Category: Know How

To put it a little more technically correct: The licenses are divided into three different SKUs (= stock keeping units). However, because this doesn’t sound so good from a marketing point of view, we simply translate “SKU” into “price category” for our purposes. Sounds better? Sounds better.

The advantage of these new price categories is that with “Entry” and “Value” in particular, customers receive a fully-fledged operating system at an unbeatable price. Find out here which of our Mini PCs fall into which of the three price categories “Entry“,“Value” and“High End“.

Entry: Intel Atom, Pentium (N- and J-Series) and Celeron (N-, G-, J- and 3000-Series), AMD V10-V12

• WINDBOX II Pro
• BRICK J3455E
• BOX J4125
• BOX N4100
• BOX E3940
• MOVE N3160
• MOUNT Silver

Value: Remaining Intel Celeron and Pentium, Core i3, Core i5, Core M and AMD V13-V19

• WINDBOX III Evo
• BRICK i3
• RUGGED Q170
• RUGGED Ryzen
• CORE
• KUMO V
• KUMO Ryzen
• RUGGED GTX 1050TI
• NOVA Q170 (with Pentium or i5)
• QUADRO P1000
• MOVE Q170
• NINETEEN Q370 (with Pentium, Core i3 or i5)

High end: Intel Core i7, Xeon and selected AMD FX models, Ryzen 7

• NINETEEN Q370 (with i7)
• NOVA Q170 (with i7)

All spo-comm Mini-PCs mentioned can now be ordered with Windows 10 IoT Enterprise.

Discover spo-comm Mini-PCs

 

Overview page Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

Lockdown means adapting a Windows operating system to your own needs with the help of specific restrictions. In the following, we will explain the lockdown features that are used to customize the operating system. We explain the features that ensure greater security here.

Unbranded Boot

With the Unbranded Boot function, Windows elements that appear when the operating system starts can be suppressed. These include the boot logo, the status ring and the status text – either individually or all at the same time.

It can also be set so that a black screen appears instead of a blue screen (= an error message under Windows) and the device restarts automatically so that users cannot see it if the system crashes. A dump file is created in the background to read out the error afterwards.

Embedded Logon

The embedded logon makes it possible to suppress elements of the Windows 10 user interface when starting and shutting down the operating system. For example, the login screen can be hidden and an automatic login configured instead. It is then possible to show an application directly after the boot screen. The Embedded Logon can also be used to personalize the login screen by hiding some elements.

Shell Launcher

With the Shell Launcher, a Windows 10 app or a classic Win32 program can be opened automatically on request with the aim of hiding the standard Windows user interface. This means that as soon as the PC is started, the application also starts and the operating system remains invisible. It is also possible to configure different shells for different users so that, for example, two accounts run on the PC: one with the application as a shell and another with the classic desktop shell for administrative tasks.

You can also set what should happen in the Shell Launcher if the program crashes or is closed. It could restart, shut down or do nothing at all.

Assigned Access

The Assigned Access has similar functions to the Shell Launcher. It is particularly interesting for so-called “single-function devices”, i.e. devices that are only intended to fulfill a single function. These include, for example, kiosk systems, cash registers at the POS or displays at trade fairs. Assigned Access means roughly “assigned access”. If an account is configured for this, a selected Windows app runs on top of the lock screen for the selected user account. Users of this account will then not be able to access any other function on the device. With some optional elements, the Assigned Access can be further personalized. For example, in terms of power button availability and welcome elements.

To block access to the system, certain touch and mouse gestures and key combinations can also be blocked. Exiting the application is done via a special breakout key that takes you to the login screen.

Customized OEM information

Another feature that allows you to customize your PC is the option to adjust the OEM information. This allows you to state your own manufacturer and model name and insert your own logo. You can also store the support times, telephone number and URL so that your customers can see directly who the system comes from and where they can go if they have a problem.

Overview page Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

What exactly is Windows 10 IoT Enterprise?

Windows 10 IoT Enterprise is an operating system for industrial applications and embedded PCs. It is suitable for all devices on which desktop apps and Win32 applications are to run. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise has all the functions of Windows 10 Professional and also has so-called embedded lockdown features. These are used to secure the device and protect it from unwanted attacks. They also offer various branding options and can, for example, make the Windows operating system completely invisible behind the application. We explain the individual functions in more detail in other articles.

