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VIA  has announced the VB8002 Mini-ITX motherboard.

This Mini-ITX board uses the VIA Nano processor combined with the VIA CX700M2 media system processor. It is targeted at media server solutions, with DVI, S-Video, component, and composite output, and optical and coaxial S/PDIF ouput.

With an onboard digital HDTV encoder for high-definition video resolutions, VIA Vinyl 7.1 channel HD audio for a rich audio experience and a range of consumer I/O options including composite and component RCA ports, DVI and S-Video ports, S/PDIF audio, and onboard connectors for LVDS and TV out, the VIA VB8002 is well equipped for today’s digital media applications.

VB8002 Specifications:

• CPU: VIA Nano processor (1.6GHz)
• Chipset: VIA CX700M2 Unified Digital Media IGP chipset
• RAM: 1 x 240-pin DIMM, up to 1 GB of DDR2 533/667 RAM
• Storage: 2 x SATA ports, 1 x IDE port
• Expansion slot: 1 x PCI slot
• Video: integrated VIA UniChrome Pro II integrated graphics, 1 x VGA output, DVI output, S-Video output, component output, composite output, LVDS connector, TV-out header
• Audio: VIA VT1708A 7.1 HD Audio with S/PDIF output (coaxial and optical)
• LAN: 1 x VIA VT6122 Gigabit Ethernet
• I/O:  6 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x external, 4 x internal), PS/2 header

Product page here.

Read the press release here.

Technorati Tags: Component, CX700M2, dvi, mini motherboard, mini-itx, nano, S-Video, VIA

VIA Technologies has announced the VIA ARTiGO A2000 barebone storage mini-server.

VIA ARTiGO A2000 is a storage-oriented compact barebone PC that’s big on capacity and low on power consumption. Supporting two desktop hard drives, this unique barebone storage system is a perfect fit for home download applications, providing ample storage space in an energy-efficient, compact, and low-noise chassis.

It is based on a Nano-ITX board, and supports two 3.5″ SATA hard drives in a housing 5.3” x 4.7” x 10.2” (13.5cm x 12cm x 26cm) in size. It features Gigabit Ethernet and an optional 802.11b/g WiFi adapter.

ARTiGO A2000 specifications:

• Dimensions: 5.3” x 4.7” x 10.2” (13.5cm x 12cm x 26cm)
• CPU: 1.5GHz VIA C7-D processor
• Chipset: VIA VX800
• RAM: 1 x 200-pin SODIMM, up to 2 GB of DDR2 667/533 RAM
• Display: VIA VX800 Integrated Graphics, 1 x VGA output
• Audio: mic/line-in, line-out
• Storage: 1 x CF, 2 x SATA2 ports; 2 x 3.5” SATA hard disk bay
• LAN: 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
• WLAN: optional 802.11b/g WiFi
• USB: 3 x USB 2.0 (2 x rear panel, 1 x front)

It supports Microsoft Windows XP and Vista, Ubuntu 8.04, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 (Service Pack 2) and FreeBSD.

Read the press release here, and the product page there.

Technorati Tags: barebone, C7-D, mini motherboard, nano-itx, VIA, VX800

VIA has announced the VIA EPIA-P710 Pico-ITXe motherboard at ESC Boston.

It claims this is the first board based on the new Pico-ITXe specification:

The VIA EPIA-P710 is the very first board to take advantage of the new Pico-ITXe standard and SUMIT™ connector specifications. Using the SUMIT connectors to mount a customized expansion board, the VIA EPIA-P710 allows simple connection of both high and low speed, legacy and serial buses including S-ATA, USB 2.0 and PCI Express.

