BlueChip Vario L3 User manual

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Vario L3
Small Form-Factor PC
User Guide
Document Reference: Product User Guide
Document Issue: 1.1

Vario L3 Table Of Contents
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Contents
Copyright............................................................................................................................................................3
Limitations of Liability.......................................................................................................................................3
Trademarks.........................................................................................................................................................3
Regulatory Statements........................................................................................................................................4
Safety Warning for North America ....................................................................................................................4
Manual Organisation ..........................................................................................................................................5
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................6
Specification.......................................................................................................................................................7
General Precautions............................................................................................................................................9
Electro-Static Discharges....................................................................................................................................9
On-Board Battery ...............................................................................................................................................9
BIOS & CMOS Memory..................................................................................................................................10
Electromagnetic Compatibility.........................................................................................................................10
Quick Start........................................................................................................................................................11
External Connections........................................................................................................................................12
Internal Connections.........................................................................................................................................13
Jumpers.............................................................................................................................................................15
CMOS Clear.................................................................................................................................................15
Front Panel Connector......................................................................................................................................15
Upgrading Hardware ............................................................................................................................................16
Warning...........................................................................................................................................................16
Upgrade Options............................................................................................................................................16
Outline Drawing ...............................................................................................................................................17
Adding / Removing Mounting Brackets...........................................................................................................18
Removing / Fitting the Cover Lid.....................................................................................................................18
Replacing / Fitting the Disk on Module............................................................................................................19
Replacing the HDD ..........................................................................................................................................20
Replacing the On/Off Switch Assembly...........................................................................................................20
PCI Expansion..................................................................................................................................................21
Optional Wi-Fi..................................................................................................................................................24
Installing Operating Systems................................................................................................................................25
BIOS Setup...........................................................................................................................................................26
Main Menu ...................................................................................................................................................26
CMOS Features ............................................................................................................................................28
Advanced BIOS Features .............................................................................................................................28
Advanced Chipset Features ..........................................................................................................................29
Integrated Peripherals...................................................................................................................................30
Power Management Setup............................................................................................................................31
Miscellaneous Control Configurations .........................................................................................................32
PC Health Status...........................................................................................................................................32
Thermal Throttling .......................................................................................................................................33
Maintenance......................................................................................................................................................34
Replacing the Battery ...................................................................................................................................34
Fuses.............................................................................................................................................................34
Amendment History .........................................................................................................................................35

Vario L3 Introduction
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Copyright
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without
the prior permission, in writing, from the publisher. For permission in the UK please contact Blue Chip
Technology.
Information offered in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing. Blue Chip Technology
accepts no responsibility for any inaccuracies. The information contained herein is subject to change without
notice. There are no express or implied licences granted herein to any intellectual property rights of Blue Chip
Technology Ltd.
Limitations of Liability
In no event shall Blue Chip Technology be held liable for any loss, expenses or damages of any kind
whatsoever, whether direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, arising from the design or use of this product
or the support materials supplied with this product. If this product proves to be defective, Blue Chip
Technology is only obliged to replace or refund the purchase price at Blue Chip Technology's discretion
according to their Terms and Conditions of Sale.
Trademarks
All trademarks and registered names acknowledged.
IBM, PC, AT and PS/2 are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).
Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
All Intel processors are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
MSDOS and WINDOWS are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation.

Vario L3 Introduction
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Regulatory Statements
CE
This product meets the essential protection requirements of the European EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and its
amending Directives, and the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC, and is eligible to bear the CE mark.
Warning
This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this product may cause radio
interference in which case the user may be required to take adequate measures.
FCC
NOTE:
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.
WARNING:
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate
the equipment.
Safety Warning for North America
If the power lead (cord) is not supplied with the computer, select a power lead according to your local electrical
regulations. In the USA use a 'UL listed' lead. In Canada use a CSA approved or 'cUL listed' lead.
Si le cordon secteur n'est pas livré avec l'ordinateur, utiliser un cordon secteur en accord avec votre code
electrique nationale. En l'Etat Unis utiliser un cordon secteur 'UL listed'. En Canada utiliser un cordon secteur
certifié CSA, ou 'cUL listed'.

