Computers as Components, 2nd Edition

180 CHAPTER 4 Bus-Based Computer Systems

component from a catalog or designing one yourself. When shopping for devices

from a catalog, it is important to read data sheets carefully—it may not be trivial to

figure out whether the device does what you need it to do. You should also con-

sider the amount of glue logic required to connect the device to your bus. Simple

peripheral logic can be implemented in programmable logic devices (PLDs),

while more complex units can be built from field-programmable gate arrays

(FPGAs).

4.5.3 The PC as a Platform

Personal computers are often used as platforms for embedded computing. A PC

offers several important advantages—it ...