VIA EPIA-P710 Specifications:

• CPU: 1.0GHz VIA C7 processor
• Chipset: VIA VX800
• RAM: 1x SO-DIMM socket, 2 GB DDR2 667/533 RAM max.
• Storage: 1x 44 pin IDE, 2 x SATA
• Expansion slots: 2 x SUMIT QMS Connectors (3 USB, LPC, 2 PCIex1, PCIex4, SMBus and SPI)
• Display: Integrated VIA Chrome9 HC3, 1x Single-Channel LVDS pin Connector, 1x VGA heade
• Audio: VIA VT1708B HD
• LAN: 1x VIA VT6122 Gigabit LAN Controller (connector board required)

Read the news release here, and the product page there.

Technorati Tags: C7, mini motherboard, Pico-ITXe, VIA

VIA Technologies has announced it will be demonstrating the VIA VB8001 Mini-ITX motherboard this week at the Embedded Systems Conference, Boston, MA.

The VIA VB8001 is the first board based on the VIA Nano processor.

This mini motherboard supports up to 4GB of RAM, and features Gigabit Ethernet, 2 SATA ports and a PCIe x16 slot.

VB8001  Specifications:

• CPU: VIA Nano CPU (1.6GHz)
• Chipset: VIA CN896 + VT8237S
• RAM: 2x 240-pin DIMM socket, up to 4GB of DDR2 533/667 RAM
• Storage: 1x IDE, 2x SATA II ports
• Expansion slots: 1x PCIe x16 slot, 1x mini-PCI slot
• Display: Integrated VIA Chrome9™ HC graphics, 1x VGA
• Audio: VIA VT1708A HD audio
• LAN: 1x VIA VT6130 Gigabit Ethernet port
• I/O: 8x USB ports (2x external, 6x internal), 2x Serial ports (1x external, 1x internal)

Read the full press release here.

Technorati Tags: CN896, mini motherboard, mini-itx, nano, VIA

The team at gOS have built a custom PC named Andoid G2, as a tribute to the newly released Android G1.

The G2 PC - in a new “Android” shape - is based on a JetWay J7F2 Mini-ITX motherboard and features a VIA C7 800MHz CPU, 1GB RAM and a 80 GB hard drive. It runs gOS 3.0 Gadgets.

It is being auctioned on eBay witl all proceeds being donated to DonorsChoose.org via the TechCrunch Challenge.

Read the article here [via CNET News]. You can also look at the pictures of the build process here.

Technorati Tags: Android G1, C7, G2, gOS 3, Jetway, mini-itx, VIA

VIA has issued a news release highlighting the cryptographic performance of the Nano processor:

The benchmarking of the 1.3GHz VIA Nano processor using SiSoftware’s newest release of the SiSoftware Sandra 2009 diagnostic utility showed the VIA Nano processor performing the cryptographic tests at a blazing 765MB/s of bandwidth, over 93% faster than a 3.2GHz Intel® Core™2 Quad QX9770 processor, yet using a mere 5% of the power.

The Nano processor has indeed hardware units for encryption, allowing for to be more efficient for cryptographic operations. From the architecture brief:

VIA Isaiah Architecture processors contain very high-performance hardware for AES encryption, SHA-1 and SHA-256 secure hashing, and random number generation. In addition, the VIA Isaiah Architecture contains some new (and unique to VIA) features for a very specialized “secure execution mode”. These include a secure on-chip memory area, encrypted instruction fetching, and more.

If this appears to be top performance for cryptography, general performance of the processor needs to be considered depending of its indented use.

Full news release here.

Technorati Tags: mini motherboard, nano, VIA

VIA Technologies announced it will participate in the ISA Expo 2008 automation and control event being held in Houston, Texas on October 14-16, 2008.

VIA will showcase a range of targeted boards, peripherals and complete systems. Of interest are their mini motherboard products at the ISA Expo:

• VIA EPIA-P700 and VIA EPIA-P710 Pico-ITX boards
• VIA EPIA-N700 Nano-ITX board
• VIA EPIA-M700 Mini-ITX board

Read the full press release here [Via TweakTown].

Technorati Tags: mini motherboard, mini-itx, nano-itx, pico-itx, VIA