Vario L3 User Guide Organisation
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Manual Organisation
This manual describes in detail the Vario L3 Small Form-Factor PC.
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 the product.
The manual is sectioned as follows:
Introduction;
Overview, listing the unit's features and specification;
Installation, including what software to install
Layout, showing where the various connectors are located, and their pin-out details;
How to upgrade the system;
Bios Setup
Maintenance details
We strongly recommend that you study this manual carefully before attempting to interface with the Vario L3 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. IT IS PARTICULARLY
IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THE SECTION 'PRECAUTIONS' BEFORE HANDLING ANY
COMPONENTS INSIDE THE UNIT.
If you have any suggestions or find any errors concerning this manual and want to inform us of these, please
contact our Technical Services department with the relevant details.

Vario L3 Product Summary
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Introduction
The VARIO L3 is a powerful slim-line AMD AM2/AM3 based Personal Computer (PC) specifically designed
to drive large plasma and other large displays panels. The unit is self-contained requiring as a minimum, only a
power connection and a display. The applications are not limited to display applications: it may be used as a
general purpose PC.
The basic unit comprises a highly integrated computer board employing either
1. AMD 780G North bridge and SB700 south bridge chipsets
2. AMD 785G North bridge and SB750 south bridge chipset
With the 780G variant there is support for memory options up to 2GB of ultra fast 800/667 MHz unbuffered
ECC/ non-ECC DDR2 SODIMM SDRAM. With the 785G variant, this increases to 4GB. Storage is provided
by either a Serial ATA II 3Gb/s hard disk drive or solid state storage. Solid state options include either Disk on
Module or 2.5” HDD.
The integrated HD 3200 graphics (with 780G) supports Microsoft®DirectX 10.0, dual VGA out (RGB and
DVI/HDMI). Meanwhile the 785G offers the HD 4200 graphics which supports Microsoft®DirectX 10.1 with
the same output options. Both also provide HD Audio support via the HDMI connector. Alternatively, a Realtek
ALC662-6 HD device provides HD Audio via standard Audio ports. Gigabit Ethernet is provided by the RTL
8111C device
The unit is housed in a strong sheet-steel enclosure providing both mechanical and EMC protection. The unit
may be mounted on the plasma display, or separately to suit the particular installation. Mounting kits are
available for specific plasma displays, wall or desktop.
Most connectors are on the front face of the chassis. There are connectors for a standard analogue VGA display,
a standard Digital Display (Via HDMI or DVI connector), one serial port, four USB (2.0) ports [6 ports with the
785G], Ethernet (10/100/1Gb) LAN ports [dual ports with 780G, single port with 785G], two eSATA ports and
Line-In, Line-Out, MIC-In audio connectors.
The DC power inlet connector is also on the front of the chassis, supporting a standard ID 2.5mm and OD
5.5mm short terminations plug.
External indicators and controls on the front face of the chassis are limited to a hard drive activity LED, a power
on LED and a power/standby push-button switch. The LAN connectors also include LEDs indicating a
connection and data rate.

