Embedded and Industrial PCs

Last updated 3 August 2008

There's a revolution happening in industrial and networking PCs. Prices have fallen to the point where many industrial applications can be developed faster using standard Linux or Windows tools such as VFX Forth running on low-cost PCs rather than dedicated hardware.

Low volume applications that do not require specialised I/O are particularly suitable for this approach.

Ebox2300SX PCs

We bought ourselves a couple of Ebox 2300SX PCs for Christmas 2007. What a fabulous piece of kit! Plug in a CompactFlash card with Xlinux (console mode) or Puppy (with a full GUI if you want it) and VFX Forth for Linux, and you have a very capable machine for the money. You can also run DOS, WinCE and Windows XP.

Ebox2300 front

Ebox2300 back

See the manual. Please note that these PCs do not have an FPU/NDP coprocessor.

Specifications:

• CPU - Vortex86SX, 300MHz
• RAM - 128Mb
• BIOS - AMI
• Bootable from Compact Flash or USB
• Video - up to 1280x1024 with 32 Mb RAM
• I/O - 10/100 Ethernet, 3 x USB host, 2 x RS232, keyboard/mouse, CompactFlash slot (type I/II)
• 24 bit GPIO
• Internal - IDE 44, Mini-PCI
• Power consumption - 6w
• Size 115 x 115 x 35 mm, weight 505g
• Boxed with wall-wart PSU with UK plug

Ebox4300 PCs

Where the application needs more performance and/or a floating point unit, choose the Ebox4300 in the same box as the Ebox2300SX above.

• CPU - Via Eden ULV, 500MHz
• RAM - 512Mb
• BIOS - AMI
• Bootable from Compact Flash or USB
• Video - up to 1920x2440 with 128 Mb shared RAM, 2D/3D accelerator with MPEG4 and WMV9 decoders
• Audo - AC97
• I/O - 10/100 Ethernet, 3 x USB host, 2 x RS232, keyboard/mouse, CompactFlash slot (type I/II)
• Internal - IDE 44, Mini-PCI
• Power consumption - 15w
• Size 115 x 115 x 35 mm, weight 505g
• Boxed with wall-wart PSU with UK plug