MICRO INDUSTRIES RELEASES MOTHERBOARD COMPLIANT WITH NEW INTEL EmbeddedATX FORM FACTOR
KioskCom 2002, ORLANDO, Fla. - March 4, 2002
Micro Industries today introduced the mTG61, a commercial motherboard that complies with the new EmbeddedATX (EmbATX) industry standard. The new compact form factor, developed by Intel and other industry leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), marks a significant step toward introducing embedded systems standards to the point-of-service (POS) market. The mTG61 is at the center of two new configurable kiosk computer systems from Micro Industries: the Touch & Go Herald and the Touch & Go Courier.
A form factor standard in the POS market can potentially bring high-volume motherboard production capabilities into a very segmented market, while substantially reducing costs, and improving overall reliability. The mTG61 motherboard provides OEMs that produce kiosk products with these exceptional values, and the advantages of a high-level of circuit integration.
"The EmbATX motherboard specification is ideal for the POS market segment as it is designed to reduce development and deployment costs and speed time-to-market," said Paul Buckley, market manager for interactive client products, Embedded Intel Architecture Division.
According to Michael Curran, president and CEO of Micro Industries, "A standard motherboard format enables developers to implement packaging designs with the knowledge that a variety of motherboards are available from multiple sources to address their specific requirements. Our initial product, the mTG61, supports multiple functions that are unique to the POS market with the scalable performance of a low-power, Intel® Celeron® or Pentium® III processor from Intel."
Micro Industries' mTG61 Motherboard Features:
- Intel® Celeron® and Pentium® III Processors - Low Power and 440MX Chipset: The mTG61 supports Intel Celeron processors - Low Power with 128 KB integrated cache and Intel Pentium III processors - Low Power with 256 KB integrated cache. The 440MX chipset features two USB ports, an AC'97 sound card interface, two 168-pin DIMM sockets (which provide up to 256 MB of SDRAM) and an EIDE-compatible CompactFlash socket that supports up to 256 MB of FLASH memory.
- mTG61 EmbeddedATX Compliance: The mTG61 motherboard complies with the low-profile EmbATX form factor standard. A single slot is provided on the motherboard for the installa-tion of a standard single-slot PCI riser card. Micro Industries has also provided a secondary connector in accordance with the standard ATX Riser specification, which allows a two-slot or three-slot riser card to be used.
- EmbeddedATX Motherboard Interface Specification: The EmbATX specification is a low-profile design for space-constrained applications. The specified dimensions are 9.6 x 9.6 x 2 inches. EmbATX increases application flexibility by providing an expanded I/O region, PCI expansion via riser cards, backward compatibility with microATX mounting holes and I/O cutout, as well as an ATX-compatible power connector.
- Video and Sound: Graphics are provided by a low-power, 128-bit 2D/3D Silicon Motion Lynx3DM graphics controller with interfaces for both analog CRTs and digital LCD panels; four or eight MB of SDRAM; SVGA output; flat-panel support; and enhanced multi-display and hardware-accelerated MPEG2/DVD playback. An AC'97 sound controller provides amplified output and microphone input capabilities.
- Four Serial Ports: Three ports provide standard DB9 connectors on the rear panel. The remaining port uses an on-board 10-pin header for connection to a touchscreen controller or other peripheral. One of the standard ports can also be reconfigured for use as an Infrared Interface (IrDA signaling); a separate IR transceiver is required.
- Intel® 82559 Ethernet Controller: This is Intel's multi-platform, 32-bit PCI local area network (LAN) controller for 10 or 100 megabit per second Ethernet networks and Wake- on-LAN capabilities.
- Additional Features: These include a watchdog timer, two EIDE channels, PS/2 keyboard/ mouse interface, Real-Time Clock with battery backup, Advanced Power supply Control (APC), and Advanced Power Management (APM).
Micro Industries' Configurable Kiosk Computer Systems
The Touch & Go Herald and Courier configurable kiosk computer products from Micro Industries are the first POS systems to provide retailers and OEMs with a complete, interactive system and scalable embedded system, respectively, using the compact Intel EmbATX mother-board format. Both systems have all the features of the mTG61 motherboard noted above, but because the board and the power supply are compatible with the existing ATX form factor, OEMs have the flexibility of using the same board for both embedded ATX and standard ATX applications.
Touch & Go Herald
The Touch & Go Herald offers developers a variety of functions that are only found in much larger systems. This wallmount system is ideally designed for POS terminals, inter-active kiosks, and automated teller machine (ATM) terminals. Its bright, 15-inch LCD panel has an extra-wide viewing angle, and a resistive or surface acoustic wave (SAW) touchscreen is enclosed in a durable custom bezel overlay built to withstand long-term customer use. The touchscreen eliminates the need for a keyboard or mouse, keeping user attention focused to on-screen information.
The system uses a highly integrated design to maximize performance in minimum space. There is a generous set of I/O features, including three external serial ports (plus an internal one for the touchscreen), a parallel port, and a PCI slot for future expansion. A mobile hard drive, Ethernet port, two USB ports, CompactFlash socket, VGA output, microphone/speaker connections, and a PS/2 keyboard and mouse interface are also standard. Despite the number of components, the overall unit is slim, with a chassis depth of only 3.44 inches.
