Avalue Technology ECM-APL2 Manual

Part No. E2047393400R
ECM-APL2
Intel Apollo Lake processor 3.5 Micro Module
User’s Manual
1st Ed –15 August 2017

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FCC Statement
THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH PART 15 FCC RULES. OPERATION IS
SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING TWO CONDITIONS:
(1) THIS DEVICE MAY NOT CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE.
(2) THIS DEVICE MUST ACCEPT ANY INTERFERENCE RECEIVED INCLUDING
INTERFERENCE THAT MAY CAUSE UNDESIRED OPERATION.
THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN TESTED AND FOUND TO COMPLY WITH THE LIMITS
FOR A CLASS "A" DIGITAL DEVICE, PURSUANT TO PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES.
THESE LIMITS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE REASONABLE PROTECTION AGAINST
HARMFUL INTERFERENCE WHEN THE EQUIPMENT IS OPERATED IN A
COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS EQUIPMENT GENERATES, USES, AND CAN
RADIATE RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY AND, IF NOT INSTALLED AND USED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL, MAY CAUSE HARMFUL
INTERFERENCE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS.
OPERATION OF THIS EQUIPMENT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA IS LIKELY TO CAUSE
HARMFUL INTERFERENCE IN WHICH CASE THE USER WILL BE REQUIRED TO
CORRECT THE INTERFERENCE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE.
Notice
This guide is designed for experienced users to setup the system within the shortest time.
For detailed information, please always refer to the electronic user's manual.
Copyright Notice
Copyright 2017 Avalue Technology Inc., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this document may be reproduced, copied, translated, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the prior written
permission of the original manufacturer.
Trademark Acknowledgement
Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
owners.
Disclaimer
Avalue Technology Inc. reserves the right to make changes, without notice, to any product,
including circuits and/or software described or contained in this manual in order to improve
design and/or performance. Avalue Technology assumes no responsibility or liability for the
use of the described product(s), conveys no license or title under any patent, copyright, or
masks work rights to these products, and makes no representations or warranties that

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3
these products are free from patent, copyright, or mask work right infringement, unless
otherwise specified. Applications that are described in this manual are for illustration
purposes only. Avalue Technology Inc. makes no representation or warranty that such
application will be suitable for the specified use without further testing or modification.
Life Support Policy
Avalue Technology’s PRODUCTS ARE NOT FOR USE AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN
LIFE SUPPORT DEVICES OR SYSTEMS WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL
OF Avalue Technology Inc.
As used herein:
1. Life support devices or systems are devices or systems which, (a) are intended for
surgical implant into body, or (b) support or sustain life and whose failure to perform,
when properly used in accordance with instructions for use provided in the labeling, can
be reasonably expected to result in significant injury to the user.
2. A critical component is any component of a life support device or system whose
failure to perform can be reasonably expected to cause the failure of the life
support device or system, or to affect its safety or effectiveness.
A Message to the Customer
Avalue Customer Services
Each and every Avalue’s product is built to the most exacting specifications to ensure
reliable performance in the harsh and demanding conditions typical of industrial
environments. Whether your new Avalue device is destined for the laboratory or the factory
floor, you can be assured that your product will provide the reliability and ease of operation
for which the name Avalue has come to be known.
Your satisfaction is our primary concern. Here is a guide to Avalue’s customer services. To
ensure you get the full benefit of our services, please follow the instructions below carefully.
Technical Support
We want you to get the maximum performance from your products. So if you run into
technical difficulties, we are here to help. For the most frequently asked questions, you can
easily find answers in your product documentation. These answers are normally a lot more
detailed than the ones we can give over the phone. So please consult the user’s manual
first.
To receive the latest version of the user’s manual; please visit our Web site at:
http://www.avalue.com.tw/

