Mini-ITX News

VIA EPIA LT Picture

Labels: embedded, mini-itx, VIA EPIA LT

posted by mini-itx @ 8:18 PM 0 Comments

Intel D201GLY ''Little Valley'' Mini-ITX mainboard

We had previously reported on the development of Intel's D201GLY "Little Valley" Mini-ITX motherboard. Recently the first shipments of these boards arrived in the United States and you can now purchase them at places like Logic Supply ($77) and Mini-Box ($75). Mini-Box also ran a couple of power-consumption tests which you can find here:

"The D201GLY is a rather green motherboard, consuming an average of only 25watts. The board power consumption power levels are rather close to the VIA C7 implementations, which are well known for low power consumptions."

I have to say that these measurements are much lower than what I had expected to see. Additionally the board's price is simply amazing and it's sure to create some pressure on other companies to follow suit. From a technical point of view there's really nothing to get excited about and my overall feelings about the D201GLY are best summed up on this blog:

"To me, this board is nothing fancy: it’s just going to work very well."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: embedded, Intel, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 12:18 PM 0 Comments

Dell targets emerging markets with EC280 Mini-ITX PC

Dell have introduced the EC280 desktop computer, a low cost Mini-ITX based PC aimed at emerging markets.

Underneath the hood is a 1.2GHz Intel Celeron M 205, and a SiSM661GX chipset - presumably a very close relative of the recently announced "Little Valley" D201GLY motherboard from Intel.

The EC280 measures 4.5 litres, comes with Windows XP Home installed and of course consumes just 65W. Our chinese isn't what it was, but pricing seems to start at around $340.

through Naonsilver

Labels: dell, emerging markets, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 12:16 PM 0 Comments

VIA Introduces Dual-LAN, Dual-LVDS Mini-ITX Mainboard

Combining a range of leading-edge features and connectivity, the versatile new VIA EPIA LT-Series mainboard is the complete solution for high-end POS, digital signage and networked systems

Taipei, Taiwan, 26 June 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced the VIA EPIA LT-Series Mini-ITX mainboard based on the VIA CX700 system media processor. Powered by the highly efficient 1.5GHz or fanless 1.0GHz VIA C7 processor, the VIA EPIA LT has a maximum operating power consumption of less than 20 watts.

The VIA EPIA LT mainboard incorporates a number of innovative features for the fast-growing x86-based embedded market, such as greater device performance, clearer definition video and storage technologies, and a full feature I/O set including two LAN ports and native support for two LVDS panels, four COM ports, a PCI slot and up to six USB 2.0 ports. Project-based customers also have the option of a VIA CX700M2 version with added TV-out functionality.

"We're very excited about the versatility and connectivity that this new board offers our customers," said Daniel Wu, Assistant Vice President, VIA Platform Solutions Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "While designed primarily for key embedded applications such as high end Point of Sales and digital signage systems, the power of the VIA UniChrome Pro II integrated graphics readily enables the LT-Series boards to be utilized for a wide range of networked multimedia applications."

More information about the VIA EPIA LT mainboard may be found on the VIA website at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/mainboards/motherboards.jsp?motherboard_id=510

About the VIA EPIA LT-Series Mini-ITX Mainboard

Boasting VIA's market-leading ultra low power consumption VIA C7 processors at 1.5GHz and fanless 1GHz, the VIA EPIA LT-Series platform provides exceptional performance per watt and a feature set that creates high standards in connectivity. Supporting up to 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 memory, the VIA CX700 drives a plethora of connection options including dual LVDS support and two 10/100 fast Ethernet modules, with a Gigabit option, 2 SATA connectors and up to 6 USB2.0 ports.

A complete digital multi-media experience is guaranteed with VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP, featuring MPEG-2 video decoding acceleration and 2D/3D graphics, plus a built-in HDTV encoder up to 1080i for MPEG-2 HD DVD playback, while the VIA Vinyl Multi-channel HD audio chip also provides an exceptional listening experience. Additionally, the boards will support the forthcoming MFX module for greater system security, energy efficiency and data protection, featuring key storage, wake-up and event logging functions.

