COM Express

COM Express® is a trademark of PICMG. A computer-on-module (COM) form factor, is a highly integrated and compact PC that can be used in a design application much like an integrated circuit component. Each COM Express Module COM integrates core CPU and memory functionality, the common I/O of a PC/AT, USB, audio, graphics (PEG), and Ethernet. All I/O signals are mapped to two high density, low profile connectors on the bottom side of the module.

 

The most common used pin out is type 2 pin outs as standard rev. 1.0 since 2005 and another 6 different pin-outs defined in the specification of PICMG COM.0 from rev. 1.0 to rev. 2.0. The latest pin-outs added in the revision 2.0 of the COM Express specification (www.picmg.org) are Type 6 and Type 10.

 

PICMG defined the maximum available interfaces by types:

  • Type 1: Single connector (220 pin), 6 PCI Express lanes, no PEG, no PCI, no IDE, 4 SATA, 1 LAN
  • Type 10: Single connector (220 pin), 4 PCI Express lanes, no PEG, no PCI, no IDE, 2 SATA, 1 LAN, single channel LVDS only, DDI, no VGA, 2 Serial COM
  • Type 2: Double connector (440 pin), 22 PCI Express lanes, PEG, PCI, 1 IDE, 4 SATA, 1 LAN
  • Type 3: Double connector (440 pin), 22 PCI Express lanes, PEG, PCI, no IDE, 4 SATA, 3 LAN
  • Type 4: Double connector (440 pin), 32 PCI Express lanes, PEG, no PCI, 1 IDE, 4 SATA, 1 LAN
  • Type 5: Double connector (440 pin), 32 PCI Express lanes, PEG, no PCI, no IDE, 4 SATA, 3 LAN
  • Type 6: Double connector (440 pin), 24 PCI Express lanes, PEG, no PCI, no IDE, DDI (for DP, HDMI, DVI or SDVO), 4 SATA, 1 LAN, 2 Serial COM, USB 3.0

 

PICMG defined COM Express by 3 module sizes: 1, Compact: 95 x 95 mm, 2, Basic: 95 x 125 mm, 3, Extended: 110 x 155 mm, an additional ultra small form factor also is under consideration for addition to future revisions of the COM Express specification. Ultra small modules following the type 1 and type 10 pin-outs and adhering to the connector positioning as defined within the specification are already of COMs vendors.

 

This ultra-small mini module measures a mere 55 x 84 mm.

 

The COM Express specification is hosted by PICMG. It's not freely available but can be purchased from the PICMG website. The current revision 2.0 (PICMG COM.0 R2.0) was released in Fall 2010. The original revision 1.0 was released July 10, 2005.

 

NEXCOM is very focused on COM Express since 2005 and develop many COM Express modules, from Intel® Atom™ to most powerful 3rd. Generation Core™ i7/ i5/ i3 processors, and IDE/ CF bootable Type 2/ or mSATA or CFast bootable Type 6 Carrier board. To speed-up application level evaluation, NEXCOM purposed build-up complete Type 2/ Type 6 starter Kits with 10.4" LCD/ LVDA panel and min. 4GB DDR3 system memory with bootable min. 8GB CFast-SSD pre-load Windows® 7 /32-bit OS trial version. They are more than benefits to our design partner (or developer) may test their I/O card from PCI to PCIe x16 dircet in this hardware-worry free development kit, moving forward, our COM developer could very quickly re-make I/O carrier board for their owned IP chassis with own-defined connector as their semi-/ full- customization system.


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