Touch & Go Courier
The Touch & Go Courier is an embedded system housing a strong component set within a versatile design. The LCD panel is available in sizes ranging from 10.4 to 15 inches and can be embedded into a custom enclosure or panel mounted from behind a wall. In front of the LCD panel is a touchscreen that, like the Touch & Go Herald, can be configured with either a resistive or SAW touch panel to suit the application.
The system also features a mobile internal CD-ROM drive, a mobile hard drive, Ethernet port, two USB ports, CompactFlash socket, VGA output, microphone/speaker connections, and a PS/2 keyboard and mouse interface. Given its small footprint, powerful component set, and the scalable performance of the low-power Intel processors, the Touch & Go Courier system is the smart solution for OEMs that need a rugged, high-performing embedded kiosk system in a compact, versatile design.
Availability and Price
Anyone interested in placing an order or learning more about the new mTG61 mother-board or Touch & Go Configurable Kiosk Computer Systems can visit Micro Industries at booth number 414 at the Orange County Convention Center during KioskCom 2002 (March 4 - 7) or call Micro Industries Customer Service Department at 800-722-1842. The mTG61 is available immediately in the United States and Europe. Volume OEM pricing starts at $395 (U.S.) based on processor and I/O configuration. Smaller quantities are available at higher prices.
About Micro Industries
Micro Industries Corporation, founded in 1978, is an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) company that provides electronic engineering and manufacturing resources to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Micro Industries helps customers translate their product requirements into low-cost standard, custom, and semi-custom product solutions for embedded and integrated computer systems. The 52,000 square foot facility in Westerville, Ohio, serves as corporate headquarters and houses an EPA Zero Discharge manufacturing facility that meets both ISO 9001-94 and ISO 14001 standards. The manufacturing facility has fully automated conventional and surface mount assembly lines for both prototype and production requirements.
Micro Industries employs a dedicated staff of engineers focused on product design. Micro Industries also supports an Internet-based company that features free online tools that OEMs can use to design circuit board assemblies and systems and accelerate new product development. The website for this wholly-owned subsidiary, Sweetcircuits, Inc., is located at sweetcircuits.com. For more information about Micro Industries, please visit www.microindustries.com.
Micro Industries is a registered trademark of Micro Industries Corporation. Sweetcircuits is a registered trademark of Sweetcircuits, Inc. All rights reserved. Patents pending. Intel, Pentium, and Celeron are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and in other countries. All other legal marks are property of their respective owners.
Micro Industries Corporation Touch & Go Configurable Kiosk Computer Systems Complete Listing of Product Features
Herald Chassis (wallmount):
- Dimensions
- Chassis: 13.66" x 14.96" x 3.44" (H x W x D)
- LCD
- 15" viewable area
- 1024 x 768 resolution, 24-bit color
- 170 degree viewing angle
- 400 cd/m2 (brightness)
- Touchscreen
- Choice of resistive or surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch panel
- Storage
- 2.5" mobile hard drive bay
- CompactFlash Type II socket (for up to 256 MB of CompactFlash memory)
- Additional Features
- Green power LED indicator (external)
- Internal speaker (optional)
- Expansion
- One low-profile PCI slot available
Courier Chassis (embedded):
- Dimensions
- Chassis: 10.18" x 12.12" x 4.31" (H x W x D)
- Chassis with 12" LCD panel: 10.18" x 13.6" x 5.61" (H x W x D)
- LCD
- 10.4", 12.1" or 15" viewable area
- Touchscreen
- Choice of resistive or surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch panel
- Storage
- Mobile 24X CD-ROM drive
- 2.5" mobile hard drive bay
- CompactFlash Type II socket (for up to 256 MB of CompactFlash memory)
- Expansion
- Three low-profile PCI slots available
mTG61 Motherboard:
- Form factor
- EmbATX, 7.5" x 9.6" x 1.6" (H x W x D)
- Processor
- Intel® Pentium® III or Celeron™ BGA2 or uPGA Processor - Low Power
- Chipset
- Intel® 82443MX single-component chipset
- Memory
- Two 168-pin dual inline memory module (DIMM) sockets
- Support for up to 256 MB of synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)
- Video
- Silicon Motion Lynx3DM low power 2D/3D, 128-bit graphics controller
- Analog CRT and digital LCD panel interfaces
- SVGA output and flat-panel connector
- Hardware accelerated MPEG2/DVD playback
- Ethernet Controller
- Intel® 82559
- PCI 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Ethernet controller
- RJ-45 interface
- Indicator LEDs
- I/O Controller
- SMC® FDC37C932 I/O controller
- Peripheral Interfaces
- Three external16550 RS-232 serial ports (plus one internal for touchscreen)
- External bi-directional parallel port (plus one internal, can be brought external)
- Two USB ports
- PS/2 keyboard/mouse
- Sound
- AC'97 sound via the chipset
- 2-watt speaker out/mic in capabilities
- Additional Features
- Real Time Clock with battery backup
- Advanced Power supply Control (APC)
- Advanced Power Management (APM)
- BIOS
- 256K/512K Flash BIOS
- Flash re-programming and Crisis Recovery utilities
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