Half-size PICMG card supports Core processors

By Jonathan Angel
2012-01-25

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Axiomtek announced a half-size, PICMG 1.3-compliant CPU card that supports "Sandy Bridge" Core i3, i5, or i7 processors. The SHB213 offers up to 8GB of RAM, two SATA ports with RAID support, as many as eight USB 2.0 ports, PCI Express expansion, and a CFast expansion slot, according to the company.

Axiomtek's new SHB213 is similar to the SHB212 the company released last April in being a half-length card supporting a PICMG (PCI Industrial Manufacturers Group) 1.3 form-factor and the SHB (Sundance High speed Bus) standard. But, where the '212 was Atom-powered, the '213 instead turns to the much more muscular "Sandy Bridge" Core processors (as did Axiomtek's full-length SHB106, which also made its debut in 2011).

Axiomtek's SHB213
(Click to enlarge)

According to Axiomtek, the SHB213 comes with a choice of "Cougar Point" chipsets: either the Intel HM65 Express or QM67 Express. Either way, a range of rPGA988B processors (Celeron or Core i3/i5/i7) is supported, as is up to 8GB of DDR3 memory -- but the card's two 6GBit/sec. SATA ports only provide RAID with the QM67, the company says.

The back of the SHB213 sports a CFast slot that can accept an SSD (solid state disk drive), says Axiomtek. As pictured below at right, external connectors include two gigabit Ethernet ports, a VGA port, and two USB 2.0 ports.

Ports on Axiomtek's SHB213
(Click to enlarge)

Axiomtek says the SHB213 further offers four USB 2.0 ports via headers, and can optionally include two USB 3.0 ports as well. Other headers are available for hooking up one RS232/422/425 port and one RS232 port, the company adds.

The SHB213's bus connectors power the board and provide PCI Express expansion capabilities. The card offers one PCI Express x16 interface and either one PCI Express x4 or four PCI Express x1 lanes, according to Axiomtek.

Specifications cited by Axiomtek for the SHB213 include:

Processor -- rPGA988B-socketed Intel Core i7, i5, i3, or Celeron
Chipset -- Intel HM65 or QM67
Memory -- up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM via two SODIMM slots
Storage -- 2 x SATA (RAID available with QM67); CFast slot
Expansion -- 1 x PCI Express x16; 1 x PCI Express x4 or 4 x PCI Express x1
Networking -- 2 x gigabit Ethernet
Other I/O:
- external:
  - VGA
  - 2 x USB 2.0
  internal:
  - 4 x USB 2.0
  - 2 x USB 3.0 (optional)
  - 1 x RS232
  - 1 x RS232/422/485
Operating range -- 32 to 140 deg. F
Dimensions -- 7.3 x 5 inches (185 x 126mm)

Further information

According to Axiomtek, the SHB213 will be available around the end of March, with support for Windows 7, Windows XP Embedded, and Linux. More information may be found on the SHB213 product page.

Jonathan Angel can be reached at jonathan.angel@ziffdavisenterprise.com and followed at www.twitter.com/gadgetsense.

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