Mini-ITX Specialist Finds Linux A Good Fit
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Microsoft
may be the dominant
in businesses and homes, but there are some places it just doesn't fit. That is particularly true for the mini-ITX systems that are gaining popularity in single-purpose applications.
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"Windows isn't always the best solution," said Roland Groeneveld, president of Logic Supply, a Waterbury, Vt., distributor, product developer and integrator of mini-ITX components and systems, which are aimed mainly at low-power and embedded applications. "With
you can strip the system down and do things you can't necessarily do with Windows."
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Groeneveld and others are seeing increased interest in Linux-based mini-ITX solutions based on their flexibility, reliability, low power consumption and cost. The systems are geared toward a growing amount of single-task applications such as digital signage, POS, kiosks, network monitoring, power monitoring and control, automotive and dusty or hot manufacturing environments.
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"Our systems are designed to
single tasks and do it well for many years; the customer can set it and forget it," Groeneveld said. "In a lot of applications, the systems are hard to get to: high up on a wall, on the ceiling. A reliable system is crucial for those types of situations."
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The interest in mini-ITX solutions caused Groeneveld to shift Logic Supply's focus a few years back from distributing mini-ITX components to developing custom systems and integrating solutions, which now accounts for about half of the business.
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"We're focusing more on value-add because moving boxes is an old game," he said. "So many of our customers were buying systems and commenting on how knowledgeable we were on the platforms that they asked us to do more for them, which led to more consulting. We focus on a niche market but we want to make sure we can offer the full solution."
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Although Logic Supply sells plenty of Wintel-based ITX systems, Linux is an ideal choice for some applications. The systems require less power because they use solid-state
disc modules instead of hard drives. Because there are no moving parts to generate heat, they don't need fans, making them good candidates for dusty environments. "We sell a lot to diamond factories," Groeneveld said. "Our Linux systems replaced Dell PCs; those fans would stop working in six months because of all the dust. Our systems have been working fine for years."
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Because they're usually designed for single-task applications, the mini-ITX systems can be housed in small form factors and installed in out-of-the way places. Although initial programming and development costs might run a
higher than the ubiquitous Windows platform, in the long run the solutions are cheaper because system builders don't have to pay the typical $145 in Microsoft licensing fees.
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Once developed, Linux programs are generally easy to replicate for similar applications, such as industrial robotics and environmental control. Motherboards also remain the same over longer periods of time because they require fewer components than Wintel-based systems, Groeneveld said. Logic Supply mainly relies on motherboards and chips from VIA Technologies, Fremont, Calif., which pioneered the mini-ITX platform.
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LinuxDevices.com's sixth annual Embedded Linux Market Survey, released in May, found that 47 percent of the respondents have used Linux in embedded projects and/or products this year, about a 2 percent increase over last year. Windows came in a distant second at about 15 percent. One of the most notable trends was that more respondents were willing to pay for embedded Linux development and services. This year, about 65 percent said they were willing, a 12 point jump over 2005. Almost 75 percent of the respondents said they would not even consider paying royalties.
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That shouldn't come as a surprise, given the respondents' affinity for Linux. But that's not always the case in the general world of computing.
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"There are certain customers that are fine with Linux and realize it's a stable solution. But we also see customers that don't want to deal with
and want to be able to call Microsoft for support," said Scott Hayden, sales director at Logic Supply. "The acceptance of Linux as a reliable
is growing to a point where many businesses feel it's an equal solution to Windows."
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Linux-based ITX solutions, however, can suffer compatibility issues and may lack the performance and power found with Wintel platforms, especially if the applications will be accessed by many users.
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"Development time is often shorter with Windows because more developers are familiar with it, but the cost per unit is more expensive because of the licensing fees," Hayden said. "In the long run, Linux solutions become cheap pretty fast."
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Kell Warshaw, CEO of Spex Design, an industrial and IT designer in Montreal, recently hired Logic Supply to design mini-ITX systems for a client looking for an inexpensive yet reliable digital signage solution. With its earlier signage solution the
could only stream a single image to each screen. Now it can stream as many as it wants without straining the system administrator, Warshaw said.
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"We're trying to get the biggest bang for the buck out of
and hardware," Warshaw said. "By using Linux as the core, you can customize it and pare it down so you are not using unnecessary resources. In that case, less can go wrong with the system."
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Warshaw said he could have designed the same system with similar performance a year ago, but the cost would have been prohibitive.
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"Linux has always been essentially free, but the power of ITX systems has increased, the cost of flat-panel displays has decreased and the demand for those solutions is growing. The technology, performance and demand are increasing together. Digital signage used to mean having to spend millions of dollars and suffering through clunky controls.
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"I have nothing against Microsoft in home computing and for commercial applications, but if I'm building a dedicated device, you can't beat Linux for
and resources in a state-of-the-art operating system," he continued. "Microsoft makes some compact products, but Linux is lower cost and easier to program. And now you have the power of
delivering high-res images to flat-panel displays. That possibility has created an increase in demand."
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Alp Sezen, director of sales for VIA's embedded division, couldn't agree more. One trend leading up to the increase for mini-ITX Linux systems has been the shift from
or client-side computing back to server-based applications, which are based on more powerful broadband delivery and connectivity.
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"So the clients essentially become data-access terminals. That's why mini-ITX systems fit so well. Small to midsize companies with 50 systems can save $6,000 to $10,000 in energy costs. That alone can pay off the investment in the hardware. When placed on idle, mini-ITX systems run below 5 watts, where an Intel system on idle can suck up to 20 watts."
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VIA's latest ITX product is the CX700 chipset, which combines the north and south
into a single chip. That saves a lot of real estate, Sezen said, allowing room for an MPEG-4 accelerator and high-definition audio that can provide rich surround sound.
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Sezen said another trend is that U.S. customers are more likely to embrace a Linux vs. a Microsoft solution than Asian- and Indian-based companies. One reason for that, Sezen believes, is that U.S. companies have stronger programming skills. "With India and Japan and China, you'd think it would be the opposite, but we see Linux being used much more in the U.S. market," he said.