Benefits of Using A PC 104
The PC 104 is a family of embedded computer standards that define form factors and computer buses through the PC/104 Consortium. The PC 104 was designed for specialized environments that require a small, rugged computer system. Such computers have a standard modular, which allows consumers to stack boards from different commercial-off-the-shelf manufacturers and thus produce a customized embedded system. There are plenty of benefits to using the PC 104, which explains why most organizations usually use them. Here are some of these benefits
Interoperable
PC 104 boards are available in a variety of different flavors and can be gotten from dozens of manufacturers from different corners of the globe. Regardless of what you’re looking for, be it a CPU, I/O, power supply, or even communications, you have a good chance of finding it in a PC 104 module. The best part about these boards is that they are designed to work together, so the system comes together fast. You can even get additional functionality later by adding another board to the stack and also take the system apart and reuse the boards in a different configuration.
Rugged
As mentioned earlier, PC 104 boards have an inherent rugged nature which stems from the pin and socket stacking bus connector system and the four corner mounting holes. This characteristic makes the PC 104 the perfect board to use for harsh environmental applications where shock & vibration would destroy a system based on desktop technology, for example, vehicles and military equipment. In addition, most PC 104 boards have been intentionally designed to withstand heat over the industrial temperature range of -40 to +85°C. Again, this makes them suitable for applications that involve extreme temperatures, such as vehicles.
Stackable
One of the best features of the PC 104 boards is that they are stackable. This means that you can configure the system to meet your exact requirements. It is as easy as stacking the boards on top of each other. This stackable nature makes the system compact and rugged and thus providing flexibility by letting you choose the boards you need.
Compact
As mentioned above, PC 104 boards are very compact and measure only 3.55 x 3.775 inches. The small size has plenty of advantages starting with the fact that it can fit into small spaces such as the ones in portable instruments, vehicle engine compartments, satellites, military vehicles, and more. Very few other standard architecture CPUs fit in these spaces and the ones that do rarely provide all the computing and I/O features of a single PC/104 board. This makes the PC 104 miles above the rest.
At the end of the day, PC 104 boards bring a lot of things to the table that not many other CPUs can. It is why they are so much loved by system designers and software developers. However, it is worth pointing out that they also have their own limitations depending on the intended purpose, so it would be best if you consulted with a professional for advice.
