serial format of the customer's choice, depending on the model chosen: RS-232 (MXE-1212/232), RS-422 (MXE-1212/422), or RS-485 (MXE-1212/485).

MXE-1200, front detail

As shown in the spec table below, the computer is available in standard and extended temperature (-4 to 158 deg. F) models. Vibration and shock resistance are said to be built into both versions, and the system is touted for its wide wide-range 6-36 VDC input.

MXE-1200, back detail

Features and specifications listed for the Adlink MXE-1200 include:

  • Processor — Intel Atom N270 @1.6GHz
  • Chipset — Intel 945GSE and ICH7-M
  • Memory — 1GB DDR2 (533MHz) via 1 x SODIMM; expandable to 2GB
  • Storage:
    • 1 x Compact Flash Type II with PIO and DMA modes for HDD replacement
    • 1 x SATA port for 2.5-inch HDD/SDD
    • optional 320GB HDD, 32GB or 40GB SDD, or 8GB industrial-grade SDD
  • Expansion — 1 x Mini-PCIe (internal); 1 x USIM socket for 3G module
  • Display:
    • 1 x VGA port for up to 2048 x 1536 analog resolution
    • 1 x DVI-D port for LCD panel (18-bit LVDS)
    • Dual display (VGA and LVDS)
  • Networking — 1 x gigabit Ethernet port (Realtek 8111C)
  • Serial I/O (12 ports total):
    • 2 x RS232/422/485; software-programmable; COM1 & COM2
    • 2 x RS232 (COM3 & COM4)
    • 8 x serial, type dependent on model:
      • MXE-1212/232 (8 x RS-232)
      • MXE-1212/422 (8 x RS-422)
      • MXE-1212/485 (8 x RS-485)
  • Other I/O:
    • 4 x USB 2.0 ports
    • 1 x PS/2 keyboard
    • 1 x PS/2 mouse
    • 1 x mic-in
    • 1 x speaker-out
  • Other features — 1 x SMA antenna connector with SMA-to-IPEX cable pre-installed; VESA 100 mounting kit
  • Power — 6-36 VDC input; 3P pluggable connector with latch; optional 40 W ext. AC-DC adapter
  • Operating temperature — 32 to 122 deg. F (0 to 50 deg. C); extended option -4 to 158 deg. F (-20 to 70 deg. C)
  • Vibration resistance — 5 Grms, 5-500 Hz, 3 axes with CF/SSD; 0.5Grms, 5-500 Hz, 3 axes with HDD
  • Shock resistance — 100 G, half sine 11ms with CF/SSD
  • Dimensions — 8.3 x 7.7 x 2.1 inches (210 x 170 x 54mm)
  • Weight — 4.19 lbs (1.9 k)

Availability

No details were available on pricing, availability, or operating system support. More information may be found on Adlink's MXE-1200 page and MXE-1200 datasheet (PDF).


This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.



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