Vario L3 Specification
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Specification
CPU:
AMD Socket AM2+ / AM3
Chipset:
AMD 780G and SB700 or
AMD 785G and SB750
Graphics Controller:
Integrated HD 3200 (with 780G) or HD4200 (with 785G)
RGB, DVI / HDMI
Maximum resolution of 2048x1536 for VGA output
Picture rotation 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees
BIOS:
8Mb Flash EEPROM with LAN Boot, PnP, ACPI, DMI
Memory:
Dual Channel memory Architecture
1 x 200-pin SODIMM socket supporting up to 2GB of unbuffered
non-ECC 800/667 MHz DDR2 memory modules
LAN
RTL 8111C, supporting 10/100/1Gb rates
Dual Port with 780G, Single Port with 785G
Audio:
Realtek ALC662 plus integrated ATI
Expansion:
Single PCI Expansion supporting low power/Short PCI cards
Primary Storage:
One 3½” SATA II hard disk drive
Optional Storage:
One 2½” SATA Solid State HDD or One Disk On Module
External I/O:
Standard VGA connector
Digital HDMI connector
Digital DVI-D connector
2 x eSATA connectors
9-way Serial connector (16550 compatible)
2 x RJ-45 10/100/1Gb Base-T Ethernet LAN connector (780G)
Or 1 x RJ-45 10/100/1GB Base-T Ethernet LAN (785G)
Line Out, MIC-in, Line-In/SPDIF
4 x USB 2.0 connectors (with 780G)
Or 6 x USB 2.0 connectors (with 785G)
Indicators:
Power On LED, Hard Drive Activity LED
Control:
Power Standby push button switch
System Management:
CPU & System temperature monitoring
Voltage monitoring of CPU Core, DRAM, NB

Vario L3 Specification
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Power:
12V DC Internal Power
External power via OD5.5mm, ID2.5mm short Jack Socket *
Typical Power Consumption: 60W based on 160Gb HDD, 2Gb RAM,
AMD 5050e X2 CPU with XP professional running High CPU
loading
*Note: the plug should be no longer than 10mm long to avoid damaging the socket housing
Environmental Conditions:
Operating temperature range +0°C 1to +40°C in free air
Storage temperature range -20°C to +70°C
Relative humidity 10-85% non-condensing
Shock and vibration compatible with light industrial usage
1Due to mechanical parts, if a hard drive is fitted, the unit must not be powered on when the ambient
temperature is less than 5°C
Construction:
Painted zinc-plated sheet steel, welded and riveted construction
Dimensions:
300 x 200 x 57 mm, excluding the mounting brackets
Air vents must not be obstructed. A minimum gap of 25mm
between faces containing vents and any adjacent items is
recommended.

Vario L3 Precautions
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General Precautions
Your Single Board Computer is susceptible to damage by electrostatic discharges. In order to avoid damage,
you should work at an anti-static bench and observe normal anti-static precautions. Wear an anti-static wrist
strap connected to an earth point before opening any packaging.
Where a wrist strap is not available, discharge any static charge you may have built-up by touching an earth
point. Avoid any further movement that could build up another static charge. Touch an earth point from time to
time to avoid further build-up, and remove the items from their anti-static bags only when required
Electro-Static Discharges
If you are going to open up the unit, it is important to realise that the devices on the cards within this unit can be
damaged by static electricity. Bear in mind that the damage caused by static electricity may vary from total
destruction to partial damage, which may not be immediately obvious. This could have an effect on the
product's reliability and warranty. Before opening the chassis, ensure that you take necessary static precautions.
Ideally you should work at an anti-static bench and wear an approved wrist strap or if that is not possible, touch
a suitable ground to discharge any static build up before touching the electronics. This should be repeated if the
handling continues for any length of time.
If it is necessary to remove a board or electronic assembly, place it into an anti-static bag. This will prevent any
static electricity build up damaging the board. Metallised bags are preferred. Do not use black anti-static bags
for any item containing a battery because these tend to be conductive and will discharge the battery.
On-Board Battery
The processor board is fitted with a Lithium battery. Great care should be taken with this type of battery. If the
battery is mistreated in any way there is a very real possibility of fire, explosion, and personal harm. Under NO
circumstances should it be short-circuited, exposed to temperatures in excess of 100 °C or burnt, immersed in
water, recharged or disassembled.
Expired batteries remain hazardous and must be disposed of in a safe manner, according to local regulations.
Le panneau de processeur est équipé d‟une batterie de lithium. Le grand soin devrait être pris avec ce type de
batterie. Si la batterie est mistreated il y a de dans de toute façon un possibility très vrai du feu, d‟expolosion et
de mal personnel. Dans au cunes circonstances il est sous peu circuité, exposé aux températures au dessus de
100 degrés de centrigrade ou brûlé, immergé dans l‟eau, rechargée ou dissassambled.
Les batteries expirées restent dazaedous et doivent être reejetées d‟une façon sûre, selon des règlements locaux.