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Product Warranty
Avalue warrants to you, the original purchaser, that each of its products will be free from
defects in materials and workmanship for two years from the date of purchase.
This warranty does not apply to any products which have been repaired or altered by
persons other than repair personnel authorized by Avalue, or which have been subject to
misuse, abuse, accident or improper installation. Avalue assumes no liability under the
terms of this warranty as a consequence of such events. Because of Avalue’s high
quality-control standards and rigorous testing, most of our customers never need to use our
repair service. If any of Avalue’s products is defective, it will be repaired or replaced at no
charge during the warranty period. For out-of-warranty repairs, you will be billed according
to the cost of replacement materials, service time, and freight. Please consult your dealer
for more details. If you think you have a defective product, follow these steps:
1. Collect all the information about the problem encountered. (For example,
CPU type and speed, Avalue’s products model name, hardware & BIOS
revision number, other hardware and software used, etc.) Note anything
abnormal and list any on-screen messages you get when the problem occurs.
2. Call your dealer and describe the problem. Please have your manual, product,
and any helpful information available.
3. If your product is diagnosed as defective, obtain an RMA (return material
authorization) number from your dealer. This allows us to process your good
return more quickly.
4. Carefully pack the defective product, a complete Repair and Replacement
Order Card and a photocopy proof of purchase date (such as your sales
receipt) in a shippable container. A product returned without proof of the
purchase date is not eligible for warranty service.
5. Write the RMA number visibly on the outside of the package and ship it
prepaid to your dealer.

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Content
1. Getting Started............................................................................................................8
1.1 Safety Precautions....................................................................................................8
1.2 Packing List...............................................................................................................8
1.3 Document Amendment History .................................................................................9
1.4 Manual Objectives...................................................................................................10
1.5 System Specifications.............................................................................................11
1.6 Architecture Overview—Block Diagram..................................................................13
2. Hardware Configuration...........................................................................................14
2.1 Product Overview....................................................................................................15
2.2 Jumper and Connector List.....................................................................................16
2.3 Setting Jumpers & Connectors ...............................................................................18
2.3.1 AT/ATX Input power select (JAT1)................................................................................................. 18
2.3.2 Clear CMOS (JBAT1)..................................................................................................................... 18
2.3.3 Serial port 1/2 pin9 signal select (JRI1/2) ...................................................................................... 19
2.3.4 Serial port 1/2 –RS232/422/485 mode select (JCOM_SEL1/2).................................................... 19
2.3.5 CPU fan connector (CPU_FAN1)................................................................................................... 20
2.3.6 Serial port 2 connector (JCOM2) ................................................................................................... 20
2.3.7 General purpose I/O connector (JDIO1) ........................................................................................ 21
2.3.8 SATA Power header (SATA_PWR1)............................................................................................. 21
2.3.9 Power connector (PWR1)............................................................................................................... 22
2.3.10 Low pin count interface (JLPC1)................................................................................................ 22
2.3.11 USB connector 1 (JUSB1)......................................................................................................... 23
2.3.12 USB connector 2 (JUSB2)......................................................................................................... 23
2.3.13 EC Debug connector (JEC_ROM1)........................................................................................... 24
2.3.14 Miscellaneous setting connector (JFP1).................................................................................... 24
2.3.15 BIOS SPI header (BIOS_SPI1).................................................................................................. 25
2.3.16 PC Buzzer connector (JBZ1)..................................................................................................... 25
2.3.17 Battery connector (BT1)............................................................................................................. 26
2.3.18 Audio connector (JAUDIO1) ...................................................................................................... 26
2.3.18.1 Signal Description –Audio connector (JAUDIO1)................................................................. 26
2.3.19 VGA connector (JVGA1)............................................................................................................ 27
3.BIOS Setup....................................................................................................................28
3.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................29
3.2 Starting Setup .........................................................................................................29
3.3 Using Setup ............................................................................................................30
3.4 Getting Help............................................................................................................31

