Diamond Systems Venus VNS766-4GD User manual

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 1
Venus Single Board Computer
3.5” Form Factor SBC
with Intel “Skylake” Core i7 6th Generation Processor
Copyright 2017
FOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT Diamond Systems Corporation
PLEASE CONTACT: 158 Commercial Street
Sunnyvale, CA 94086 USA
[e-mail] Tel [phone]
Fax [phone]
www.diamondsystems.com
Revision
Date
Comment
1.00
03/13/2017
Initial Release
1.1a
06/20/2017
Power Supply and Thermal Solutions
section updated.
1.1b
08/24/2017
Updated JP2 jumper section
1.1c
08/31/2017
Updated Digital IO spec and connector
mating parts
1.1d
09/11/2017
Updated default jumper settings and Video
features
1.1e
10/06/2017
RTC battery details are added

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 2
CONTENTS
1Important Safe Handling Information .............................................................................................................4
2Introduction.......................................................................................................................................................6
2.1 Standard Configurations................................................................................................................................6
2.2 Features.........................................................................................................................................................6
2.3 Operating System Support ............................................................................................................................7
2.4 Mechanical, Electrical, Environmental...........................................................................................................7
3Functional Block Diagram ...............................................................................................................................8
3.1 Feature Descriptions .....................................................................................................................................9
3.1.1 Processor and Chipset..........................................................................................................................9
3.1.2 Memory.................................................................................................................................................9
3.1.3 Ethernet.................................................................................................................................................9
3.1.4 SATA.....................................................................................................................................................9
3.1.5 USB.......................................................................................................................................................9
3.1.6 Video.................................................................................................................................................. 10
3.1.7 Audio.................................................................................................................................................. 10
3.1.8 Serial Ports ........................................................................................................................................ 10
3.1.9 Digital IO ............................................................................................................................................ 10
3.1.10 Backup Battery................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1.11 TPM.................................................................................................................................................... 10
3.1.12 PCIe Minicard Socket ........................................................................................................................ 11
3.1.13 PCI-104 and One Bank PCIe/104 Expansion.................................................................................... 11
3.1.14 PCIe link routing................................................................................................................................. 11
3.1.15 LED Indicators ................................................................................................................................... 11
3.1.16 BIOS Features................................................................................................................................... 12
3.1.18 Power Supply..................................................................................................................................... 13
4Mechanical Board Drawing........................................................................................................................... 14
5Board Layout (Connector and Jumper Locations)..................................................................................... 15
6I/O Connectors ............................................................................................................................................... 17
6.1 Connector Pin-out and Signal Description ................................................................................................. 17
6.1.1 Power In (J12).................................................................................................................................... 17
6.1.2 External Battery (J14)........................................................................................................................ 17
6.1.3 USB 2.0 Ports (J4)............................................................................................................................. 17
6.1.4 USB 3.0 Port (J18, J19)..................................................................................................................... 19
6.1.5 Serial Ports (J6,J7) ............................................................................................................................ 19
6.1.6 Ethernet (J16) .................................................................................................................................... 19
6.1.7 SATA (J3)........................................................................................................................................... 20
6.1.8 SATA/DOM (J20)............................................................................................................................... 20
6.1.9 SATA DOM Power (J21).................................................................................................................... 20
6.1.10 Audio (J8)........................................................................................................................................... 20
6.1.11 LVDS LCD (J11) ................................................................................................................................ 21
6.1.12 LCD Backlight (J13)........................................................................................................................... 21
6.1.13 VGA (J9) ............................................................................................................................................ 21
6.1.14 HDMI (J10)......................................................................................................................................... 22
6.1.15 Digital I/O (J15).................................................................................................................................. 22
6.1.16 Utility (J5)........................................................................................................................................... 22
6.1.17 mSATA / PCIe MiniCard Socket (J23, J24)....................................................................................... 23
6.1.18 PCIe/104 (J1)..................................................................................................................................... 24
6.1.19 PCI-104 (J2)....................................................................................................................................... 25
6.2 List of Connectors....................................................................................................................................... 26
7I/O Cables ....................................................................................................................................................... 27
8Jumper Description ....................................................................................................................................... 28
8.1 SATA DOM Power / PCI VIO (JP1)............................................................................................................ 28
8.2 LVDS Backlight and LVDS VDD (JP2)....................................................................................................... 29
9BIOS Key Features......................................................................................................................................... 31
9.1 Entering the BIOS....................................................................................................................................... 31
9.2 Restoring Default BIOS Settings................................................................................................................ 31
9.3 Upgrading BIOS using SHELL Utility.......................................................................................................... 31
9.4 Setting the Date and Time.......................................................................................................................... 31
9.5 Boot Priority................................................................................................................................................ 31