The VIA EPIA LT Mini-ITX mainboard is compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000/XP, XPe, CE, and Linux, as well as being fully compatible with all Mini-ITX, FlexATX and MicroATX chassis and associated accessories, including the new 120W DC-DC converter for VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards, giving developers an array of tools to create innovative and flexible digital media devices.

VIA EPIA LT-Series Mini-ITX Mainboard Availability

The VIA EPIA LT-Series mainboard will enter mass production in July, with pre-release samples available to VIA project based customers immediately. For pricing and further details on availability, please contact your local VIA sales representative or send an email to: embedded@via.com.tw.

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. (TSE 2388) is the foremost fabless supplier of market-leading core logic chipsets, low power x86 processors, advanced connectivity, multimedia and networking silicon, and complete platform solutions that are driving system innovation in the PC and embedded markets. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, VIA's global network links the high tech centers of the US, Europe and Asia, and its customer base includes the world's top OEMs, motherboard vendors and system integrators. www.via.com.tw

Labels: embedded, mini-itx, VIA EPIA LT

posted by mini-itx @ 12:13 PM 0 Comments

Albatron's Mini-ITX demo-setups

"One of the best meetings I had on the first day of Computex was the one with Albatron. And yes, I do admit that the two young ladies handing me Red Bull are mainly responsible for that. All jokes aside though I was very much looking forward to hearing more details about their plans for the Mini-ITX platform. As most of you probably remember they first introduced the KI690-AM2 board back in March during CeBIT. Then a week before Computex the company announced that they'd present a Mini-ITX Socket S1 and a Mini-DTX board at the show. So with three high-end AMD boards in their portfolio I wanted to know how they're going to position them in the market. Plus I was of course interested in their thoughts on the Mini-DTX form-factor given that they're amongst the first companies to actually demo a Mini-DTX board."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: albatron, AMD, embedded, Mini-DTX, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 12:18 AM 0 Comments

Kontron's UGM and new Mini-ITX boards

"One visit that turned out to be significantly more interesting than initially expected was my stop at the Kontron booth. Having checked their European Website on a regular basis I wasn't really expecting to see any new motherboards. However they did surprise me with a lineup of boards that's only available in the Asian markets right now. One board was built around the ATI RS690T for Socket S1, one was based on the AMD Geode LX platform and the third one used Intel's popular 945GM chipset."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: 945GM, AMD Geode, embedded, Kontron, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 8:09 PM 0 Comments

VIA EPIA EX Mini-ITX Mainboard Review

"C7 adds VIA’s new Step Ahead technology suite. To put it down, Step Ahead is a series of branch prediction instructions and software on the CPU to predict frequently accessed data to allow quicker access to certain programs on the system, this come in handy for the digital home and office environments where prediction is a lot easier than with gaming. The C7 also gets an increased pipeline, up from 10 stages on the C3 to a 16 stage pipeline – that is two stages more than the Pentium M series had from Intel. Lastly VIA’s V4 bus may sound new, and in fact it is for VIA – it is the first time they have used this bus, however V4 is simply another name for the Intel FSB used on the Pentium 4’s and Pentium-M CPU. Currently the C7 uses a 100MHz quad-pumped bus (or 400MHz QDR) which is the same as what the original Pentium 4’s came out with – it does give the VIA CPU a lot more bandwidth to play with over its C3 counterpart."

through Tweaktown.com

Labels: embedded, mini-itx, review, VIA EPIA

posted by mini-itx @ 1:40 AM 0 Comments

IBASE Introduces Mini-ITX Boards with Mobile Intel 910GMLE-915GME

IBASE Technology, a leading provider of Mini-ITX boards and solutions, announces MI920, a cost-effective Mini-ITX motherboard based on the Mobile Intel(R) 910GMLE/915GME Express chipset featuring an integrated 32-bit 3D graphics engine based on Intel(R) Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (Intel(R) GMA 900) architecture that operates at core speeds of up to 320MHz and with a 400/533MHz front-side bus.

