Via debuts Mini-ITX 2.0
June 19th, 2008
Via Technologies has launched gen 2 of its signature mini-motherboard standard. Mini-ITX 2.0, an evolutionary update to the seven-year-old 170×170mm form-factor, introduces new and emerging buses and interfaces such as PCI Express, SATA, Gig-E, and HD A/V, while preserving backwards-compatibility with the original standard.
Via’s new Mini-ITX 2.0 mini-motherboard format
(Click each image to enlarge; source: Via)
Baseline features and specifications of Mini-ITX 2.0, according to Via’s announcement, include:
- Processor — high-performance, power efficient x86 processor, “such as the Via Nano processor”
- Memory — support for minimum 2GB DDR2 SDRAM
- Graphics — DirectX 9.0 integrated (IGP); DirectX 10 through an add-in card
- Display — 1 VGA port for LCD display; 1 HDMI port on add-in card
- HD audio — 3 audio jacks for up to 6-channel surround sound
- Broadband connectivity — 1 gigabit LAN port
- Storage — 2 Serial ATA II slots; 1 IDE (PATA) slot
- Peripheral interfaces — minimum 4 USB2.0 ports
- Expansion bus — 1 PCI Express 16-lane slot
- Size — 170 x 170 mm (same as Mini-ITX 1.0)
Mini-ITX has been a popular form-factor for a range of space-constrained hobbyist and commercial applications. These include home theater PCs, in-dash vehicular PCs, robotics, and various embedded systems. Mini-ITX form-factor motherboards and compatible enclosures are available from numerous single-board computer vendors, including companies catering to fixed, mobile, and industrial/rugged environments.
For further details, visit Via’s Mini-ITX 2.0 information page.
June 20th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Gah! Why won’t they just kill off the VGA port already??? Or the PS/2 ports????? It should be DVI-I or HDMI, and USB only! At least there’s no floppy connector…
June 20th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Because PS/2 is close to trivial to support on the operating system level. Contrast with USB, where you need a protocol stack and a couple of translation layers just to talk to a flippin’ keyboard. PS/2 meanwhile gets by with an interrupt handler and a serial buffer.
June 20th, 2008 at 7:04 am
I don’t understand these kids’ infatuation with “new” and “ground-breaking” technologies. Fact is, in most cases, they’re not that ground-breaking, just new. DVI may be nice, HDMI is nonsense for an industrial environment. Consider this: you’re looking to power a simple console (like this: http://www.synel.com/products/IP65_SY-777.gif) why the hell would you need freakin’ HD interface. You’re probably better off using a simple mouse, because those new mice tend to break down in a humid, warm, generally grueling environment. In environments like factories, sewers and subwaytunnels you just want your systems to work, and work well. You don’t need 10.2 GB/s data throughput on a screen, because you won’t be rendering videogames or complex objects on it. No, you’ll be trying to access the yes/no button on a terminal that controls very little more than something like this http://bp2.blogger.com/_6zr6iJiCiU0/RgfXeIGJVII/AAAAAAAAACk/4sYA7HWQvxo/s1600-h/scharffernberg+factory+machine+1.jpg
June 20th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Now if they could only update and make affordable the PC/104 standard - I would love to see this form factor with a PCIe riser socket installed. Small is beautiful, and still too costly!
June 20th, 2008 at 7:28 am
A DVI port would be slick. Dropping PS/2 achieves what?
June 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am
What will make minis fly will be the development of UWB (universal wireless buss), which will incorporate keyboard and mouse wireless connectivity, 802.11, blue tooth, printer, and sound wirelessly. In addition consolidating wired connections into the new BMF bus (big multifunction bus) could allow a single cable to be connected which would break out externally as needed for monitor, power, etc. There really is no reason to have wired networking or wired printer connections, or wired much of anything….. anymore with today’s technology. Somebody needs to take the lead and abandon most of the external connections on computers like Apple abandoned the floppy drive. It is also important that they incorporate a means of simply plugging in flash memory to make an onboard solid state drive (expandable). Hard disks are rapidly approaching obsolescence though they dominate the market by sheer capacity and low cost. Flash or something like that will ultimately take over entirely.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:45 am
I don’t think UWB will be what makes it fly. In fact, wireless may hinder the adoption, as it opens up yet more avenues of attack. And if you want a small, relatively secure, and efficient machine, it’s probably not a good idea. But I can see it for some things, like the EeePC, although battery life would suffer from constant wireless pinging.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:03 am
It seems Intel has already beat them to this proposal
http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/DG45FC/index.htm
June 20th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Looks like a lot of spare real estate on that board. Can you make a smaller format, along the lines of a PC-fast gumstix-like board?