What advantages does Windows 10 IoT Enterprise offer?

In addition to the lockdown features, Windows 10 IoT offers other advantages that are interesting for solutions in the industrial sector. On the one hand, this operating system is supported for at least 10 years and is available for a further 5 years (i.e. a total of 15 years), which is particularly relevant for applications that are expected to run for many years.

Another advantage is hidden in the abbreviation LTSB. This stands for Long Term Servicing Branch and means that new versions are only provided as updates every 2-3 years, which can then be installed, but do not have to be. These function updates have already been intensively tested with other Windows versions and should therefore not cause any problems. To avoid security gaps, security updates and hotfixes are installed on an ongoing basis. However, these do not cause any compatibility problems as the operating system is not changed.

Another advantage of Windows 10 IoT Enterprise compared to Windows 10 Professional is the Multilingual User Interface (MUI), which means “multilingual user interface”. MUI means that several language packages can be installed at the same time, between which you can switch back and forth depending on the location or user. Windows 10 IoT Enterprise has over 30 different language packs available for this purpose. If you add the individual variants, such as en-UK or en-US, you get over 100 languages.

Thanks to a new licensing model, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise is also cheaper than the conventional Windows 10 Professional for most systems. We will explain exactly what this means.

As a special service, a recovery stick is always included in the scope of delivery of a system with Windows 10 IoT. If a new installation of the operating system is required or desired, it can be easily restored (“recovered”) or reinstalled using the stick.

Who is Windows 10 IoT Enterprise suitable for?

In principle, Windows 10 IoT is suitable for all industrial applications: From kiosk systems, POS devices and ATMs to production systems and industrial control systems to digital signage players or medical devices – to name just a few examples.

If you are not sure whether Windows 10 IoT is right for you and your application, we can provide you with a free trial of the desired PC with a Windows 10 IoT test version at any time.

Overview page Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

But let’s start at the beginning and address the question of why this operating system is now called Windows 10 IoT. First, a brief digression on the term “IoT”:

What does the term “IoT” mean?

IoT is short for “Internet of Things “. The term describes the idea that PCs will gradually disappear and be supplemented and replaced by smart objects (“things”). For the private sector, this means that everyday objects are being equipped with processors, sensors and transmitters. For example, refrigerators that reorder food themselves or an intelligent brushthat analyzes hair structure. But the topic of IoT is also, or rather especially, interesting for many sectors in the industrial sector. This is because embedded microdevices can be used to network production systems and shipping processes, among other things, and therefore work much more efficiently.

What does this mean for Windows 10 IoT?

Why has Microsoft now chosen the name Windows 10 IoT for its new embedded operating system? Well, for one thing, the term IoT is slowly becoming the talk of the town, so the term is not a bad idea for marketing reasons alone. On the other hand, Windows 10 IoT is part of the One Windows strategy. This means that there is one Windows for all devices – from small devices to servers. This is because Windows 10 IoT comes in three versions, which are differentiated according to device type: Windows 10 IoT Core for small devices such as Raspberry Pi, Windows 10 IoT Mobile Enterprise for smartphones and small tablets and Windows 10 IoT Enterprise for systems with a desktop shell and Win32 apps.

All three variants are based on the same core, to which different features are added for each device family. Thanks to the common core, the so-called universal apps can run on all platforms and device types, which significantly reduces and simplifies the effort required for development and support.

Of the three Windows IoT variants, we are only really interested in Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, as this is the version that runs on (mini) PCs and enables desktop apps and Win32 applications. Possible applications include areas such as POS, kiosk, digital signage, industrial control, production systems and ATMs.

Overview page Windows 10 IoT Enterprise

First things first: Windows 10 IoT

As already hinted at in the teaser, there is good news. Our customers are already looking forward to the expansion of our OS offering through the “Internet of Things”. In the coming weeks, we will regularly feed our knowledge blog with entries on Windows 10 IoT . Because this much can be said: it’s not just savers who will be clapping their hands. There is also plenty of material for our software cracks and all those who want to become one!

By the way: Wall brackets are now also available for our spo-book CORE!

Our small digital signage powerhouse spo-book CORE is now also available with a VESA-standard wall mount for a small surcharge. The great thing about this is that the CORE can be conveniently hooked onto the mounting option on the wall bracket. What does the whole thing look like in real life? Pictures at the bottom of the article!