IBASE MI920 Mini-ITX Boards with Mobile Intel 910GMLE/915GME Express chipsetMI920 is validated with Intel(R) Pentium M/ Celeron(R) M processors on 0.13um or 90nm process. With one DIMM socket on board, it supports up to 1GB of DDR2 system memory (400MHz for 910GMLE, 400/533MHz for 915GME chipset). This 170mm x170mm platform is designed for various critical applications such as digital signage, POS, kiosk, gaming and multimedia applications.

MI920 comes with 10/100 LAN and optional Gigabit LAN for network connectivity. Expansion is available with one PCI slot, one Mini PCIe slot and a CF socket. Two Serial ATA interface provide up to 150 MB/Sec transfer rate. The board also has six USB 2.0 ports, four COM ports and 12V DC In.

MI920 FEATURES

* Supports Celeron(R) M CPU, 400MHz FSB (910GMLE chipset)
* Supports Socket 479, 533/400MHz FSB (915GME chipset)
* One DDR2 DIMM, up to 1GB (400MHz, 910GMLE), (400/533MHz, 915GME)
* Onboard 10/100 BaseT and Marvell PCI-Express Gigabit LAN
* Intel(R) 915 Express VGA for CRT, SDVO supports LVDS and DVI
* 2x SATA, 6x USB 2.0, 4x COM, Watchdog timer
* 1x PCI, 1x MiniPCIe, CF socket, DC-in for +12V input
* 170mm x 170mm

About IBASE Technology
IBASE Technology was set up by a group of experienced engineers who revolve around the IPC arena and talented marketing and management staff sharing the same ideals and goals. As a team, it has gained the respect and support from reputable and established companies that eventually forged strategic partnerships with IBASE. IBASE's R&D team is composed hardware and software engineers, 50% with over 10 years and 45% with between 5 to 10 years of experiences in their respective fields. IBASE, an ISO9001 certified company, also specializes in OEM/ODM services tailoring products to customers' requirements. Current product offerings from IBASE include various single board computers, Mini-ITX, industrial motherboards, ETX CPU modules, CompactPCI processor boards, network appliance and digital surveillance systems. IBASE Technology Inc. is an Affiliate Member of the Intel(R) Communications Alliance, a community of communications and embedded developers and solution providers.

Labels: embedded, iBase, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 10:00 AM 0 Comments

Morex T-3310 Mini-ITX Case

"In order to address these different markets Morex has been working on several versions of their most popular cases. One of the best examples for this move is an updated version of their T-3300 which is a Mini-ITX enclosure aimed at the Thin Client market. While the original design seemed a bit dull to me I certainly like the updated flair of the T-3310. There were also three versions of the 275X series which all featured different frontpanels. Additionally Morex introduced a black and a white 2766 case."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: case, mini-itx, Morex

posted by mini-itx @ 5:42 PM 0 Comments

Aaeon's EMB-6908T, AM2 Mini-ITX Mainboard

"While I think we've previously only mentioned Aaeon once or twice the company is working on some interesting Mini-ITX motherboards. At the moment their high-end solutions are the Intel 945 based EMB-945T and the EMB-6908T built around ATI's 690T chipset. I had a closer look at the EMB-6908T and found it to be another interesting addition to the ever-increasing lineup of AM2 Mini-ITX boards."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: Aaeon, AM2, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 5:36 PM 0 Comments

MSI Fuzzy GM965 Mini-ITX Mainboard

"MSI was showing off its latest addition to its Mini-ITX range of motherboards with the Fuzzy GM965 which has two slots, one PCIe x16 and one normal PCI slot. There's also a mini PCIe slot for various upgrade options such as wireless cards and TV-tuners.

The board is based on the latest mobile chipset with integrated graphics from Intel, the GM965 and ICH8M. It has two DDR2 DIMM slots for up to 4GB of DDR2 667MHz memmory.

