BCM announced a pair of panel PCs using Intel's dual-core Atom D525 processor. The 18.5-inch PPC18W-525D and 15-inch PPC15-525D support up to 2GB of DDR3 memory, include 2.5-inch hard disk bays and CompactFlash slots, and have two gigabit Ethernet ports and two Mini PCI Express slots apiece, the company says.

According to BCM, its PPC18W-525D and PPC15-525D both run fanlessly at 1.8GHz, thanks to Intel's dual-core Atom D525. Intel rates the CPU itself for a 10 Watt TDP; overall power consumption for the panel PCs isn't specified, but they come with 84 Watt AC adapters, which sounds more than ample.

BCM's PPC18W-525D

The PPC18W-525D and PPC15-525D apparently use the same main board, with identical ports and other capabilities. BCM says the devices incorporate Intel's ICH8-M I/O controller and accept up to 2GB of DDR3 memory (1GB onboard, 1GB via a SODIMM slot). Persistent storage, meanwhile, is provided for by a 2.5-inch drive bay and a Type I/II CompactFlash slot, according to the company.

It's said the PPC18W-525D and PPC15-525D both include dual Mini PCI Express slots, dual gigabit Ethernet ports, and dual USB 2.0 ports. The panel PCs each also include VGA ports for connection of a second screen, line audio outputs, and a single RS232 port, according to BCM.

The ports on BCM's PPC18W-525D

According to BCM, both devices have watchdog timers, hardware status monitoring, and a timed power-on function. They're available with or without touchscreen (five-wire resistive) functionality, the company adds.

Apart from size and weight, the only difference between the two models appears to be screen size and aspect ratio. According to BCM, the PPC18W-525D has an 18.5-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. The PPC15-525D, meanwhile, has a 15-inch screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio and resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels, the company says.

As is still often the case, it's the smaller screen that offers better contrast. The PPC15-525D is said to have a 250-nit brightness rating and a 500:1 contrast ratio; the PPC18W-525D has only a 300:1 contrast ratio but gets a 300-nit brightness rating.

BCM adds that by accessing the ICH8-M's provision of up to 224MB shared video memory, the panel PCs can drive external VGA displays at resolutions up to 2048 x 1536 pixels. Both devices have stereo speakers and programmable functions keys on their front panels, the company adds.

Features and specifications listed by BCM for the PPC18W-525D and the PPC15-525D include:

• Processor — Intel Atom D525 clocked at 1.8GHz
• Chipset — Intel ICH8-M
• Display:
  • PPC15-525D — 15-inch display with 1024 x 768 resolution, 250-nit brightness rating, 500:1 contrast ratio, optional resistive touch
  • PPC18W-525D — 18.5-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution, 300-nit brightness rating, 300:1 contrast ratio, optional resistive touch
• Memory — 1GB of DDR3 RAM onboard, and SODIMM slot for further 1GB
• Storage — 2.5-inch bay for SATA HDD; Type I/II CompactFlash slot
• Expansion — Type I/II CompactFlash and 2 x Mini PCI Express
• Networking — 2 x gigabit Ethernet
• Other I/O:
  • 1 x VGA
  • 1 x RS232
  • 2 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x line out
• Power — 12VDC via 85W AC adapter
• Operating temperature — 32 to 104 deg. F (0 to 40 deg. C)
• Dimensions:
• PPC15-525D — 13.36 x 11.22 x 2.09 inches
• PPC18W-525D — 17.44 x 11.42 x 2.35 inches
• Weight:
  • PPC15-525D — 6.14 pounds
  • PPC18W-525D — "tbd"

Further information

According to BCM, the PC15-525D and PPC18W-525D are available now, but pricing and operating system support were not specified. More information may be found on the company's website here and here.

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.