Intel’s “Coffee Lake”: 8th generation to be launched on the market in 2017

Intel recently announced that the 8th generation of Core i processors called “Coffee Lake” will be launched on the market in the second half of this year. An increase in performance of more than 15 percent is expected. Intel is still keeping a low profile when it comes to code names and clock frequencies. We remain excited!

Even better than expected: The Pentium version of the “Kaby Lake” processors

Intel is significantly upgrading the 7th generation Pentium processors (Kaby Lake). Thanks to Hyper-Threading, the entry-level CPUs offer significantly better values than their Skylake predecessors, which is clearly noticeable in some rendering software. Further information on upgrading the Kaby Lake Pentium can be found here. If you want to know what the term “hyper threading” means, just take a look at our blog entry:

Good to know: What is a CPU?

Terms such as Full HD and 4K refer to the picture resolution. This is indicated by the number of pixels – either as a total number or with the number of pixels per row times the number of pixels per column, for example 1920 x 1080 pixels. The second variant has the advantage that the aspect ratio is directly visible.

Another variant is the HDTV standard, which specifies the number of lines and the picture structure, for example 1080p. The former is the vertical image resolution in pixels, the latter is specified in p or i. This results in the designation 1080p, for example. “P” stands for “progressive” and means full screen, while the abbreviation “i”  stands for “interlaced”. This refers to a so-called interlaced or interline process in which an image is created from two different fields. To be more precise, the odd rows are built up first and then the even rows. However, this variant is on the decline, as UHD TV, for example, only provides for the recording and playback of full images.

But now to the different resolutions:

SD: The old standard

Let’s start small: The term SD (standard definition) or SDTV (standard definition television) refers to a picture resolution of 720 x 576 pixels, which corresponds to an aspect ratio of 4 : 3. This resolution was already used in analog television reception and can be found on DVDs, for example.

Full HD

Full HD is the abbreviation for Full High Definition, which means “full high resolution”. It stands for a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (2,073,600 pixels in total). The aspect ratio is also 16 : 9. The term describes the ability to output Full HD resolution (via televisions, PCs, flat screens, DVD players, etc.) or record it (via video cameras, etc.).

In addition to Full HD, there is also HD ready, which refers to a lower resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels. This is, for example, the resolution that is broadcast by public broadcasters (such as ARD and ZDF) and then played back on HD-capable televisions.

UHD and 4K

Now let’s move on to what everyone is currently talking about: 4K. While there has been little content in the private sector to date – despite the growing market for 4K televisions – UHD and 4K are a major topic in professional digital signage.

UHD stands for Ultra High Definition and refers to a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. That is exactly four times the Full HD resolution. The pixel lines are doubled from 1080 to 2160 and from 1920 to 3840, quadrupling the total number of pixels to around 8 million. The aspect ratio still corresponds to 16 : 9.

The term 4K comes from the digital cinema sector and actually describes a resolution of 4096 x 2160 pixels (hence the sometimes used term 4K2K). The aspect ratio of 4K is 17 : 9. Today, a ratio of 21 : 9 is typical, which is achieved by cutting away pixels.

However, it has become common practice for the terms 4K and UHD to be used synonymously, so that 4K usually describes the resolution 3840 x 2160 pixels.

Looking to the future: 8K

But it can be even sharper: the term 8K describes an incredible resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels. This means that there are four times the number of pixels of Full HD over the length and width and twice the number compared to UHD. The aspect ratio is again 16 : 9. In Japan, where the television broadcaster NHK was one of the first to experiment with this format, 8K is also known as Super Hi-Vision. In reality, however, 8K is more a dream of the future. Televisions with this resolution are not only relatively large but also quite expensive – the  prices are still in the six-figure range. There is also hardly any content in 8K format.

Hertz or frames per second

So far we have only talked about image resolution. In the digital signage sector, however, the video resolution, which is made up of image resolution and refresh rate (also known as frame rate), is often also of interest. The frame rate is usually specified in Hertz (Hz). It describes the number of frames per second that can be played back. For example, at a refresh rate of 24 Hz, 24 frames per second  are always written to a monitor or projected onto a movie screen. The terms fps (frames per second) or BpS (frames per second) are therefore used in addition to Hertz.

