Users of the new motherboard can scale their applications across all processor generations and manufacturers as needed, keeping them up-to-date with the latest developments in high-end embedded computing. This scalability allows for flexible high-end performance classes, from Intel® Core i7™ and Intel® Xeon® E3 processors to future designs, such as those based on the AMD Zen architecture. The new embedded motherboard also extends the long-term use of existing Mini-ITX motherboard designs, as discontinued processor modules can be easily upgraded by swapping them with new modules without any board modifications.
Specifically developed to meet the ever-increasing performance demands of the high-end sector, the new conga-IT6 Mini-ITX motherboard will also support all future versions of congatec processors for the COM Express Type 6 form factor. The current performance range includes Intel® Atom™, Celeron®, and Pentium® (Baytrail E3815) processors, AMD Embedded G and R series processors, as well as 7th generation Intel® Core™ i7 and Xeon® E3 processors. Support for the latter makes the new conga-IT6 an extremely powerful embedded Mini-ITX server board with long-term availability unmatched by any other embedded computing manufacturer. In total, customers can choose from 11 different processor versions.
"Alongside our standard product portfolio of Mini-ITX industrial boards with soldered processors, there are a number of customers who prefer functionally identical embedded motherboards with a much more flexible processor design, because they always want to integrate the highest possible performance. If they also require long-term availability or want to develop highly scalable product families, they will be better served by our new embedded Mini-ITX board," explains Jürgen Jungbauer, product manager for Mini-ITX motherboards at congatec. "Examples of such high-end embedded applications include broadcast equipment and infotainment systems, as well as medical workstations, which, thanks to their modular design, also benefit from simplified certification as computers for medical applications.".
"A modular Mini-ITX platform is also an excellent starting point for custom Mini-ITX designs, as our Embedded Design and Manufacturing Service only needs to adapt the existing Mini-ITX board and can reuse our off-platform COM (Computer-On-Modules) ready application, accelerating time to market and reducing costs for customer-specific Mini-ITX-based platforms," adds Christian Eder, Marketing Director at congatec.
The COM Express standard specifies cooling solutions that offer individual thermal interfaces for Computer-on-Module modules, but maintain a uniform system footprint and height. This means that the combination of the COM Express module and the cooling solution is also mechanically compatible and interchangeable within a system design. congatec supplies suitable passive and active cooling solutions for its modules.
Features in Detail:
The conga-IT6 Mini-ITX motherboard, an industrial-grade board for COM Express Type 6 modules, combines standard embedded interfaces with IT-grade performance features to meet the requirements of even the most demanding graphics workstations and servers. A PCIe graphics slot with up to 16 channels (depending on the module) is available for connecting high-performance graphics cards and GPGPUs. Four USB ports and a miniPCIe port are provided for additional peripherals. Monitors can be connected via two DisplayPort, two HDMI, eDP, LVDS, and VGA. Two 1GbE ports with a dedicated Intel® i211 network controller, as well as a micro SIM slot, offer flexible networking options. For storage, there are two SATA Gen3 ports, a microSD socket, and an M.2 Type B slot compatible with Intel® Optane™ fast memory. Regarding embedded interfaces, the motherboard provides four COM ports (232/422/485), one GPIO pin, and one I²C bus. A wide range of external and internal input voltages (12VDC to 24VDC) makes the power supply highly flexible, and thanks to intelligent battery management support, even battery-powered mobile applications are possible. A wide range of accessories, such as I/O shields, cable kits, and video adapters, are also available to simplify design.