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9.6 LED............................................................................................................................................................. 32
9.7 Quiet / Quick Boot / Splash Screen............................................................................................................ 32
9.8 Serial Port Configuration ............................................................................................................................ 32
10 Getting Started............................................................................................................................................... 33
10.1 Development Kit ......................................................................................................................................... 33
10.2 Quick Setup................................................................................................................................................ 33
10.3 Boot Device Options................................................................................................................................... 33
10.4 Installing OS and Booting........................................................................................................................... 34
11 Video Features ............................................................................................................................................... 35
12 Serial Ports and System Console ................................................................................................................ 36
12.1 Configuration .............................................................................................................................................. 36
12.2 Console redirection..................................................................................................................................... 36
13 Digital I/O ........................................................................................................................................................ 37
14 Software driver overview .............................................................................................................................. 38
15 Thermal Solutions.......................................................................................................................................... 39
15.1 Heat Spreader Drawing.............................................................................................................................. 39
15.2 Mounting Hole Specifications. .................................................................................................................... 39
15.3 Heat Spreader Installation.......................................................................................................................... 40
15.4 Heat Spreader Installed on the Board........................................................................................................ 41
15.5 Heat Spreader with brackets Installed on the Board.................................................................................. 42
16 Specifications................................................................................................................................................. 43

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 4
1 IMPORTANT SAFE HANDLING INFORMATION
WARNING!
ESD-Sensitive Electronic Equipment
Observe ESD-safe handling procedures when working with this product.
Always use this product in a properly grounded work area and wear appropriate
ESD-preventive clothing and/or accessories.
Always store this product in ESD-protective packaging when not in use.
Safe Handling Precautions
The Venus SBC contains a high number of I/O connectors with connection to sensitive electronic components.
This creates many opportunities for accidental damage during handling, installation and connection to other
equipment. The list here describes common causes of failure found on boards returned to Diamond Systems for
repair. This information is provided as a source of advice to help you prevent damaging your Diamond (or any
vendor’s) embedded computer boards.
ESD damage –This type of damage is usually almost impossible to detect, because there is no visual sign of
failure or damage. The symptom is that the board eventually simply stops working, because some component
becomes defective. Usually the failure can be identified and the chip can be replaced.
To prevent ESD damage, always follow proper ESD-prevention practices when handling computer boards.
Damage during handling or storage –On some boards we have noticed physical damage from mishandling. A
common observation is that a screwdriver slipped while installing the board, causing a gouge in the PCB surface
and cutting signal traces or damaging components.
Another common observation is damaged board corners, indicating the board was dropped. This may or may not
cause damage to the circuitry, depending on what is near the corner. Most of our boards are designed with at
least 25 mils clearance between the board edge and any component pad, and ground / power planes are at least
20 mils from the edge to avoid possible shorting from this type of damage. However these design rules are not
sufficient to prevent damage in all situations.
A third cause of failure is when a metal screwdriver tip slips, or a screw drops onto the board while it is powered
on, causing a short between a power pin and a signal pin on a component. This can cause overvoltage / power
supply problems described below. To avoid this type of failure, only perform assembly operations when the
system is powered off.
Sometimes boards are stored in racks with slots that grip the edge of the board. This is a common practice for
board manufacturers. However our boards are generally very dense, and if the board has components very close
to the board edge, they can be damaged or even knocked off the board when the board tilts back in the rack.
Diamond recommends that all our boards be stored only in individual ESD-safe packaging. If multiple boards are
stored together, they should be contained in bins with dividers between boards. Do not pile boards on top of each
other or cram too many boards into a small location. This can cause damage to connector pins or fragile
components.
Power supply wired backwards –Our power supplies and boards are not designed to withstand a reverse
power supply connection. This will destroy each IC that is connected to the power supply (i.e. almost all ICs). In
this case the board will most likely will be unrepairable and must be replaced. A chip destroyed by reverse power
or by excessive power will often have a visible hole on the top or show some deformation on the top surface due
to vaporization inside the package. Check twice before applying power!
Board not installed properly in PC/104 stack –A common error is to install a PC/104 board accidentally shifted
by 1 row or 1 column. If the board is installed incorrectly, it is possible for power and ground signals on the bus to
make contact with the wrong pins on the board, which can damage the board. For example, this can damage
components attached to the data bus, because it puts the 12V power supply lines directly on data bus lines.

