Template:FAQ/Questions/verdex 24-pin

What is the 24-pin flex connector?
FH12A-24S-0.5SH(55) Digikey part HFK124CT-ND

The 24-pin flex connector was added to the verdex motherboard in response to customer demands for a daughtercard on the 120-pin side of the motherboard that provides UART, USB host etc function on the 24pin/120pin side of the verdex motherboard as these functions are normally "60-pin" type functions.

With a flat flex cable, it should be easy to bring those functions from the 24-pin flex connector onto a custom board on the120-pin side of the verdex motherboard in order to reduce the thickness of the board "sandwich".

Additionally, for very simple gumstix implementation scenarios, (e.g. connecting say an I2C sensor to a gumstix), the 24-pin flex connector is lower cost & easier to integrate than the 60- or 120-pin connectors.

Gumstix added the 24-pin flex connector to address several issues:

1) being able to get a console while the motherboard is otherwise in use without the physical limitations of the tweener.

2) USB Host.

3) Battery for RTC.

4) Daughtercards that need a flex connector.

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