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3.5 In Case of Problems................................................................................................31
3.6 BIOS setup..............................................................................................................32
3.6.1 Main Menu...................................................................................................................................... 32
3.6.1.1 System Language.................................................................................................................. 33
3.6.1.2 System Date.......................................................................................................................... 33
3.6.1.3 System Time.......................................................................................................................... 33
3.6.2 Advanced Menu ............................................................................................................................. 33
3.6.2.1 Trusted Computing................................................................................................................ 34
3.6.2.2 APCI Settings ........................................................................................................................ 34
3.6.2.3 IT8528 Super IO Configuration.............................................................................................. 35
3.6.2.3.1 Serial Port 1 Configuration .................................................................................................... 36
3.6.2.3.2 Serial Port 2 Configuration .................................................................................................... 37
3.6.2.4 H/W Monitor........................................................................................................................... 37
3.6.2.5 S5 RTC Wake Settings.......................................................................................................... 38
3.6.2.6 Serial Port Console Redirection ............................................................................................ 38
3.6.2.6.1 Legacy Console Redirection Settings ................................................................................... 39
3.6.2.7 CPU Configuration................................................................................................................. 39
3.6.2.7.1 Socket 0 CPU Information..................................................................................................... 40
3.6.2.7.2 CPU Power Management Configuration ............................................................................... 41
3.6.2.8 Network Stack Configuration................................................................................................. 41
3.6.2.9 CSM Configuration ................................................................................................................ 42
3.6.2.10 NVMe Configuration .............................................................................................................. 42
3.6.2.11 USB Configuration................................................................................................................. 43
3.6.2.12 Security Configuration ........................................................................................................... 44
3.6.3 Chipset.......................................................................................................................................... 44
3.6.3.1 North Bridge........................................................................................................................... 45
3.6.3.2 South Bridge.......................................................................................................................... 46
3.6.3.3 Uncore Configuration............................................................................................................. 47
3.6.3.4 South Cluster Configuration .................................................................................................. 48
3.6.3.4.1 HD-Audio Configuration ........................................................................................................ 48
3.6.3.4.2 PCI Express Configuration.................................................................................................... 49
3.6.3.4.2.1 PCI Express Root Port 3(i210/211) ...................................................................................... 49
3.6.3.4.2.2 PCI Express Root Port 4(i210/211) ...................................................................................... 50
3.6.3.4.2.3 PCI Express Root Port 5(mPCIe)......................................................................................... 51
3.6.3.4.2.4 PCI Express Root Port 6(mPCIe half) .................................................................................. 52
3.6.3.4.3 SATA Drivers......................................................................................................................... 53
3.6.3.4.4 USB Configuration................................................................................................................. 54
3.6.4 Security......................................................................................................................................... 55
3.6.4.1 Secure Boot........................................................................................................................... 56
3.6.5 Boot .............................................................................................................................................. 57

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3.6.6 Save and exit................................................................................................................................ 58
3.6.6.1 Save Changes and Reset...................................................................................................... 58
3.6.6.2 Discard Changes and Reset.................................................................................................. 58
3.6.6.3 Restore Defaults.................................................................................................................... 58
3.6.6.4 Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device .............................................................................. 58
4. Drivers Installation.......................................................................................................59
4.1 Install Chipset Driver...............................................................................................60
4.2 Install TXE Driver....................................................................................................61
4.3 Install VGA Driver....................................................................................................62
4.4 Install Audio Driver (For Realtek ALC892)..............................................................63
4.5 Install Ethernet Driver..............................................................................................64
4.6 Install Serial IO Driver .............................................................................................66
5. Mechanical Drawing ....................................................................................................67

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1. Getting Started
1.1 Safety Precautions
Warning!
Always completely disconnect the power cord from your
chassis whenever you work with the hardware. Do not
make connections while the power is on. Sensitive
electronic components can be damaged by sudden power
surges. Only experienced electronics personnel should
open the PC chassis.
Caution!
Always ground yourself to remove any static charge before
touching the CPU card. Modern electronic devices are very
sensitive to static electric charges. As a safety precaution,
use a grounding wrist strap at all times. Place all electronic
components in a static-dissipative surface or static-shielded
bag when they are not in the chassis.
1.2 Packing List
Before you begin installing your single board, please make sure that the
following materials have been shipped:
1 x 3.5” ECM-APL2 Micro Module
1 x DVD-ROM contains the followings:
—User’s Manual (this manual in PDF file)
—Ethernet driver and utilities
—VGA drivers and utilities
—Audio drivers and utilities
1 x Cable set contains the followings:
—1 x Serial ATA cable (7-pin, standard)
—1 x Wire SATA power cable (15-pin, 2P/2.0mm)
—1 x Flat Cable 9P(M)-PHD (10P/2.0mm)
3M foam (VHB-4622 10mm*20mm*1.1mm)

