Kontron launches two new SMARC modules in 2016

Future SMARC 2.0 product line will be based on specification SMARC 2.0 by SGET Team SDT.01

Augsburg, February 11th, 2016 – Kontron, a leading global provider of Embedded Computing Technology (ECT), announces its plan to follow the recently published SGET (Standardization Group for Embedded Technologies e.V.) version 2.0 of its SMARC specification.
 
Highlights of the new SMARC specification include:
 
·       A new version V2.0 meant to repurpose selected V1.1 pins that are underused for new interfaces in order to keep the compatibility with the V1.1 pins. The team ensured that no damage will be caused to modules that were placed in a V2.0 compliant carrier or inverse with a V2.0 compliant Module in a V1.1 compliant Carrier.
·       New interfaces including 2nd channel LVDS, a 2nd Ethernet port, IEEE1588 Trigger Signals, a 4th PCI Express Lane, extra USB ports (now up to 6x USB 2.0 + 2x USB 3.0), x86 power management signals, eSPI and DP++.
·       Three digital displays: As primary display 2x 24 bit LVDS or eDP (4 channels) or MIPI DSI (4 channels) can be used, the secondary display can either be HDMI or DP++ and the third display can be DP++.
 
Some interfaces which were rarely used or considered as almost outdated, were removed from the specification: Parallel Camera Interface, Parallel Display Interface, PCI Express Presence and Clock Request signals, Alternate Function Block, SPDIF, one I2S (out of 3) and eMMC. Kontron plans to release two SMARC modules based on the 2.0 specification this year.
 
Martin Unverdorben, SGET SDT 0.1 Chairman and Kontron Product Manager for SMARC says, “The SMARC 2.0 specifications will provide an enhanced pinout to fit better to customer needs and processor interfaces. SMARC 2.0 will be the perfect match for a module standard, which was started for ARM processors and is now fully open to address X86 processors as well. It will be the base for many highly sophisticated and outstanding customer applications.”
 
SDT.01 plans to release and publish the specification in spring 2016. It will be freely available for download on the SGET website according to the SGET terms of membership - both for SMARC developers as well as for users and carrier providers.
 
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About Kontron
Kontron, a global leader in embedded computing technology and trusted advisor in IoT, provides a complete and integrated portfolio of hardware, software and services. Kontron creates many of the standards that drive the world’s embedded computing platforms, bringing to life numerous technologies and applications. The result is an accelerated time-to-market, reduced total-cost-of-ownership, product longevity and the best possible overall application with leading-edge, highest reliability embedded technology.             
Kontron is a listed company. Its shares are traded in the Prime Standard segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on other exchanges under the symbol “KBC”.
For more information, please visit: www.kontron.com