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 5
Overvoltage on analog input –If a voltage applied to an analog input exceeds the design specification of the
board, the input multiplexor and/or parts behind it can be damaged. Most of our boards will withstand an
erroneous connection of up to 35V on the analog inputs, even when the board is powered off, but not all boards,
and not in all conditions.
Overvoltage on analog output –If an analog output is accidentally connected to another output signal or a
power supply voltage, the output can be damaged. On most of our boards, a short circuit to ground on an analog
output will not cause trouble.
Overvoltage on digital I/O line –If a digital I/O signal is connected to a voltage above the maximum specified
voltage, the digital circuitry can be damaged. On most of our boards the acceptable range of voltages connected
to digital I/O signals is 0-5V, and they can withstand about 0.5V beyond that (-0.5 to 5.5V) before being damaged.
However logic signals at 12V and even 24V are common, and if one of these is connected to a 5V logic chip, the
chip will be damaged, and the damage could even extend past that chip to others in the circuit.
Bent connector pins –This type of problem is often only a cosmetic issue and is easily fixed by bending the pins
back to their proper shape one at a time with needle-nose pliers. The most common cause of bent connector pins
is when a PC/104 board is pulled off the stack by rocking it back and forth left to right, from one end of the
connector to the other. As the board is rocked back and forth it pulls out suddenly, and the pins at the end get
bent significantly. The same situation can occur when pulling a ribbon cable off of a pin header. If the pins are
bent too severely, bending them back can cause them to weaken unacceptably or even break, and the connector
must be replaced.