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1.3 Document Amendment History
Revision
Date
By
Comment
1st
August 2017
Avalue
Initial Release

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1.4 Manual Objectives
This manual describes in details Avalue Technology ECM-APL2 Single Board.
We have tried to include as much information as possible but we have not duplicated
information that is provided in the standard IBM Technical References, unless it proved to
be necessary to aid in the understanding of this board.
We strongly recommend that you study this manual carefully before attempting to set up
ECM-APL2 or change the standard configurations. Whilst all the necessary information is
available in this manual we would recommend that unless you are confident, you contact
your supplier for guidance.
Please be aware that it is possible to create configurations within the CMOS RAM that
make booting impossible. If this should happen, clear the CMOS settings, (see the
description of the Jumper Settings for details).
If you have any suggestions or find any errors regarding this manual and want to inform us
of these, please contact our Customer Service department with the relevant details.

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1.5 System Specifications
System
CPU
Onboard Intel® Pentium® /Celeron® /Atom™SoC BGA Processor (Apollo Lake
Platform)- (with CPU Bottom Mounted)
BIOS
AMI BIOS, 128 Mbit SPI Flash ROM
System Chipset
Apollo SoC integrated
I/O Chip
EC(IT8528VG)
System Memory
One 204-pin DDR3L SODIMM Socket, Supports Up to 8GB DDR3L 1600MTs
SDRAM (Non-ECC)
SSD
mSATA supported from MiniPCIe
Watchdog Timer
H/W Reset, 1sec. ~ 65535sec and 1sec. or 1min./step
H/W Status
Monitor
CPU & system temperature monitoring
Voltages monitoring
Expansion
2 x mini-PCIe
1 x Full-Size Mini PCI Express Mini Card with mSATA
supported
1 x Half-Size Mini PCI Express Mini Card
I/O
MIO
1 x SATA III
1 x DB-9 male connector for COM1 supports RS232/422/485 (selectable by
BIOS, w/ Auto Flow)
USB
4 x USB3.0 (Edge connectors), 2 x USB 2.0 (pin wafer)
GPIO
8-bit
Others
LPC, SPI
Display
Chipset
Intel® Apollo Lake SoC Processor integrated Gen9 LP graphics
Resolution
Dual HDMI: 3840x2160@30Hz
VGA: 1920x1200@60Hz --by pin header
Multiple Display
Dual HDMI+VGA
HDMI
HDMI 1.4b
Audio
AC97 Codec
Realtek ALC892
Audio Amp
Mic-In, Line-In and Line-Out
Ethernet
LAN Chip
2 x Intel I211AT
Ethernet Interface
10/100/1000 Base-Tx compatible
Internal I/O
Connectors

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Fan
CPU_FAN1 4pin 2.5mm wafer header
Buzzer
With Pin header
CMOS Battery
CR2032
Power On
AX/ATX selectable by jumper
COM
1 x RS232/422/485 (selectable by BIOS, w/ Auto Flow)
Rear I/O
Connectors
USB
4 x USB3.0
LAN
2 x RJ-45
HDMI
2 x HDMI
LED
Stack LED indicator for power/HDD
Mechanical &
Environmental
Power
Requirement
+11.4V (Min.)~ +26V (Max.)
ACPI
Single power ATX Support S0, S3, S4, S5
ACPI 5.0 Compliant
Power Type
AT / ATX
Operating Temp.
0°C ~ 60°C (32°F ~ 140°F)
-40°C ~ 85°C (-40°F ~ 185°F) for I-series CPU
Storage Temp.
-40°C ~ 75°C (-40°F ~ 167°F)
Operating
Humidity
0% ~ 90% relative humidity, non-condensing
Size (L x W)
5.7" x 4" (146mm x 101mm)
Weight
0.44lbs (0.2kg)
OS
CE/FCC Class B
OS information: Win10 (64)/Linux/Android
Note: Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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1.6 Architecture Overview—Block Diagram
The following block diagram shows the architecture and main components of ECM-APL2.

