Subject: Example of high-density, high-functionality combination

From: [email-masked] (Russell Kent)
Date: Mon, 12 Jul 93 17:10:03 -0500

I saw this article in the July 5, 1993 Electronic Engineering Times (p.48)
and thought it might serve as an inspiration.  These guys and gals really
know how to pack a lot of function into a little package (3.9" x 3.9")
at a reasonable price!

Do you suppose they have any "lessons learned" that we could use?
Do you think they might be willing to share them with us?

There's a picture along with the article which shows:
   Intel 386SL
   another Intel part; same size as 386SL (black print)
   C&T part about 80% of the size as 386SL
   SMC part about 25% of the size of 386SL
   2 unreadable parts about 25% size of 386SL (foil labels)
   2 Valor parts; both rectangular, 1 about 25mm, other about 10mm
   Small rectangular IC about 10mm
   1 Lithium (?) nickle-sized battery
   2 radial caps; handful of S/M decoupling caps
   1 64-/96- pin backplane connector
   10-pin header strip
   64-pin header strip (maybe multiple connecters)
   10-/12- header strip/jumpers

It does not show the backside of the card :-(

My few comments are imbedded in square brackets with my initials [like
this. --rak]

Russell Kent
Texas Instruments                   [email-masked]   -or-
PO Box 655012  M/S 3624             [email-masked]
Dallas, TX 75265                    TI-MSG: RAK9
Voice: (214) 917-2285               FAX: (214) 917-5112

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Toronto - Megatel Computer Corp. has boosted the processing and graphics
performance of its embedded PC board while lowering the card's overall
power consumption.  The new PC/II+ is a 386SL-based card with on-board
local-bus Super VGA graphics.  It runs at 5 volts and consumes 6 watts.

Megatel has also reduced the size of its embedded board to 100x100
millimeters.  Despite its size, the board accomodates an Ethernet interface
through the use of an Intel 82595 single-chip controller.  This Ethernet
controller provides either 8- or 16-bit operation and supports Novell's
IPX/SPX protocols.

The 25-MHz processor can manage up to 16 Mbytes of interleaved DRAM,
reducing the need for a separate cache-memory subsystem. A Chips and
Technologies 65530 Super VGA controller supports 1 Mbyte of VRAM. The
PC/II+ also supplies on-board DOS in ROM and can handle up to a 2.25-Mbyte
solid-state disk using the Flash-File subsystem.

The card offers a number of basic microcomputer features, such as a SCSI
host adapter, floppy-disk controller, two RS-232 serial ports, one
high-spool [sic. "high-speed" perhaps? --rak] serial port and one parallel
port. A real-time clock and battery backup for the 16-bit ISA bus are also
provided.

The PC/II+ sells for $695 [US --rak] in hundreds and will be available in
beta-sampling quantities in the third quarter.  A developer's kit,
including a passive backplane, 2 Mbyte memory, an I/O board and associated
cabling and manuals costs $995.

Peter Cook, (416) 245-2953
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