Innovative upgrade path protects customers from obsolescence

Update: September 10, 2021

Abaco Systems has released the PMC523 16-port serial controller and the SPR518 PCI Express XMC carrier card. Both offer innovative upgrade paths to protect its customers from obsolescence. The devices each produce a necessary and beneficial technology refresh which continues the company’s ongoing commitment to innovation at every turn.

The PMC523 is a flexible solution and a technology insertion that integrates multiple serial I/O channels onto SBCs with PMC sites. Its efficient design packages 16 serial channels onto a single PMC. Furthermore, this serial controller uses dual octal UARTs to increase overall performance by decreasing programmed I/O operations. This gives an evolutionary path for enhanced software and ultimately protects customers who have already designed systems utilising the previous generation PMC423.

The SPR518 offers an upgrade path for customers by supplying a replacement for the existing SPR418A. This card is a short form factor PCIe carrier for XMC modules which provides for use with traditional PCs. The PCIe interface provides for unimpeded data transfers at the full rate supported by the mezzanine card and is improved by a PCIe Gen3 Redriver. This improvement provides for the safe operation of XMC modules on PCIe mainboards, where previously, the SPR418A could only support Gen2.

Pete Thompson, VP of Product Management for Abaco said: “Abaco’s commitment to our customers expands beyond the life cycle of one product, and innovation doesn’t stop after it hits the market. Our team listens to our customers’ needs to develop solutions that will outpace current products and provide an upgrade path to avoid obsolescence in the long run. Both the PMC523 and SPR518 are evidence of that commitment, as they each deliver a clear upgrade path with solutions that will enable our customers to succeed.”