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Mobo for Vertically Challenged Devices
An anonymous reader writes "VIA is shipping an ultra-low profile mini-ITX mainboard suitable for flat TVs, LCD-panel computers, and other vertically challenged devices. The Epia MS uses a minimalistic I/O backplate and SODIMM memory for a slimmer form-factor, and is VIA's first mini-ITX board available with a fanless 1GHz Eden embedded processor. The board has several processor options, but they all include the PadLock Ace hardware RNG and AES encrypt/decrypt features that are now supported by the Linux and BSD kernels."
now we can install computers in the most ungodly places!
For a board that concentrates on being thin, I find it surprising that that dimension isn't listed. It's not on Via's product listing for this board and it's not in the user's manual (pdf).
Visually, i'm guessing that it is thicker than the 0.75" base of my PowerBook, but I'd like to know the real size...
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Aren't flat TVs depth challenged rather then vertically challenged? Unless of course you lay it on the ground and stand over it to watch it.....
It's so nice to see that you finally quit referring to them as "midget" devices and went with the much more PC "vertically challenged" devices.
This would be an excellent board for a quiet mini-system. Toss in something like a thumb drive or whatever and it would stay quiet. BTW Toms hardware said they will sell for around $180 too, which is pretty reasonable.
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To a linux-y iMac? IE a very small, compact all in one computer that runs linux? Could make some serious inroads for linux on the desktop. A think the appeal of the iMac lies in that it is small, easy to hook up(no rats nest), and has astehtic value.
Making a cheap version of this could definatly have market potential(esp. since you can control the hardware, it makes plug and play linux even easier)
i love the small, quiet, cool boards, but why cant anyone make an EPIA board with two network interfaces? VIA, are you listening?
Theres plenty of room in a flat screen TV if you place the card verticly, am I missing something??
Yeup. The "al" in "vertically".
So this is a laptop mobo without the lap?
oh, you can put it sideways (as if the electrons would fall out)?
So it's a lap-side?
Am I missing something here?
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Aren't flat-panel monitors and TVs *horizontally* challenged?
The CPU is barely equivalent to a Celeron 600, the video quality (s-video) is quite low, the control panel (Windows, sorry) for the surround sound is brain-damaged, and the tiny fan is much noiser than one would expect.
That board does not come with any sort of hardware monitor app, and I had to replace the CPU fan with a larger, slower one to cut down the noise to the originally promised "whisper" level.
Not a bad board, but if fails to meet any of the expectations it sets in its specs. Make sure to read the hardware reviews, and buy from a seller with a money-back guarantee.
Sounds like a good fit for a lot of security-related applications--rackmount DMZ servers, firewalls, central controller for various physical security devices (biometrics controlling electronic locks on doors, etc.) I knew that the hardware RNG and AES-encrypt/decrypt functions were supported by OpenBSD a while ago (don't ask me when...I think by the time 3.4 came around. Confirmation?) It's no small feat to have them in other kernels, and bodes well for OSS applications. I'd assume it's also low-power due to the small form factor, which is another plus. Can't check the article, as my manager's about to breathe down my neck. :)
While there are indeed fanless mini-ITX systems, this ain't one of them.
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Via needs to get rid of all onboard connectors and replace them all with handy-dandy pinouts on the mainboard instead. Would make for some WAY easier modifications, as you can mount the connectors wherever the hell you want them and then wire them to the mainboard, instead of trying to force the mainboard into some awkward angle just so you can plug in the mouse and keyboard...
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It may come as a surprise to some, but there's quite a lot of interest in very small and very quiet PCs. Just check out this site as a for instance. And there's also this review on Tom's Hardware site.
The first guy who will come out with a laptop-form factor chassis for those motherboards will make a killing, a bit like the "lunchbox" chassis of yesteryear.
We'll be able to crank-out custom laptops make to suit our desires without having to contend with proprietary crap which won't properly run [insert favourite non-proprietary open-source/subversive operating system]...
RTFA, there is a version that doesn't need a fan, the 800 Mhz one, you only need a fan if you get the 1.2 Ghz processor.
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It seems a bit daft that it still uses a vertical ATX power connecter, as once you have plugged it in, you will have the combined height of the plug and the curvature of the cable increasing the overall height.
Surely they could have come up with some means of side-mounting the ATX connector?
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