Updated Advanced Mezzanine Card Specification Released by PICMG

(EMAILWIRE.COM, January 08, 2007 ) WAKEFIELD, Mass., USA – Jan. 8, 2007 – PICMG, a consortium of more than 450 companies that collaboratively develop open specifications for high performance telecommunications and industrial computing applications, announced today that it has released an updated version of its popular Advanced Mezzanine Card (AdvancedMC®) specification. The Advanced Mezzanine Card specification defines modular daughter cards designed to provide extra functionality to AdvancedTCA® cards. They can also be used to add functionality to any other “carrier” cards and are used as the “blades” in MicroTCA® systems.“As the current specification is already widely adopted, it is important that the latest revision doesn’t sacrifice backward compatibility,” said Jim Kennedy of Intel, the PICMG AdvancedMC subcommittee chair. “We are pleased that Revision 2 achieves this while incorporating new functionality requested by the market.”Designated AMC.0 R.2, the new version of the specification includes the following features:• A new mid-size module defined with new faceplate dimensions optimized for ATCA conventional carrier usage;• New AdvancedMC connector options for connecting to a carrier board, including press fit, surface mount and through-hole style connectors in addition to the original compression fit style AdvancedMC connector;• Improved module faceplate LED placement guidelines in keeping with Central Office practices;• Allowance for new varieties of AdvancedMC ejector handles; and• An increase in the maximum amount of module power from 60W to 80W for payload and from 100mA to 150mA for management power. AMC.0 R.2 will be provided free to PICMG members and for purchase by non-members. A short-form version that provides an overview is available free from the PICMG Web site. More information, including product listings, can be found at www.picmg.org. About PICMGFounded in 1994, PICMG is a consortium of more than 450 companies that collaboratively develops open specifications for high performance telecommunications and industrial computing applications. The members of the consortium have a long history of developing and using leading-edge products for these industries. For information about PICMG membership, or to find out how to obtain PICMG specifications, visit the PICMG website at www.picmg.org or call PICMG headquarters at (781) 246-9318. ###PICMG, CompactPCI, and AdvancedTCA are registered trademarks of the PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group. AdvancedMC and MicroTCA are trademarks of PICMG.

PICMG
Ellen Ricciardelli

ericciardelli@virtualmgmt.com