Originally derived from the form-factor of the “MiniModules” used to expand Ampro's Little Board SBC, PC/104 has now become one of the most popular embedded system standards. The compact (3.6 x 3.8 in.), rugged, PC-compatible module standard takes its name from the self-stacking 104-pin pin-and-socket bus that contains the same signals as… the ISA bus (PC bus) P1 and P2 connectors. PC/104-Plus adds the PCI bus, using a second (120-pin) board-to-board bus connector.

Because PC/104 and PC/104-Plus modules tend to be made from standard PC desktop and (more often) laptop components, most manufacturers of these products claim that they support embedded Linux — either directly, or via a third-party relationship with one of the embedded Linux software providers.

By now, PC/104 is so broadly supported that it's not practical to list individual suppliers — of which there are many hundreds worldwide. Instead, we refer you to the following resources which provide PC/104 technical, product, and vendor information . . .

• The PC/104 Consortium — a nonprofit trade association devoted to supporting and promoting PC/104 technology, and maintainer of the PC/104 and PC/104-Plus standards. Definitely, the place to start. details

• E-Zine of PC/104 Controlled Systems — a commercial PC/104 portal with PC/104 related news, articles, FAQ, and product/vendor listings. details

• PC/104 Embedded Solutions Magazine — a commercial publication devoted to PC/104 related news, articles, and product/vendor information. Subscriptions are free to qualified individuals. details

Also be sure to use the LinuxDevices.com search engine with the keyword “PC/104” (also try “PC104”, “PC-104”, and “104”) — check the news, articles, products, and links databases.

• Part 1: About this guide
  
• Part 2: A Linux-oriented Intro to Embeddable Single Board Computers
  
• Part 3: PC/104 and PC/104-Plus SBCs
  
• Part 4: EBX SBCs
  
• Part 5: Filling the gap between PC/104 and EBX
  
• Part 6: Tiny SBCs for Embedded Linux based projects
  
• Part 7: Mini-ITX Madness

 
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