Although there's only a D-Sub connector on the rear of the board, both DVI and component video out is supported via various addons. The board also features 7.1-channel audio with optical S/PDIF out and dual Gigabit Ethernet interfaces."

through Fudzilla.com

Labels: 965GM, mini-itx, MSI

posted by mini-itx @ 4:39 AM 0 Comments

New VIA Mini-ITX and Nano-ITX mainboards

"The first company I visited on Tuesday morning was VIA Technologies. Given that the Pico-ITX motherboads had started to show up in Japan and will soon hit the shelves in Europe and the USA I had been wondering what VIA's next steps would be. (That was of course all before Wednesday's Mobile-ITX announcement.)

With VIA being the inventor of the Mini-ITX platform it's always very interesting to see where they're going. While there have certainly been big problems with the execution of their strategy in the past (*cough* Nano-ITX *cough*) there's no denying that the company has been ahead of most of the industry when it comes to small and efficient computing."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: computex, embedded, mini-itx, via

posted by mini-itx @ 3:01 PM 0 Comments

Commell LV-679 Mini-ITX mainboard

"One of the companies that never seizes to amaze me is Commell. Even though I've been dealing with them for quite a long time it's always very hard to predict what they're up to. Never once have they dropped any hints of upcoming products in our conversations. The best way to stay informed about their latest products is to check their website www.commell.com.tw on a regular basis. Or to head to tradeshows like Computex to look at them yourself.

After having a couple of meetings in Hall 2 (where most of the major Mini-ITX players are located) I quickly stopped by their booth to see whether they had any new Mini-ITX motherboards. I wasn't disappointed as the LV-679 is a brand-new 965GME based board for Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs."

through Epiacenter.com

Labels: 965GM, commell, embedded, mini-itx

posted by mini-itx @ 2:56 PM 0 Comments

VIA Mobile-ITX prototype video

Christoph has just sent me this video. Its a live demo of a prototype device based on the Mobile-ITX motherboard.

There's a good point made about battery life. Its not about the life, its about the battery drain. Thats why the OQO Model 02 is better on batteries than the Flipstart. In the video also you'll hear VIA talking about getting 5 hours from a 24W/hr battery. Thats a 5W average drain. Very very good. There's also clarification on what the C7-S is. Its a small, 9x11mm version of the C7-M. Nothing new capability-wise.

through UMPCPortal.com

posted by mini-itx @ 6:40 PM 0 Comments

Jetway makes Wii and PS3 PC

"Jetway has taken a lego block approach and started to create flexible boards with additional elements such as four Gigabit connectors, DVI, COM ports and many more PCBs with some core logic on them. Latest efforts include AMD Geode Socket and integrated processors, Intel Core 2 Duo (Merom series) with 945 chipset and of course, VIA's own CPU.

The best part though, we think, is current case development. Thanks to a low power footprint, Jetway has managed to create a computer inside a case just like the ultra-popular Nintendo Wii. We'll leave it up to you as to whether JetWay did a good job with these two PS3 and Wii-emulating chassis."

through The Inquirer

Labels: Jetway, mini-itx, PS3, Wii

posted by mini-itx @ 6:25 PM 0 Comments

Turion mini-ITX motherboard with SiS chipset

"You can find the strangest things at Computex and we spotted a mini-ITX form factor motherboard today for the AMD Turion 64 X2 mobile processors, which isn't a big deal as Albatron has already announced one, but what's so special with this one is that it uses a chipset from SiS.

If this wasn't enough, then maybe you'll find the inclusion of a mini PCIe slot interesting, as this is one of the first boards on the market to feature this slot which is otherwise reserved for notebooks. There's still a standard PCI slot for normal expansion cards.

The board has two memory slots for SO-DIMMs, but these are slightly different from those we've seen on other boards and looks like they've been designed for a desktop board rather than something that's been borrowed from a notebook.

