FormFactory: AT, ATX, LPX, NLX

Fullsizefee AT

Form factor AO shares on two, what differ on size modifications - AT and Baby AT. What concerns full-size AT, it for your dimensions it responsible system Board original comp‘computer IBM AT. It big fee size about 30,5 x33 cm (12 inches width and 13 inches length), roses‘volume keyboard and slots which needs match W holes in the body. This fee contains only in full-size case AT or Tower  and since their impossible set in the most common now buildings Baby-AT and Mini-Tower, and on reason reduction size other nodes, production such boards almost stopped.

The installation of such fees is likely to hinder compartment for the drives and hard drives and power supply. In addition, the location of the motherboard components at a large distance from each other may cause some problems when operating at high clock frequencies. So against the background of today's sophisticated "word processor" to be the size that looks as obnoxious hooting savage.

Thus, the only motherboard, made in the form of AT, available today in stores, this formats the card to the corresponding Baby AT.

ATC

Today the undisputed leader is the ATX form factor, has several varieties (Full ATX, Mini ATX and Micro ATX). Not surprising, the ATX form factor in all its modifications over many years has increased its popularity. Officially, the ATX specification was published by Intel in July 1995 year, and was aimed at correcting all those shortcomings, what emerged over time of AT-. By the time Intel already had experience in this area - form factor LPX (cm. further). In it is embodied ATX and Baby AT and LPX: from Baby was taken AT extensibility, and from LPX - high integration of components.

The decision was described as a legal specification for the industry. The company Intel has published detailed descriptions, so other manufacturers could use the code in their computer’cars. Open this publication in fact, Intel has created a new industry standard ATX.

In fact, the decision was very simple - turn Baby AT cost 90 degrees, and to make the appropriate corrections in the design. It turns out this yourself “lying on her side” fee Baby-AT with modified rose’the amount and location of power source. The main thing, what you should know about design ATC, - that, that she is physically incompatible with either the design of the Baby-AT, no design LPX. In other words, for the motherboard ATX you need a special enclosure and power source.

The specific size of the motherboard described in the specification, largely based on convenience of developers - standard plates (24 x 18”) produces either two ATX (12 x 9.6”), or four - Mini-ATX (11.2 x 8.2” ). By the way, we took into account the compatibility with older housings - the maximum width of the ATX motherboard, 12”, almost identical to the length of the boards AT, to be able to effortlessly use cost at at ATX casing. However, today it applies more to pure theory - AT the case still need to manage to find. Also, whenever possible, the mounting holes in the circuit Board ATX fully comply with the formats AT and Baby AT.

Has its drawbacks. Through that, the ATX form factor was developed back in the heyday of Socket 7 systems, much of it today does not match the time. For example, a typical combination of slots, based on which specification was made, looked like 3 ISA / 3 PCI / 1 related. A little not relevant not today, not so? ISA, the lack of AGP, AMR, etc. Again, in any case, 7 slots not used in 99 percent of cases. In General, for cheap PC ATX - a waste of resources.

Special attention deserves the microATX specification. This format, modification ATX motherboard, designed for 4 slots for expansion cards. MicroATX was introduced in December 1997 year. In fact, changes, compared to ATX, was minimal - in addition to the number of roses’volumes decreased Board size 9,6 x 9,6 inches, so it was completely square. Micro-ATX is backward-compatible with ATX. Despite its relatively small size and reduced number of roses’amounts of Board functionality Micro-ATX not decreased - on-Board integrated sound and video system. On the Board there is a fitted double panel roses’connectors I / o (Built-in double high external I / O connector panel). On the back side of the motherboard there is an area with roses’connectors I / o width 6,25 “and a height of 1.75″. This allows you to install the outside rose’volumes directly on the PCB and eliminates the need for cables, that’s internal unite to rose’volumes and a rear body panel, how to design Baby-AT.

Also Micro-ATX glorious its intensive cooling. Here, the CPU and the modules in pam’s memory are cooled by the same fan, the power source, which removes the need for a separate fan for the case or CPU.

LPX

Before the advent ATX, the first result of attempts to reduce the cost of the PC’s computer was the LPX form factor. Over time, this fee LPX and its specification Mini-LPX become very popular. This option was originally developed by Western Digital for some boards. Although these motherboards by themselves are not issued, their design used by other manufacturers. They are used in widespread buildings with a reduced height - Slimline or Low-profile. By the way the development was planned under one of these corps.

LPX boards differ from other. For example, the expansion slots are mounted on a separate extension Board, which is inserted into the motherboard. Instead, to insert expansion cards directly into the motherboard, in this embodiment, they are placed in connected to Board vertical rack, parallel to the motherboard. This is exactly what has enabled to significantly reduce the height of the housing, since usually the height expansion cards affected by this setting. Now the plane of these expansion cards are parallel to the motherboard, not classically perpendicular. The expansion slots depending on the design can be placed on one, and on both sides of the extension Board. Another difference LPX motherboards is, all races’volumes mounted on the back of the Board. Refers to rose’volumes for VGA monitor (15 contacts), parallel port (25 contacts), two serial ports (on 9 contacts) and time’connectors Mini-DIN for keyboard and mouse standard PS / 2. All these races’volumes are mounted on the motherboard and after installation, are located opposite corresponding holes in the housing. On some motherboards LPX are additional built-in rose’volumes, for example, network or SCSI adapter.

Payback for the compact size was the maximum number of cards, plug - 2-3 things. Another innovation, started to be widely used on motherboards LPX - it's integrated on the motherboard chip. The case for LPX leaves 9 x 13 inches, for Mini LPX - 8 x 10 inches.

NLX

Another development in the field of motherboards for desktop PCs was the technology NLX, and it became the leading technology on the market of motherboards. The advent of NLX immediately started the process of ousting the LPX form factor.

Fees this standard, at first glance, remind LPX Board, but actually they are much improved. If LPX motherboard you cannot install the new processors due to their larger size and increased heat dissipation, in the development of NLX these problems resolved. Here what are the main advantages of this new standard, in front of other.

The main advantage of NLX is its flexibility towards the rapidly changing processor technologies. The idea of flexible systems’davco Board has found a new incarnation in this decision. Motherboard NLX motherboard and I / o, what are, as in design LPX, parallel to the system, steel inserted and removed very easily and quickly, other fees, including and located vertically, remain intact. It became easier to reach the CPU, which cools much better, than in systems with closely spaced components. Support for expansion cards of different sizes allows us to produce systems of various modifications. One word, standard NLX has provided maximum flexibility systems and the optimal use of space. Even the longest boards I / o are installed easily and do not affect any other system components, that was a real problem for the PC’computers Baby-AT.

Unlike traditional systems’drawtime boards, the new standard NLX’s support of such leaders of the computer’computer industry, as AST, Digital, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Micron, NEC and other. In addition, in response to the increasing role of multi-media applications, the developers have built in a new motherboard even support such opportunities, as the playing back of the video, advanced graphics and sound. If in the past the use of multimedia technologies has meant additional costs for various subsidiary boards, now the need for them has disappeared.