In connection with 4K, a distinction is often made as to whether the resolution can be displayed with a refresh rate of 60 or only 30 Hz. On the one hand, this depends on the chipset of the PC, but on the other hand, the connections are also decisive. Because at least DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 are required for 4K@60Hz.  

4K@60Hz at spo-comm

The spo-comm range naturally also includes some mini PCs that can output a video resolution of 4K@60Hz. These include our ultra-compact spo-book CORE, the spo-book TURO Q87 and spo-book ELIX H81 digital signage players and our brand new spo-book KUMO IV, which can even play back 4K@60Hz four times or alternatively 8K@60Hz once. The spo-book EXPANDED Q170 and the spo-book NINETEEN Q170 are also 4K-capable if they are equipped with an appropriate graphics card.

Discover 4K mini PCs from spo-comm now!

Digital Signage

Digital signage (DS for short) describes the reproduction of media content on screens, canvases, signs and much more. Times Square in New York is probably one of the best-known examples of digital advertising. With digital signage players, not only the size but also the performance of the mini PCs is extremely important. Not only are the solutions usually built directly into the displays, they often also have to be powerful enough to play 4K content on one or more screens.

spo-comm Digital Signage Player

Machine control

Whether milling machines, vehicle scales at the recycling center or automated storage systems. In industry, most of the machinery is linked to mini PCs either to record information for further processing or to output data for information utilization. Due to the usually harsh working environment (dust, sawdust, humid air, outdoor installations), passively cooled industrial PCs are a reliable partner.

Industrial PCs from spo-comm

Music player

No matter where you go shopping these days – supermarkets, car dealerships or clothes stores – you’ll always be surrounded by appropriate and melodious music. Here too, who would have thought it, mini PCs serve as the basis for playing the songs. The longevity, energy efficiency and compact design of the PC systems are the main reasons for their use. A prime example of such a system is the spo-book WINDBOX II Quad (fanless).

Kiosk terminals

At the airport, train station, at the bank or at trade fairs. Every day we encounter kiosk systems, get information from them or work with them. Even if you have the feeling that you are working more with a display, the screens (mostly touch displays) conceal 24/7-capable mini PCs. The spo-comm system solutions not only provide the appropriate software to make the user happy, but must also be able to cool down to appropriate operating temperatures under the poor waste heat conditions of the stele.

Vehicle Computing

As the name suggests, vehicle computing refers to the use of mini PCs in vehicles of all kinds. These include ambulances, police cars, ships and public transportation.  All of these examples contain control units which in turn rely on the small vehicle PCs.

spo-comm Vehicle PCs

Retail trade

On the one hand, we encounter mini PCs in supermarkets in the area of digital signage (see above). On the other hand, they are also used at the checkouts. For example, scanners and screens are connected to the embedded PCs, which are usually passively cooled, and thus form the usual working environment.

Logistics and production

Mini PCs fulfill their purpose in several areas, especially in warehousing and production. As already mentioned above in machine control and information processing, but also for diagnosing sources of error, for example on the assembly line. It can happen that a conveyor belt stops running because something is jammed somewhere and prevents the belt from moving. The mini PC then ensures that the relevant software can do its work unhindered and errors can be rectified without delay. You can find a possible product solution for the logistics sector in our article
hama and spo-comm – logistics made easy
.

Office operation

Of course, mini PCs have not left their original purpose behind. More and more PC systems are also being used in offices. They are not only space-saving, but also considerably more energy-efficient than conventional desktop PCs. Passively cooled solutions also contribute to a quieter and more pleasant working atmosphere. Due to its technical specifications, the spo-book WINDBOX III Advanced, for example, is a popular product solution with our customers.

Virtual reality: also for Industry 4.0

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications are increasingly being developed for use in industrial environments. This is because there are numerous potential applications in Industry 4.0: In addition to training employees, customers and business partners (e.g. flight simulators, operating theaters, but also hard-to-access locations such as power plants), VR is also interesting for design, development and presentation. Products, assemblies, systems and processes can be simulated and made interactively accessible in virtual reality. However, there is currently still a lack of a good hardware selection, as VR applications place high demands on the processor and graphics performance of a mini PC.

