Kontron ETX-LX2, Manual

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2 Introduction
Kontron User's Guide ETX®-LX2 11
Peripheral PCI or ISA buses can be implemented directly on the baseboard rather than on mechanically
unwieldy expansion cards. The ability to build a system on a single baseboard using the computer as one
plug-in component simplifies packaging, eliminates cabling, and significantly reduces system-level cost.
A single baseboard design can use a range of ETX® modules. This flexibility can differentiate products at
various price/performance points, or to design future proof systems that have a built-in upgrade path.
The modularity of an ETX® solution also ensures against obsolescence as computer technology evolves.
A properly designed ETX® baseboard can work with several successive generations of ETX® modules.
An ETX® baseboard design has many advantages of a custom, computer-board design but delivers better
obsolescence protection, greatly reduced engineering effort, and faster time to market.