Vario L3 Precautions
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BIOS & CMOS Memory
Please be aware that with personal computer products, it is possible to create configurations within the CMOS
memory that make booting impossible. If this should happen, clear the CMOS settings; (see the description of
the Jumper Settings for details).
Electromagnetic Compatibility
This product meets the requirements of the European EMC Directive (89/336/EEC) and is eligible to bear the
CE mark.
It has been assessed operating in a Blue Chip Technology Industrial PC. However, because the board can be
installed in a variety of computers, certain conditions have to be applied to ensure that the compatibility is
maintained. Subject to those conditions, it meets the requirements for an industrial environment (Class A
product).
Connector bodies must be securely connected to the enclosure.
The external cabling to boards causes most EMC problems. It is imperative that any external cabling to
the board is totally screened, and that the screen of the cable connects to the metal end bracket of the
board or the enclosure and hence to earth. It is recommended that round, screened cables with a braided
wire screen are used in preference to those with a foil screen and drain wire. Use metal connector shells
that connect around the full circumference of the cable screen: they are far superior to those that earth
the screen by a simple “pig-tail”.
The keyboard and mouse will play an important part in the compatibility of the processor card since
they are ports into the board. Similarly, they will affect the compatibility of the complete system. Fully
compatible peripherals must be used otherwise the complete system could be degraded. They may
radiate or behave as if keys/buttons are pressed when subject to interference. Under these
circumstances it may be beneficial to add a ferrite clamp on the leads as close as possible to the
connector. A suitable type is the Chomerics type H8FE-1004-AS.
USB cables should be high quality screened types.
Ensure that the screens of any external cables are bonded to a good RF earth at the remote end of the
cable.
Failure to observe these recommendations may invalidate the EMC compliance.

Vario L3 Quick Start
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Quick Start
The following sections explain how to install your Vario L3 Computer.
First ensure that you are familiar with the contents of the section "Precautions". It contains important
information to avoid damage to the board.
The unit may be used free-standing, but it is recommended that it be securely mounted to avoid accidental
damage. The actual mounting details will vary depending upon the application.
There are four M3 tapped holes on each end of the chassis for mounting brackets, etc. Do not use screws longer
than those supplied to mount the unit, otherwise internal damage may result. If alternative screws are used,
please ensure that they do not enter the chassis by more than 5mm, otherwise internal damage may result.
If you did not purchase mounting brackets but find that you actually need them, then contact
[email protected] with details of the particular mounting arrangement you require
to see if something suitable already exists.
If the unit is to be used free-standing fit the adhesive synthetic rubber feet to the base. These will prevent the
unit slipping on a smooth surface.
Connect the display to the VGA, DVI or HDMI connector, and connect any other signals, e.g. LAN. Connect
the power lead to a suitable AC power source. It is recommended that the supply be fused at 5A. [Please note
that the Vario L3 does not support Dual Digital operation]
Press the 'Power On' button and check that the unit boots up.
If your system was not supplied with an operating system pre-installed, load an operating system and drivers.
The section "Software Configuration" contains details for the common operating systems.
Set up the required video display parameters.
The system is now ready to have the applications software loaded.

