Chatsworth, CA, July 10, 2001 – Formosa today announces the world’s first Pentium III class, fan-less, flat-panel touch screen operator interface (HMI), the FPC-720.

Performance

The FPC-720 is a compact (only 2.4” thick!) highly integrated PC-based operator interface designed for those demanding high-performance and reliability. Starting with the displays, the FPC-720 come standard with active TFT liquid-crystal-displays (LCD) for superior contrast and viewing angle. It provides 800x600 SVGA resolution at 350nits high brightness. A 7-wire high-resolution non-glare resistive touch screen is available for those require keyboard-less operations. All these are packaged into a compact NEMA-4/12 cast aluminum alloy enclosure.

The FPC-720 offers PentiumÒ III-level performance by incorporating VIA C3 Socket 370 533MHz (min.) CPU running at 133MHz front-side-bus (FSB). One 168-pin DIMM socket is provided for PC/133 SDRAM memory up to 256MB. For video graphics, an AGP-2X 2D/3D graphic accelerator is standard. For networking, a 10/100Mbps fast Ethernet LAN controller is provided. For those needs expansion, the FPC-720 has an optional expansion chassis for PCI/ISA add-on card. The system provides full support for Microsoft Windows 98/NT/2000 operating systems.

Data Storage Devices and Input/Output Connections

To enhance its flexibility and reliability, the FPC-720 offers two CompactFlash(CF) slots, which are compatible with IBM Microdrives, CF solid-state flash disks and peripherals. For those who need traditional FDD & HDDdevices, an optional expansion chassis is offered to house HDD & FDD device, or it also has external IDE/FDD/DC-OUT connections for convenient external drive installation without opening up the system.

The FPC-720 is also equipped with a complete set of I/O ports including RS-232 Serial (2), RS-232/422/485 Serial (1), Parallel, USB (2), VGA (for simultaneous CRT display), keyboard, and mouse ports. Best of all, all these ports can be easily accessed at rear of the system.

Design Philosophy & Applications

After over a decade of designing and manufacturing industrial computers, Formosa’s mission in FPC-720 is very clear: performance, ruggedness, and reliability without sacrifice functionality. The NEMA-4/12 cast aluminum alloy enclosure, for example, not only provides high-strength, long-durability, and lightweight. It also enhances heat dissipation. By combining this enclosure with the “fan-less” design, overheating due to cooling fan failure will become a thing of past. In addition, its near cable-less, socket-less, and jumper-less design minimizes potential failure caused by loose connection. Lastly, the PFC-720 has gone through a series of vigorous shock & vibration testing to ensure its survival in the unpredictable environments.

Sample applications include human-machine interface, instrumentation, system monitoring, and operator interface.

Pricing and Availability

The suggested retail single piece price for FPC-720 starts at $3,990. Formosa offers special discount programs to resellers and quantity users. This product is available starting April 1, 2001.

About Formosa

Formosa is a leading manufacturer of PC-based computing hardware dedicated for industrial and embedded applications. With sales, research, and manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, and US, plus over 300 dedicated professionals, Formosa has been serving the OEM industry worldwide since 1984. Main products include single board computers (SBC), LCD displays & computers, passive backplanes, chassis, and industrial workstations. Custom system integration and contract manufacturing services are also available.

For editorial information

Please contact Charles Chen at charlesc@goformosa.com or call (818) 407-4965 (x200) for assistance.