|
To understand why embedded products can provide a benefit to you, first it is good to understand what the term embedded actually means.
An embedded PC generally uses the architecture of a regular PC. This means it is an Intel® -architecture processor with consistent interrupt, memory and I/O mapping capability. A typical PC system is composed of three basic elements: hardware, BIOS and operating system. Product specific hardware must be tied to the PC platform by means of a bus protocol. These protocols can include ISA (industry standard architecture), PCI (peripheral components interconnect), or USB (Universal Serial Bus).
The hardware architecture can range from the high-end, high performance Intel processors to the more value oriented Intel architecture. The options available are more than just the desktop options of disk drives, monitors, modems, printers, keyboards and pointing devices. With the embedded PC, the options can also include Plug and Play bus plug-in cards, innovative display technologies, and differing input technologies.
One of the most time intensive and costly portions of designing an embedded application is in software development. By being able to use software that was developed for the PC market, you are able to save in the cost of the development versus needing custom programming. Often you can develop the embedded software design concurrently with the hardware development, which results in a quicker time-to-market.
As for the hardware portion of the equation, you could custom design a board to suit your needs. However, with vendors such as Trenton Technology Inc., you can obtain "off-the-shelf" boards, that eliminate the need to design a board from scratch. This can jump start your entire development program, resulting again in a faster time-to-market.
Additionally, when a processor or chipset is accepted by Intel's Embedded Intel® Architecture group, EIA, you then get the advantage of knowing that this product will have a longer lifespan. As an embedded processor or chipset, this product will be supported for up to five years more than the non-embedded lifespan.
In today's highly competitive high performance markets, which range from telecommunications and networking to industrial control units and transaction processing, getting your product to market faster can give you the advantage you need. By using embedded hardware and software, you can get faster time-to-market, lower costs, familiar technology, longer life span for processors and chipsets, and reliable development tools.
Since 1977, Trenton Technology Inc. has been committed to providing you with the high-quality, reliable, cost effective embedded products that you need to compete. Today, Trenton continues to work at the rate of technological change, offering you the advantages of new technologies, while continuing support for existing products. Added to this is excellent service and support, making Trenton Technology the solution for your embedded hardware requirements.
|