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 6
2 INTRODUCTION
Venus is a 3.5” standard SBC based on 6th generation Intel Skylake processor i7-6600U. The U-series
processors are offered in a 1-chip platform that includes the 6th generation Intel Platform Controller Hub (PCH)
die on the same package as the processor die. Board provides expansion option over One bank PCIe/104 and
PCI-104 connector.
It features DDR4 memory on board, top side conduction cooling, two PCIe Minicard sockets, two Gigabit
Ethernets and -40 to +85C operation. The board will be of standard 3.5” embedded form factor.
2.1 Standard Configurations
Model number
Processor / speed
Cores
Memory
VNS766-4GD
I7-6600U / 2.6 GHz
2
4GB
VNS563-4GD
I5-6300U / 2.4 GHz
2
4GB
2.2 Features
Processor Intel “Skylake” 6th generation Core, two options:
i7-6600U (2.6GHz, Turbo up to 3.4GHz, 4MB Cache, 15W TDP)
i5-6300U (2.4GHz, Turbo up to 3.0GHz, 3MB Cache, 15W TDP)
Memory On board 4GB DDR4
Expandable over rugged SODIMM, Up to 16GB
Ethernet 1 10/100/1000 Mbps direct from processor
1 10/100/1000 Mbps using one PCIe x1 lane
SATA 1 port, direct from processor to standard SATA connector
1 port, direct from processor to SATA DOM
1 port, direct from processor to mSATA
USB 2 USB 2.0 ports to standard header
4 USB 2.0 and USB3.0 ports to USB3.0 connector (either/or may be used)
2 USB 2.0 ports on Mini PCIe connector
2 USB 2.0 ports to One Bank PCIe/104
VGA Up to 1920 x 1200, using DP to VGA bridge
LCD Dual channel LVDS, using eDP to LVDS Bridge
HDMI Direct from processor
Audio HD Audio with Line In, Mic In, Line Out
Serial ports 4 ports with RS-232/422/485 capability
Digital I/O 16 lines, configurable 3.3V / 5V logic level
Expansion 2 PCIe Minicard with PCIe x1 and USB, 1 shared with mSATA
PCI-104, supports up to 4 I/O boards
One Bank PCIe/104, supports up to 4 PCIe x1 boards

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 7
2.3 Operating System Support
Windows 10, 8, 7, Linux
Driver packages and/or BSPs available for each OS
2.4 Mechanical, Electrical, Environmental
Form factor 3.5” Standard form factor (146 x 102mm / 5.75” x 4.00”)
Cooling Conduction cooling, bottom side heat spreader
Power input +9V to +18VDC in; +12V Typical
Operating Temp -40°C to +85°C at outer surface of heat spreader
Shock Designed to meet MIL-STD-202G, Method 213-B, Table 213-1 Condition A, 50G
/ 11ms half sine, non-operational
Vibration: Designed to meet MIL-STD-202G, Method 214A, Table 214-1, Condition D,
11.95G random vibration, 15 minutes per axis, operational

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 8
3 FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM
BLOCK DIAGRAM
Skylake
i7-6600U
Dual Core,
2.6GHz/3.4GHz
RS232/
RS422/
RS485 x4
PCIe x1
DDR4 Memory
Down 4GB
DDR4 CH1
LVDS
Codec
ALC892
HDA
Line Out
Line In
MIC In
Version 0.7
NXP
PTN3460
eDP
Magnetics
Magnetics
MAC/PHY
Intel I210
Gigabit
Ethernet
PCIe x1
GbE
Digital I/O
2x UART
PHY
Intel I219
Gigabit
Ethernet
Mini PCIe /
mSATA
Socket
SATA
PCIe One
Bank
1x USB 2.0
SATA 7Pin
VGA Chrontel
CH7517
DDI2
PCI-104 Con
SATA
NXP
CBTL2004
Transceiver
SP336
Exar
XR28V384 Transceiver
SP336
LPC
2x UART
2 x USB2.0 2x USB 2.0
2 x USB3.0 2x USB 3.0/ 2x USB2.0
2 x USB3.0 2x USB 3.0/ 2x USB2.0
HDMI DDI1
Utility Con I2C1, LED
DDR4 SODIMM
4GB/8GB/16GB
DDR4 CH2
NXP
PCA9535
I2C0 16 Bit PU/PD
Select
PIC
SATA DOM SATA
Camera x2 2x MIPI CSI x1, I2C2
Mini PCIe
Socket
1x USB 2.0
PCIe x1
PCIE Switch
1:3
PCIe x1
PCIe x1
PCIe x1
2x USB 2.0
TI
XIO2001
PCIe x1
PCIe x1
BIOS &
TPM 2.0
SPI
I2C0
I2C0
PMIC,
Temp Sensor
I2C0
SML0
Figure 1 Functional Block Diagram

