Re: PC-104/Plus as IOC's

[Eric Norum <norume@aps.anl.gov>]

Billy R. Adams wrote:
>       Is anyone using PC-104 or PC-104+ cards as IOC's?
> Do you recommend them?  Problems?  Advantages?  Sources?
> Any other info on them that you can offer?
>
>       We are considering using these cards to replace some
> KineticSystems Corporation Model VXI 195-21 IOC's as part
> of EPICS systems upgrades in the Research Facilities Branch
> at NASA-Langley Research Center.  We would like to use the
> PC-104+ to get the PCI bus, but perhaps the PC-104 could be
> used instead.

I used a VersaLogic Bobcat (PC-104+) as a simple R3.14 IOC running 
RTEMS.  No major problems with the application.  The board looks pretty 
much like a generic PC from the software's point of view.
PRO: Cheap, small
CON: If you need very many I/O cards you've got a maintenance headache 
-- to replace a bad board you've got to remove every card above it first.

--
Eric Norum                                 norume@aps.anl.gov
Advanced Photon Source                     Phone: (630) 252-4793
Argonne National Laboratory