There are dual Ethernet ports, S-Video and composite video out, as well as a D-sub and audio connectors, although the specs weren't that clear on the rest of the features. It seems to have an LVDS interface as well and it features four SATA connectors and what appears to be an IDE connector."

Through Fudzilla.com

Labels: AMD, mini-itx, SIS, Turion

posted by mini-itx @ 10:07 PM 0 Comments

VIA Mobile-ITX Form Factor

Here’s a picture of the new Mobile-ITX Mainboard, the world’s first industry standard form factor for the next generation of “Super-Smart-Phones” that we are officially unveiling at VTF2007.

The Mobile-ITX measures just 7.5cm x 4.5cm – making it 53% smaller than our current Pico-ITX – and will feature a very low power processor that operates at as low as a quarter of a watt. The chipset will integrate MPEG2, MPEG4, WMV9, H.264 video acceleration capabilities to ensure a rich video and Internet experience, and there will also be support for solid state storage and a variety of I/O connectors. We expect to see devices based around this form factor to enter the market in the second half of next year.

I love carrying around my “ITX quartet” of Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX, and Mobile-ITX boards to show to the media and customers; it’s amazing how much we have progressed in platform miniaturization in the five years that have passed since we launched the Mini-ITX.

through Brownknows.eu

Labels: embedded, Mobile=ITX, Smartphones, UMPC, via

posted by mini-itx @ 9:16 PM 0 Comments

VIA Showcases new Nanobook

"The Computex 2007 expo has certainly seen its fair share of new stuff released, with the NanoBook from Via being one of them. This full-fledged notebook comes with a tiny 7" display, making it look more like a portable digital photo frame than anything else.

Features include USB connectivity, Ethernet and WiFi support, DVI output, a maximum of 1GB RAM, and optional Bluetooth, all powered by the ULV 1.2GHz C7-M processor. Unfortunately, there is no solid state drive inside, leaving you with a choice between 30GB and 60GB hard drives. The NanoBook comes with an expected battery life of 5 hours and will ship in the second half of this year at a yet undisclosed price."

through ubergizmo.com

Labels: Nanobook, notebook, UMPC, via

posted by mini-itx @ 9:06 PM 0 Comments

VIA EPIA PX 10000 Pico-ITX Review

"The EPIA PX 10000 is the first motherboard from VIA Technologies to be released in their incredibly small 10cm x 7.2cm 'Pico-ITX' form factor, and is currently the 'world's smallest full-featured x86 mainboard designed for ultra compact embedded PCs, systems and appliances'.We tracked down a PX fresh off the production line and put it through its paces. Damn this thing is small."


through Mini-ITX.com

Labels: embedded, EPIA PX 10000, pico-itx, via

posted by mini-itx @ 8:57 PM 0 Comments

VIA Showcases PCIe x16 Equipped EPIA SN

"The new EPIA SN packs PCIe x16 and mini-PCI into a single mini-ITX motherboard

VIA is showcasing a wall of new EPIA mini-ITX motherboards. The latest EPIA SN packs plenty of expansion capabilities with a DirectX 9 graphics core. VIA equips the EPIA SN with the latest CN896 IGP chipset with C7 processors.

The CN896 IGP chipset packs an integrated VIA Chrome9 HC graphics core delivers DirectX 9 compatibility and hardware MPEG2 decoding acceleration. Despite the DirectX 9 compatibility, the VIA Chrome9 HC is not Windows Vista Premium ready, which means no Aero glass interface for EPIA SN systems.

VIA allows a variety of expansion options with the EPIA SN, including PCIe and mini-PCI. The EPIA SN features one PCIe x16 slot for expansion, a perfect spot for a UVD equipped ATI Radeon HD 2400 Pro. Additionally, the EPIA SN features one mini-PCI slot for other peripherals such as wireless LAN and TV tuners."


through dailytech.com

Labels: embedded, Epia, EPIA SN, mini-itx, via

posted by mini-itx @ 8:46 PM 0 Comments