SBC or Single Board Computer is quite different from a desktop or personal computer because of its capability and design. A single board computer has all the elements in a standard desktop computer, but in these computers, all these elements are in one single circuit board. On the other hand, desktop computers have motherboards and slots for the computer’s essential components. On a desktop computer, the processor, memory, storage, input and output devices and other essential components are all attached using sockets on the motherboard; however, everything is self-contained on a single board design.
The SBC computers have a single circuit board along with the microprocessor, memory, input/output and other required features for a functional computer. These single-board computers are primarily used in an embedded development system like the embedded computer controller. The SBC combines a computer’s components, digital, analogue, and mixed-signal, into just one board.
One can also customize the SBC for a specific application, wherein one can include only the needed components like the memory, necessary interfaces, I/O, etc. One of the most important benefits of an SBC is that it is usually less expensive and is much more mechanically/vibration resilient. There is also no need for additional connector/s that will connect the computer module to the carrier board. These computers come in a massive range of different capacities.
The advantages of single-board computers
Single board or SBC computers are primarily employed in embedded applications. An embedded computer cannot be expanded and only contains the input and output capabilities needed for the task it is designed for. For example, a vending machine might have an embedded single-board computer. This helps in controlling the functions of the vending machine. But there would be no provision to add more hardware to the computer to expand its capabilities.
In many cases, these single-board computers are plugged into a backplane. Input and output devices can be attached to the computer using a backplane. Single board computers are frequently used in rack systems that allow for reliable and fast integration.
This is why Single Board Computers are used in the industry
Single board computers with the capacity to perform most automation tasks and specialized designs are widely available. These computers also have some significant advantages over simply using a typical desktop computer for those applications where the single board computers are mostly put.
Single board or SBC computers are tiny. Thus, they can get embedded in various devices. These computers are also very efficient, giving them an edge regarding power saving. Apart from these advantages, the single board computers are self-contained, thus making them very reliable under challenging environmental conditions.
Conclusion
There are different types of single board computers available. Among them, the most popular are those designed to be used in the connections. These come in designs appropriate for working in different architectures, including Intel. Some of the names of these designs are PXI, VXI and the Compact PCI types, and all of these are very widely available.