June 20th, 2008 at 9:30 am
it would be nice if the power plugs would also be on the front edge of the PCB - so we could
vertical mount in a rack - so we could vertical mount 5 to 10 of this motherboard in a rack mount case
June 20th, 2008 at 10:32 am
PS/2 is NOT trivial for the OS and I think Apple, Sun Microsystems and Hewlett Packard have proven this point by putting machines in the market without PS/2 for many years now. And using an USB-keyboard typing this comment and in every day use for some time now I’m not going back. Luckely USB-keyboard appear to coming to the shops nowadays following the USB-mouse with a 10 year delay or so. And the VGA-connector is understandable since DVI is not that widespread yet. Hopefully DisplayPort is going to take off soon, but all odds are off or Apple must start pushing it.
It’s a shame that since this a Mini-ITX that there is no Flash-connector. It would make my life easier and more interesting when putting those boards to work. Also the missing serial console may be an issue in some situations.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am
“Gah! Why won’t they just kill off the VGA port already??? Or the PS/2 ports????? It should be DVI-I or HDMI, and USB only! At least there’s no floppy connector…”
Well, if they got rid of the VGA and PS/2, it would just be a MacMini…
June 20th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
There seem to be two groups posting here:
One - secure small systems for automation/monitoring of critical systems. Rugged and simple is key with the ability to upgrade without throwing everything out
Two - fun sleek media players for living rooms, kiosks, and other glitz applications. Latest interfaces, fast rendering and display throughput with the latest in peripherals.
I think that VIA has done a nice job of trying to meet both groups in the middle because the same system can used the DIN-5 connector (with and adapter to DIN-6/PS2) on my keyboard that use to kill rat as well as connect my new PCI-E high end triple head graphics card and plasma displays to. There are not may systems on the market that still have this flexibility.
Thank-you VIA, now I need to find a new excuse for a purchase req.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
VIA still doesn’t get it. Why bother building the smallest and the most energy efficient motherboards on the planet, with a feature set that expects the user to plug it into a 30-70 lb glass tube that draws 3-5 times the energy required by the motherboard?
DVI interface has been on many of our wish lists for ages for these beauts but all I have are some really lame marketing responses from VIA to many requests sent to them. I love the Mini-ITX format but my dollars continue to go to vendors who understand the above.
June 20th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
MATS: What are you on about?
Having a VGA port doesn’t mean the vendor “expects the user ro plug it into a 30-70 lb glass tube that draws 3-5 times the energy required by the motherboard” - VGA connections are the lowest common denominator in the display arena, DVI connections while common are not ubiquitous. All the flat panels I’ve seen lately (last 2 years) include *both* DVI and VGA connections.
If DVI connection is that important, you can always add a PCI-Express 1x graphics adapter with DVI support - see http://www.alvio.com/xABK_PID53513_matrox-graphics_g55-mdde32f_matrox-millennium-g550-32mb-pci-express-1x-video-card-rohs_pci-express-video-cards.html
Ken
June 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I hadn’t seen the Intel board before, most interesting. Virtually all displays have VGA capability, I have no idea what the “glass tube” poster is going on about. I believe there’s even a VGA connection on one of the “electric ink” displays which draw no power at all except while updating, and are viewed by ambient light (Amazon Kindle tech).
November 27th, 2008 at 10:22 am
A truly revolutionary board for this all that I found astonishing is the beagle board.
http://beagleboard.org/
I am not affiliated with the company, I just found that it beats pretty much that is ITX or anything by leagues. The system integration possibilites are endless and it is USB powered and look at how small that sucker is!! (and cheap too)
Markus