On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 4:35 PM, Don Stokes
<don@daedalus.co.nz> wrote:
Better bang for buck:
http://www.pcengines.ch/ especially http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d3.htm
Order the ALIX.2d13 for 3x ethernet and all the internal options (RTC
battery, COM2 serial header, internal USB headers) installed. �US$113 +
US$9.50 for the case, vs US$173 for the Soekris net4501, which is a
*lot* less grunty (133 MHz, 64MB vs 500 MHz, 256 MB) and has no USB.
Both the Soekris and Alix boards have onboard serial ports other than
their console ports, although the Alix only brings out the data lines,
no modem control. �The Soekris internal header is a standard header for
connecting a ribbon 9-pin hole.
Standard cases for both outfits don't have external serial holes.
The Alix has 2d series have dual USB sockets which can be used with
serial adapters; the Soekris only has a single USB hole (and the 4501,
not even that).
Deliveries aren't quite as quick for the PC-Engines (they trombone via
Switzerland from Taiwan) as for Soekris, although Soekris have had
delivery/supply issues in the past. �Pascal Dornier at PC-Engines is
pretty good about keeping you informed and not billing you until the
product actually leaves Switzerland.
-- don