Product Focus: Single-board computers

Control Engineering’s September 2003 Product Focus article surveys the magazine’s subscribers for their views and preferences on single-board computers (SBCs).

By Control Engineering Staff September 8, 2003
SBC applications are widely spread among processing, manufacturing, and the utilities industries.

Control Engineering ‘s September 2003 Product Focus article surveys the magazine’s subscribers for their views and preferences on single-board computers (SBCs). Results are based on 182 complete responses from readers who specify, recommend, or purchase SBCs for in-plant or OEM requirements.

Single-board computers enjoy a wide range of applications across numerous industries, according to survey participants. They identified reliability/dependability, cost (and related issues), ruggedness, and computing speed as the most significant requirements in SBCs. PCI is the bus architecture now most commonly used; and the majority of those surveyed plan to use PCI in the next 12 months. PMC and PXI architectures also are also projected for higher usage in the coming year.

Microsoft Windows 2000 was the operating system of choice currently in use and planned for use in the next 12 months. MS-Windows and Linux are projected for increased usage in that time period, as well.

—Frank J. Bartos, executive editor, fbartos@reedbusiness.com