We have discussed a lot of big irons in previous issues.  Let us take a big U-turn and talk about small systems this time.  The Short 1U system that we introduced a while ago is a standard 19" 1U rack mount that has a volumetric size of 4.7 litres.  For non 19" cabinet mounting, we are now introducing a system with a volume of 6.2 litres from Compucon.  An average PC is around 30 litres in volume for comparison.  What can such small miniature systems do?  And are these suitable for business and personal uses?

Compucon has taken 18 months to develop a small PC that can be used as a business device.  The resulting efforts is an open standard PC using a standard Mini-ITX motherboard and standard PC components such as memory, HDD, DVD and add-on cards.  It is black in colour and has been named Onyx.  Compucon has planned to provide 3 editions of Onyx for 3 different applications: commercial, multimedia and industrial.  Commercial refers to entry level applications commonly required in a company or office.  Multimedia supports audio and video application requirements except for 3D gaming.  Industrial refers to serial connectivity and higher grade components for 24x7 operation.

Onyx is small and mountable.  Mounting is done via a pair of brackets that attach to the Onyx body as well as the wall or anywhere the customer wants.  Owing to its small size it can be installed in a lot of places.  Fixed location mounting is an option and not a requirement.

How does Onyx compare to the Short 1U?  They look completely different but share the same design philosophies.  Both are small, designed to use open standard components (memory, HDD, CPU, add-on card), and to last.

How does Onyx compare to an average PC?  The size of Onyx is a lot smaller and is mountable.  Onyx can take a CPU up to the Intel E8000 series dual core and up to 4GB memory which would be satisfactory for a lot of applications.  The small enclosure takes one 3.5" SATA HDD and 2 additional 2.5" HDDs can be added as an option.  It takes one PCI card only and this may be marginal for certain purposes.  Will Onyx displace the bigger size brothers?  Yes, it will over time.

Feel free to contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information if the Compucon Onyx may fit your purposes.

Editor