Vario L3 Installation
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External Connections
Figure 1a: External Connections 780G
Figure 1b: External Connections 785G
Use the above two pictures to identify which particular configuration you have

Vario L3 Installation
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Internal Connections
Figure 2A: Internal Connectors 780G

Vario L3 Installation
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Figure 2B: Internal Connectors 785G

Vario L3 Installation
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Jumpers
The processor board used in the VARIO L3 PC is largely free of selection jumpers. Most settings are controlled
from the BIOS, and stored in the CMOS memory. Only the following jumpers are significant.
CMOS Clear
To clear the CMOS memory, first switch off the PC power, then locate the 3-pin header labelled ‘CLRTC’
(780G) or „JBAT‟ (785G) on the processor board which is beside the SYSFAN and Front Panel connectors.
Remove the link shorting pins 1 and 2, and place it on pins 2 and 3 for about 5 - 10 seconds. Remove the link
and replace it in its original position. The CMOS has now been cleared and the BIOS will be reset to the default
settings.
Having no link fitted is an invalid option.
780G Motherboard 785G Motherboard
Figure 3: CMOS Jumper Default
Front Panel Connector
The front panel connectors are shown in Figure 2A and 2B above. They are wired the same, as follows
Figure 4: Front Panel Connector

Vario L3 Installation
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Upgrading Hardware
Warning
Before attempting any upgrade to the VARIO L3 computer, please read the section "Precautions".
For your personal safety it is important that you ensure that the unit is switched off, and the DC supply is
disconnected.
For the safety of the equipment, it is important that you observe electrostatic discharge precautions. Do not
remove items from anti-static bags until necessary.
When making any internal changes to the computer, it is imperative that the internal cables follow the original
routes and additional cables are installed as described. Failure to observe this requirement could restrict the
airflow through the unit and cause overheating problems.
Upgrade Options
Due to the small footprint of the unit, there are minimal options to upgradeable. Changing the AMD CPU may
require a BIOS upgrade for the new processor to be recognised. The motherboard contains two memory sockets;
however one is on the underside of the motherboard and requires a complete strip down for access.
Before attempting any upgrades, the user should check with Blue Chip Technical support to find out if your
proposed upgrade is supported and if it will have any effect on the units‟ warranty
If a SATA Hard Drive is fitted, then possible upgrade is to fit a Disk on Module. Similarly, if a Disk on Module
is fitted then a SATA HDD could be fitted.
Caution: Unauthorised upgrades may invalidate the warranty if they are not compatible or are not
carried out correctly and with care.

Vario L3 Installation
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Outline Drawing
Figure 5: outline dimensions

Vario L3 Installation
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Adding / Removing Mounting Brackets
Figure 6: Universal mounting option
If ordered, one or two Universal Mounting bracket(s) can be supplied. The bracket will be attached as shown in
Picture 2 above, and to use, remove the screws, turn the bracket 180˚, then re-insert the screws. The bracket can
be fitted to either end of the unit as required.
Removing / Fitting the Cover Lid
The cover lid is held in place by six screws in the top (1), sides (2), front (3) and rear (4)
Figure 7:

Vario L3 Installation
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Figure 8: Cover lifts off and on
With Screws removed, the cover lid can be lifted vertically to remove. Fitting is the reverse process
Replacing / Fitting the Disk on Module
On the 780G motherboard, the Disk On Module is fitted directly to the IDE connector shown below
Figure 9: IDE Connector
On the 785G motherboard, there is no IDE connector so a SATA Disk On Module is used

Vario L3 Installation
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Replacing the HDD
The HDD is fitted directly to the base of the chassis by means of 4 screws shown below
Figure 10: HDD mounting screws
If a 2.5” Solid State device is fitted instead, then this will be mounted in a caddy/plate which will also attach
directly to the base using these screws.
Replacing the On/Off Switch Assembly
The Power Switch is shown below
Figure 11: Switch Assembly
The switch is part of a utility cable loom which also contains two LEDs which plug into a bracket at the front of
the chassis. The bracket is attached to the front of the chassis by means of two screws which can only be
accessed when the front overlay is removed.
The Utility cable loom is plugged into the motherboard at the connector shown in Figure 4