GE Intelligent Platforms announces Carrier Card

GE Intelligent Platforms has recently announced the SPR418A PCI Express PMC/XMC Carrier Card.

For customers wanting to configure PMC and XMC mezzanine cards in high performance servers and small form factor PCs, this hybrid card affords PCI Express compatibility and a unique combination of performance, flexibility, reliability, interoperability and cost-effectiveness.

It would typically be used in the development of applications such as sonar, radar, communications and signals intelligence (SIGINT).

The SPR418A addresses the needs of today’s market by providing high performance PCI Express capability in a short form factor, by delivering the power and cooling necessary to ensure reliability and by providing unprecedented flexibility in its support for a range of connectivity options.

It allows customers to take full advantage of the high speed serial bus architecture inherent in newer XMC designs.

The SPR418A can be ordered to host either a PMC module supporting up to PCI-X transfer speeds, or an XMC module supporting up to 8-lane PCI Express speeds: the Gen2 x8 PCI Express interface to the host allows for unimpeded data transfers at the full rate supported by the mezzanine card.

An integrated fan supplies additional cooling to the mezzanine card for optimum reliability, while support for up to 25W of power is well in excess of that required by the PMC and XMC specifications –contributing to both performance and reliability.

Flexibility is delivered by the SPR418A in the form of a number of connectivity options that allow additional I/O and usage modes.

J4 connectivity is provided to an optional 80-pin KEL connector (similar to the connector used for FPDP VITA 17). J16 can be connected to two SFF connectors providing for up to 4 lanes of high speed serial connectivity each via readily available cables.

A standard PC power connector can be fitted for standalone operation for mezzanines that do not require interaction with a host.