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2. Hardware
Configuration

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2.1 Product Overview

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2.2 Jumper and Connector List
You can configure your board to match the needs of your application by setting jumpers. A
jumper is the simplest kind of electric switch.
It consists of two metal pins and a small metal clip (often protected by a plastic cover) that
slides over the pins to connect them. To “close” a jumper you connect the pins with the clip.
To “open” a jumper you remove the clip. Sometimes a jumper will have three pins, labeled 1,
2, and 3. In this case, you would connect either two pins.
The jumper settings are schematically depicted in this manual as follows:
A pair of needle-nose pliers may be helpful when working with jumpers.
Connectors on the board are linked to external devices such as hard disk drives, a
keyboard, or floppy drives. In addition, the board has a number of jumpers that allow you to
configure your system to suit your application.
If you have any doubts about the best hardware configuration for your application, contact
your local distributor or sales representative before you make any changes.
The following tables list the function of each of the board’s jumpers and connectors.
Jumpers
Label
Function
Note
JBAT1
Clear CMOS
3 x 1 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JRI1/2
Serial port 1/2 pin9 signal select
3 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JCOM_SEL1/2
Serial port 1/2 –RS232/422/485 mode
select
4 x 3 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JAT1
AT/ATX Input power select
3 x 1 header, pitch 2.00 mm
Connectors
Label
Function
Note
BT1
Battery connector
2 x 1 wafer, pitch 1.25 mm
CPU_FAN1
CPU fan connector
4 x 1 wafer, pitch 2.54 mm
JAUDIO1
Audio connector
6 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm

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COM1
Serial port 1 connector
D-sub 9-pin, male
Note：COM1 support
RS422/485 by BIOS setting
JCOM2
Serial port 2 connector
5 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JDIO1
General purpose I/O connector
6 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JFP1
Miscellaneous setting connector
5 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
JLPC1
Low pin count interface
5 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
USB12/34
4 x USB3.0 connector
JUSB1
USB connector 1
5 x 1 wafer, pitch 2.00 mm
JUSB2
USB connector 2
5 x 1 wafer, pitch 2.00 mm
JEC_ROM1
EC Debug connector
3 x 1 header, pitch 2.00 mm
ULAN1/2
RJ-45 Ethernet connector 1/2
LED1
HDD/Power LED indicator
PWR1
Power connector
2 x 2 wafer, pitch 4.20 mm
JBZ1
PC Buzzer connector
2 x 1 wafer, pitch 2.00 mm
SATA_PWR1
SATA Power header
2 x 1 wafer, pitch 2.00 mm
SATA1
Serial ATA connector 1
HDMI1
HDMI connector
BIOS_SPI1
BIOS SPI header
4 x 2 header, pitch 2.00 mm
MINI_PCIE1/2
Mini-PCI connector 1/2
SO_DIMM1
DDR3 SODIMM connector
JVGA1
VGA connector
8 x 2 wafer, pitch 2.00 mm

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2.3 Setting Jumpers & Connectors
2.3.1 AT/ATX Input power select (JAT1)
* Default
AT*
ATX
2.3.2 Clear CMOS (JBAT1)
* Default
Protect*
Clear CMOS

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2.3.3 Serial port 1/2 pin9 signal select (JRI1/2)
* Default
Ring*
+5V
+12V
2.3.4 Serial port 1/2 –RS232/422/485 mode select (JCOM_SEL1/2)
* Default
RS-232*
RS422/485
JRI1
JRI2
JCOM_SEL1
JCOM_SEL2

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2.3.5 CPU fan connector (CPU_FAN1)
Signal
PIN
GND
1
+12V
2
EC_TACH0
3
FAN_PWM0
4
2.3.6 Serial port 2 connector (JCOM2)
Signal
PIN
PIN
Signal
NC
10
9
COM_RI#_2_2
COM_CTS#_2
8
7
COM_RTS#_2
COM_DSR#_2
6
5
GND
COM2-4
4
3
COM2-3
COM2-2
2
1
COM2-1