SFF-SIG

Infobox Non-profit
Non-profit_name = Small Form Factor Special Interest Group
Non-profit_
Non-profit_type = Professional Organization
founded_date = September, 2007
founder =
location =
key_people = Colin McCracken (current president)
area_served = Worldwide
focus = Standards for small, low power computers, building blocks, and accessories [http://www.sff-sig.org/about.html]
method = Industry Standards, Conferences, Publications
revenue =
endowment =
num_volunteers =
num_employees =
num_members = 16
owner =
Non-profit_slogan = Advanced modular technologies enabling compact design.
homepage = [http://www.sff-sig.org/ www.sff-sig.org]
tax_exempt =
dissolved =
footnotes = The Small Form Factor Special Interest Group or SFF-SIG (read "ess-eff-eff") is an international non-profit standards body focused on the advancement of modular technologies used in embedded and small form factor computers and controllers. It has a diverse membership comprised mainly of computer board and component manufacturers.

SFF-SIG creates, promotes, and maintains embedded computer standards for form factors and computer buses. Examples include the governing documents and trademarks for Pico-ITX^TM, Express104^TM, and SUMIT^TM. Members use the specifications to build specialized embedded computers used in both commercial and rugged environments where applications insist on reliable control and data acquisition, for example.

Primarily focused on hardware, SFF-SIG defines new single board computer (SBC) and computer-on-module (COM) form factors. SFF-SIG standardizes expansion connectors for the latest desktop and notebook chipset interfaces to create the building blocks required by system manufacturers to rapidly deploy their unique applications. Each specification is a free open standard by ITU-T definition.

SFF-SIG generally targets low power chipsets and processors from VIA and Intel including the Nano and Atom processors, although solutions for RISC processors are discussed in some working groups. VIA Technologies, WinSystems, and Octagon Systems were founding members of SFF-SIG in 2007.

Nearly all of the specification work leverages proven high-speed and easy-interface buses and interconnects such as PCI Express [cite web
title = PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG)
url = http://www.pcisig.com ] , USB 2.0 [cite web
title = USB Implementers Forum
url = http://www.usb.org ] , ExpressCard [cite web
title = ExpressCard Specification
url = http://www.expresscard.org ] , Low Pin Count LPC Bus [cite web
title = Low Pin Count (LPC) Specification
url = http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/industry/lpc.htm ] , SPI / uWire [cite web
title = SPI Bus
url = http://www.freescale.com/files/microcontrollers/doc/ref_manual/S12SPIV3.pdf ] , and I2C / SMBus [cite web
title = I2C Specification
url = http://www.nxp.com/acrobat_download/literature/9398/39340011.pdf ] , with adaptations for modular and extensible usage. Testing has been completed to establish operation to 5 Gigahertz. Some standards preserve the ISA Bus and legacy peripherals.

To obtain a copy of the specifications, visit the SFF-SIG website http://www.sff-sig.org.

See also

*PCI Express
*ExpressCard

References

External links

Official site
* [http://www.sff-sig.org SFF-SIG official website]
* [http://www.eetimes.com/news/design/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207200705 Express104 spec boosts stackable module design]
* [http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS2025637581.html SUMIT aims to unify SBC expansion]
* [http://www.sff-sig.org/articles/CaseForSmallerFormFactors.pdf The Case for Smaller Form Factors in Industrial Systems]
* [http://www.sff-sig.org/articles/NewSigInTown.pdf Small Form Factors: A new SIG in town]
* [http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9265074155.html Pico-ITX goes stackable]
* [http://www.smallformfactors.com/articles/id/?3037 Pico-sized platform ushers in new era for I/O]
* [http://www.embedded-computing.com/b/?p=253 New specs, new members, new logo]
* [http://www.sff-sig.org/articles/WhatIsSumit.pdf What is SUMIT?]
* [http://www.sff-sig.org/articles/WhatIsExpress104.pdf What is Express104]