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 9
3.1 Feature Descriptions
This section describes the key subsystems of the Venus SBC.
3.1.1 Processor and Chipset
Venus is based on 6th generation Intel Skylake processor i7-6600U. The U-series processors are offered in a 1-
chip platform that includes the 6th generation Intel Platform Controller Hub (PCH) die on the same package as the
processor die. It is a dual core, 64 bit processor with a maximum turbo frequency of 3.4GHz.
Venus also supports 6th generation Intel Skylake processor i5-6300U on same package with a maximum turbo
frequency of 3.0GHz.
3.1.2 Memory
The design employs DDR4 mixed memory configuration: 4GB Soldered down memory on memory channel 1 and
up to 16GB SODIMM on memory channel 2.
Memory can be increased to a total of up to 20GB by adding a DDR4 SODIMM module of up to 16GB on the
connector provided. Venus requires DDR4-2133 configuration. For rugged application Venus also supports
RSODIMM™ rugged SODIMM modules which can be fixed to the board with two screws for enhanced shock and
vibration resistance. Please contact DSC for more details.
3.1.3 Ethernet
The board provides two Gigabit Ethernet ports. One port is derived directly from the 10/100/1000 Mbps MAC
within the processor utilizing an external Intel I219 PHY. The second port is derived from an Intel I210IT controller
connected via a x1 PCIe lane directly to the processor. The board also includes the necessary magnetics for both
ports. For increased ruggedness, Ethernet connection is via a latching pin header, not an RJ-45 jack. The two
magnetics components are placed back to back on the PCB to conserve PCB space.
On-board LEDs are provided for Link, Activity, and Speed. The LEDs are located along the board edge near the
Ethernet connector. The GbE ports use dual row,1.25mm pitch latching connectors. The connector does not
provide access to the LED signals.
3.1.4 SATA
The board offers three SATA ports, all derived from the processor. Two ports are connected to an industry-
standard vertical SATA connector that accepts cables with latching connectors. One of these connectors is placed
on the board in a position that allows a miniature SATA disk-on-module to be installed in it and attached with a
mounting spacer and screw. The third port is dedicated to the combination mSATA / PCIe MiniCard socket.
3.1.5 USB
The board provides ten USB 2.0 ports and four USB 3.0 ports directly from the processor. Two USB 2.0 ports are
connected to the PCIe Minicard socket, two are made available on two USB2.0 latching connectors, four are
available on the USB 3.0 connector, and another two are available on one bank PCIe/104 connector.
The USB 3.0 port uses an Intel standard pin header. The USB 2.0 ports use miniature 1.25mm pitch latching
connectors. Each connector provides access to two USB ports.
Although the USB 3.0 connector contains both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports, only one or the other can be used for
each port position. This is similar to the typical USB 3.0 type A jack which provides access to both 2.0 and 3.0
signals, but only one can be used at a time.

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 10
3.1.6 Video
The board offers three video output options: HDMI, VGA and LVDS LCD.
The HDMI port is directly from the processor and is made available on a dual row 1.25mm pitch latching
connector.
VGA is realized from the processor’s DisplayPort (DP) port using a DP to VGA bridge chip and is available on a
1.25mm pitch latching connector.
Dual channel LVDS interface is obtained using an eDP to LVDS converter (NXP PTN3460) to provide a dual-
channel LVDS LCD output.
The LCD backlight control is provided by a PWM circuit. LCD backlight power and control are on a separate
latching connector.
3.1.7 Audio
The design provides HD audio support from an ALC892 audio chip. Audio I/O signals include stereo line in, stereo
line out and mono mic in. The audio signals are made available on a latching connector.
3.1.8 Serial Ports
The board provides 4 serial ports using the Exar XR28V384 LPC UART. RS-232/422/485 protocols are supported
with Exar SP336 multiprotocol transceivers. In RS-232 mode, only signals TX, RX, RTS, and CTS are provided.
Protocol selection and TX / RX 120 ohm line termination resistors for RS-422/485 are controlled using GPIO pins
from the processor and are configurable via BIOS configuration screens as well as via application software.
Console redirection feature (using a serial port for keyboard input and terminal display via a link to a second
computer) is provided in the BIOS on COM1.
3.1.9 Digital IO
The board provides 16 Digital I/O signals with selectable 5V / 3.3V logic levels, selectable pull-up/down resistors,
programmable direction, and buffered transceivers. The digital I/O is realized from the I2C interface of the
processor using a PCA9535 I2C to GPIO expander. An on-board microcontroller controlled by processor GPIO
signals is used to configure the digital I/O logic levels and pull resistors.
3.1.10 Backup Battery
The board contains an on-board RTC battery holder for placing BR-2032/BN coin cell. The default board
configuration includes an installed coin cell. A connector is also provided to enable the use of an external battery
for rugged applications.
The board is able to boot and function properly without a backup battery installed.
3.1.11 TPM
The board contains Infineon’s SLB 9670XQ2.0 TPM module featuring a fully TCG TPM 1.2/2.0 standard
compliant module with a SPI interface. TPM can be used as a root of trust for platform integrity, remote attestation
and cryptographic services.

