A single board computer ( SBC ) is a complete computer built on a single circuit board, with microprocessors, memory, input/output (I/O) and other required features of functional computer. A single board computer is created as a demonstration or development system, for an educational system, or for use as an embedded computer controller. Many types of home computers or portable computers integrate all of their functions into a single printed circuit board.
Unlike desktop personal computers, single board computers often do not rely on expansion slots for peripheral or expansion functions. Single board computers have been built using various microprocessors. Simple designs, such as those built by computer enthusiasts, often use static RAM and cheap 8 or 16 bit processors. Other types, such as blade servers, will function similarly to server computers, only in a more concise format.
Computer-in-module is a type of single-board computer created to be connected to a carrier board, pole, or backplane for system expansion.
Video Single-board computer
Histori
The first true single board computer (see the May 1976 edition of Radio-Electronics) called "dyna-micro" is based on Intel C8080A, and also uses Intel's first EPROM, C1702A. The micro-dyna was re-branded by E & amp; L Instruments of Derby, CT in 1976 as "MMD-1" (Mini-Micro Designer 1) and was made famous as an example of microcomputers in the very popular "BugBook" 8080 series. SBCs are also very instrumental in the early history of home computers, for example at Acorn Electron and BBC Micro. Other initial board computers such as KIM-1 are often shipped without enclosures, which must be added by the owner. Other examples are Ferguson Big Board and Nascom.
As the PC market becomes more common, fewer SBCs are used on computers. The main components are assembled on the motherboard, and the peripheral components such as serial ports, disk drive controllers, and graphics processors are located in the daughterboards. The recent availability of advanced chip sets provides most of the I/O features as embedded components allow motherboard manufacturers to offer motherboards with I/O traditionally supplied by daughterboards. Most PC motherboards now offer on-board support for disk drives including IDE and SATA with traditional RAID, graphics, Ethernet and I/O such as serial and parallel ports, USB, and keyboard/mouse support. The plug-in cards are now more common high-performance graphics cards (really co-graphics processors), high-end RAID controllers, and special I/O cards such as data acquisition and DSP (Digital Signal Processor) boards.
Maps Single-board computer
Apps
Single board computers are possible by increasing the density of integrated circuits. The single board configuration reduces the overall cost of the system, by reducing the number of circuit boards required, and by removing the connector and bus driver circuitry that should be usable. By putting all the functions on a single board, a smaller overall system can be obtained, for example, as in a notebook computer. Connectors are often a source of reliability problems, so a one-board system eliminates this problem.
Single board computers are now generally defined in two different architectures: no slots and slot support.
Embedded SBCs are units that provide all necessary I/O without provision for plug-in cards. Applications are usually games (slot machines, video poker), kiosks, and machine control automation. Embedded SBCs are much smaller than ATX type motherboards found on PCs, and provide more targeted I/O mixes to industrial applications, such as on-board digital and analog I/O, bootable on-board flash memory need for disk drive), no video, etc.
The term "Single Board Computer" now generally applies to architectures where single board computers are plugged into the backplane to provide I/O cards. In the case of PC104, the bus is not a traditional backplane but a series of pin connectors that allow the I/O board to be stacked.
Single board computers are most commonly used in industrial situations where they are used in rackmount format for process control or embedded in other devices to provide controls and interfaces. They've been to the depths of the ocean (ALICE deep sea probes), into outer space (ARRIANE, Pegasus Rocket, and Shuttle), and to every continent on the planet. Due to the extremely high level of integration, reduced component count and reduced number of connectors, SBCs are often smaller, lighter, more power efficient and more reliable than comparable multi-board computers.
The main advantage of ATX motherboards compared to SBC is the cost. Motherboards are manufactured by millions to consumers and office markets that enable exceptional economic scale. The single board computer is a niche market and is produced less frequently and at a higher cost. Motherboards and SBCs now offer the same level of feature integration which means that motherboard failures in both standards will require equivalent replacement.
Type, default
One common variation of single board computers using a standard computer form factor is intended to be used in a backplane enclosure. Some of these types are CompactPCI, PXI, VMEbus, VXI, and PICMG. SBC has been built around various internal processing structures including Intel architecture, multiprocessing architectures, and lower power processing systems such as RISC and SPARC. In the world of Intel PCs, intelligence and interface/control circuits are placed on a plug-in board which is then inserted into a passive (or active) backplane. The end result is similar to having a system built with the motherboard, except that the backplane determines the slot configuration. Backplanes are available with a mix of slots (ISA, PCI, PCIX, PCI-Express, etc.), usually 20 or less, which means it will fit in a "rackmount 19" (17 "wide chassis) enclosure.
Some single-board computers have connectors that allow a stack of circuit boards, each containing expansion hardware, to be installed without a traditional backplane. Examples of form factor SBC arrays include PC/104, PC/104- Plus , PCI-104, EPIC, and EBX; these systems are generally available for use in embedded control systems.
Stack-type SBCs often have memory provided on plug-cards such as SIMM and DIMMs. Hard drive circuit boards also do not count to determine whether the computer is SBC or not for two reasons, first because the HDD is considered a single block storage unit, and secondly because SBC may not require hard drives at all as most can be booted from their network connections.
Establish factor
- AdvancedTCA
- CompactPCI
- Embedded Compact Extended (ECX)
- Mini-ITX
- PC/104
- PICMG
- Pico-ITX
- PXI
- Qseven
- VMEbus
- VPX
- VXI
- 96Boards (CE, EE, EETV, and IE)
See also
- Comparison of single board computers
- Open source computing hardware
- One board microcontroller
- Connect your computer
- Embedded system
References
Where can it be used?
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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