Professional Windows® Embedded Compact 7

HARDWARE SELECTION

With the right hardware platform from a vendor with the necessary resources to support the platform, Windows Embedded Compact 7 can help ease quite a number of development challenges for the project.

When selecting the hardware platform, in addition to the features and specifications, the following considerations should be taken into account:

• Standard off-the-shelf hardware — Often, an off-the-shelf hardware platform may not meet all the project’s design specifications. If you can find off-the-shelf hardware that meets all the core requirements with the exception of certain nice-to-have features, this may be a good, safe, and predictable option.
• Design custom hardware internally — Although the plan to design custom hardware internally seems to provide better control, unless your team has strong hardware experience and development resources, this option may trigger unpredictable costs and can seriously impact your development schedule.
• Design custom hardware through outsourcing — When the need to develop custom hardware for your project is obvious, hiring an experienced hardware design service provider can be a good option, especially when your team does not have strong hardware development resources. When choosing this option, be sure to account for the required device drivers and operating system components.
• Hardware support — A hardware platform with the lowest price tag does not necessarily mean it’s the most economical. The following considerations should ...