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 11
3.1.12 PCIe Minicard Socket
The board has two full size (51mm length) PCIe Minicard socket. The top side socket supports both PCIe
Minicard and mSATA modules. A PCIe/mSATA switch is used to auto select which interface is active based on
the state of CLKREQ# pin driven by an installed module.
3.1.13 PCI-104 and One Bank PCIe/104 Expansion
The board offers I/O expansion via PCI-104 connector and a PCIe/104 OneBank connector.
The PCI-104 bus is realized using by a PCIe to PCI bridge. It supports both 5V and 3.3V logic levels configurable
with a jumper. Up to 4 PCI-104 I/O modules can be installed on this connector. If a PC/104-Plus I/O module is
used, the ISA bus pins must be cut away, or the ISA connectors removed entirely, to avoid interference with the
OneBank connector on the SBC. The configuration of PCI-104 connector without ISA connector is referred to as
PCI-104.
The board also supports up to 3 PCIe x1 PCIe/104 modules on the PCIe/104 OneBank connector. This connector
is compatible with all versions of PCIe/104, including Type 1, Type 2, and OneBank. Port 4 on the connector is
left unconnected due to the limited supply of PCIe x1 lanes. PCIe lane 1 on the connector is direct from the
processor, while lanes 2 and 3 come from a PCIe expansion switch.
3.1.14 PCIe link routing
Link 1: OneBank PCIe/104 connector –Lane 1
Link 2: PCIe Minicard 1
Link 3: Processor GbE
Link 4: I210 GbE
Link 5: PCIe to PCI Bridge for PCI-104 connector
Link 6: PCIe 1:3 Switch –> One bank PCIe/104 connector Lane 2, Lane 3, PCIe Minicard 2
3.1.15 LED Indicators
The board provides the following LED indicators. All LEDs are located near to a board edge or their respective
features. All LEDs are labeled in silkscreen with their function.
Power input: Green LED, illuminated when Input supply is valid
Power on: Green LED, illuminated when board is powered on
BIOS LED: Green, connected to a GPIO line on the processor; this LED is off during power-
up and is turned on in the BIOS to indicate a successful system BIOS startup.
Ethernet: Green LEDs (6): Link, activity, and speed for each port
SATA LED Green LED, for SATA activity
Digital I/O/ User LED: Blue, driven with reverse logic from 5V, controlled by processor GPIO
PCIe MiniCard socket: Green LEDs (3 per socket) to support WWAN, WPAN, WLAN signals from the
Mini PCIe connector