Integrated battery: more reliability

The vehicle PCs in the MOVE series from spo-comm can all be ordered with an optional battery. If, for example, the power fails or the ignition in the car goes out unexpectedly, the PC continues to run on battery power and shuts down automatically if it does not get power again. This is interesting in measurement technology, for example, as it means that data can still be backed up.  In addition, a hard shutdown is not necessarily good for PCs, as this can damage the operating system sooner or later.

The spo-comm MOVE series

Not just for cross-border commuters: two mobile networks

Our new models in the MOVE series each have two SIM card slots and therefore the option of using two mobile networks (3G or 4G). The advantages are obvious: on the one hand, two simultaneous connections can be established, which increases the speed of data transfer. On the other hand, by using two different networks, greater coverage can be achieved so that you don’t suddenly find yourself in a dead zone while on the move. This is also interesting for vehicles traveling in border areas. Here it is possible to use the right network for each country.

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the name for the processor of a computer. The “Central” in CPU is no coincidence. This is because it is the core, the heart of a PC, so to speak. In addition to specific designations for a CPU, the clock frequency provides information on how quickly a processor can perform operations.

Tasks of the processor

By and large, the CPU performs three main tasks:

Computing unit

All data on a computer consists of numbers. To be precise: From zeros and ones. A CPU receives commands, calculates the corresponding amount of data and outputs a new binary code as a result. The higher the clock frequency of a CPU, the more computing processes can be processed in the same time. The clock frequency, which is also referred to as the rhythm, is given in Hertz (Hz for short). One Hz means one beat per second. In the case of a so-called single-core processor, at one gigahertz (GHz for short), this means that around 1,000,000,000 digits can be processed simultaneously.

Control unit

The control unit, or control unit, is the main component of a processor together with the computing unit. In addition to processing input and output from peripherals (such as printers, scanners, mice, keyboards, etc.), the control unit ensures that the individual components of a processor can work together and coordinates them. The control unit is connected to the individual components via the so-called bus system.

Bus system

The bus system is a kind of bridge between the individual components of a computer and ensures the exchange of data between them.

Note: The more Hertz a CPU has, the faster the computing speed of a processor (of the same processor family).
But is the clock frequency alone responsible for the speed of a CPU? If only the single-core processors mentioned above were still in use today, the question could easily be answered with “yes”. However, since two-core, four-core, six-core, eight-core and even ten-core processors are now used in the desktop sector (as of 2016), the strength of a CPU also depends on the number of cores, among other things.

This brings us to the next important point:

Multi-core processors

To understand:
As already mentioned, in the past a CPU was mainly made faster by increasing the number of clock rates. Remember: At one GHz, a single-core processor can calculate 1,000,000,000 digits simultaneously per second. At two GHz, it would therefore be 2,000,000,000 digits per second.

However, simply increasing the clock frequency means that enormous temperature increases can be observed in the processor from a performance of 3.00 GHz. The background to this is that a higher clock frequency is achieved by increasing the voltage. The resulting resistance in the thin supply lines generates heat. This is not only extremely inefficient, but also damages the CPU if the cooling is inadequate. For this reason, developers came up with the idea of installing several cores on one CPU. Today, we know two-core (dual-core), four-core (quad-core), six-core (hexa-core), eight-core (octa-core) and ten-core (deca-core) processors in the user sector.

A particularly great advantage of multi-core processors is that the individual cores can perform tasks in parallel with the other cores. Modern software, for example, automatically outsources operations to the individual cores of a processor in order to achieve an even workload. If a core is fully utilized, it is automatically swapped to the next free core, even without intelligent software.

Another advantage is the low power consumption of the multi-core processors. For example, a dual-core processor consumes only half as much energy as a single-core processor. This is because a dual-core processor requires a lower clock frequency for the same performance as a single-core CPU, due to a lower voltage requirement. Ergo: Less power consumption.

Multi-threading

Multi-threading is the ability of a single processor core to perform several tasks simultaneously. Multi-threading is therefore very similar to the appearance of a multi-core processor. In plain language, this means that if a quad-core processor is equipped with two threads per core, the system recognizes a total of eight virtual cores and no longer just four real ones. The advantage here is obvious.

Conclusion

Single-core processors have now lost much of their importance in the server, PC and mobile sectors and have been banned from most store shelves, as extensive software in the user area requires at least two processor cores. What progress and how many cores will the future bring? We simply let ourselves be surprised.

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