What are Single Board Computers

When most people think of computers, the image of a PC or laptopcomes to mind. Some may even recall the football field sizecomputers of the 1960's and 70's before the emergence of the PC.Very few people would picture single board computers , even ifthere was one sitting right in front of them! A single boardcomputer is the terminology used for a printed circuit boardthat contains a processor, memory, I/O (input/output) and aclock. Single board computers (aka SBC's) resemble themotherboard contained in a typical PC, but include all theelements of a basic within it's small design. Since theearly 1980's, the technology behind this type of computers hasbeen used in industrial manufacturing and computerized productdesign to apply basic processing functions for high-tech productfeatures.

Usage of Single Board Computers

Also commonly referred to as embedded computers, single boardcomputers are used in products from airplanes and rocket ships,to toys and high performance athletic shoes. Almost everyoneuses single board computers without being aware of theirexistence. Most products that utilize technology (suchas fax machines, cameras, cell phones, etc) contain embeddedsingle board computers. While these tiny computers can host afull size operating system such as Windows XP, most SBC's haveinternal operating systems that take up much less space. Simpleroperating systems equal a lower cost per computer. Software forsingle board computers is generally contained on a flash memorysystem or ROM chip. Quality indictors for single board systemsinclude



processor performance, I/O compatibility, SSD storageand wireless capabilities.

Pros and Cons of Single Board Computers

There are both advantages and disadvantages to using SBC's forindustrial and product enhancement. Deciding whether or not toimplement single board technology is largely a matterof application necessity and cost. Some of the deciding factorson using them include:

+ Pro : Current technologies have increased the capability ofthe single board computer, while reducing its size and cost.

+ Pro : Wireless technology has made it possible for easyinternet access via SBC.

+ Pro : The competitive market has greatly expanding the optionsand functionalities available for SBC's.

+ Pro : Advanced technology offers reliability forindustrial manufacturers and quality products for vendors usingSBC's.

- Con : Incorporation can be costly for high volume products andapplications.

- Con : Some applications require customized sizes or I/Ofunctions that are not compatible with standard SBC's.

Single Board Technologies

While all SBC's are built using similar standards, differenttechnologies can be included with individual SBC's. Videocapability, Ethernet access functionality and digital computertechnologies are just some of the features that can beincorporated into a single board computer. In general, SBC's canbe as simple or as complex as an application demands.Additionally, supplemental hardware such as backplanes andmezzanine structures can significantly increase thefunctionality of a single board computer.

About the author:P. Basauri is an expert author who writes for Single BoardComputers

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