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3.1.16 BIOS Features
The Venus BIOS provides the following user configurable and controllable features:
Boot from LAN (PXE) as well as USB and SATA ports
Free boot sequence configuration to allow different boot sequences as first, second and third boot
devices
Support multi display mode. HDMI, VGA and LVDS can be active simultaneously
Console (display and keyboard) redirection to a COM port
Custom default settings can be saved without a battery
Customizable splash screen
Quiet boot option
Enable/disable for individual COM ports.
Protocol selection for each of the COM ports
120 ohm line termination control for serial ports in RS-422/485 protocol
IRQ sharing for COM ports
Enable/ disable Digital I/O ports A and B
Direction control (Input/ Output) for Digital I/O ports A and B
Wake on LAN for on-board Ethernet and minicard socket
BIOS LED to indicate successful BIOS initialization
Supports standard BIOS hotkey. This includes DEL key to enter BIOS menu; F3 key to load BIOS
default settings etc.
Password protection
Field upgradable via a DOS/Shell utility

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 13
3.1.18 Power Supply
The board will operate with an input voltage in the range 9VDC to 18VDC. Nominal input voltage is +12VDC.
Typical operating power consumption is in the range of 13-14W (1.1-1.2A at 12V).
The supports ACPI for pushbutton on/off control and also supports standby mode. In standby mode, the board
may be powered on via the Wake on Lan feature or using a power button.
All required supply voltages for any installed expansion modules and LCDs are provided by the board’s power
supply. When sizing a power supply to drive Venus, care should be taken to ensure that the supply can provide
enough current for all installed options. The figures below are the design limits of the board. When converting the
lower voltage current to main 12V input current, an 85% efficiency factor should be used.
12V 5V 3.3V Feature
1.0A 2.0A 2.0A PCI-104 and One Bank modules
3.0A PCIe Minicard add-on modules
0.25A SATA disk module
1.4A 0.7A LCD power
1.1A LCD backlight
0.05A Utility connector
1.0A USB 2.0 ports
3.6A USB 3.0 port
The +5V and +3.3V pins of the PCI-104 connector and PCIe/104 connector are tied together. The +12V pins from
PCI-104 connector are routed directly to the power connector such that the board can be powered over a PCI-104
power module. Maximum allowable reflected ripple, measured at the voltage input connector is 120mV p-p.
NOTE: Since the PCI-104 connector 12V pins are tied directly to the main input voltage, if a PCI-104
module that requires 12VDC is installed, the main input voltage must be 12VDC.

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 14
4 MECHANICAL BOARD DRAWING
Dimensions are in inches [mm]. Connector dimensions indicate the center of the pad for pin 1 (pin A1 for the PCI-
104 connector).
Figure 2: Mechanical Board Drawing

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 15
5 BOARD LAYOUT (CONNECTOR AND JUMPER LOCATIONS)
JP2
LED
Block 1
J20
J19
J18
J17
LED
Block 7
LED
Block 5 LED Block 6
J23
J16 J1 J15 J14 J13 J12
LED
Block 2
LED
Block 3
LED
Block 4
J21
J11
J10
J22
J9
J2
J3 J4 JP1 J5 J6 J7 J8

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 16
I/O Connectors, Jumpers and LED Summary
Connec
tor
Function
Jumper
Function
J1
PC/104 -
Express
JP1
SATA DOM/Cable selection, PCI I/O
Voltage selection
J2
PC/104 –
PLUS PCI
JP2
LVDS Vcc & Backlight, Digital IO voltage
and pull resistors
J3
SATA port 2
J4
USB 2.0 Port
5,6
LED Block 1
J5
Utility
Connector
SATA Activity
J6
Serial ports 1,2
LED Block 2
J7
Serial ports 3,4
Top LED
mPCIe-1 WAN
J8
Audio
Middle LED
mPCIe-1 LAN
J9
VGA
Bottom LED
mPCIe-1 PAN
J10
HDMI
LED Block 3
J11
LVDS LCD
Top LED
mPCIe-2 WAN
J12
Power In
Middle LED
mPCIe-2 LAN
J13
LVDS Backlight
Bottom LED
mPCIe-2 PAN
J14
External
Battery
LED Block 4
J15
Digital IO
Top LED
BIOS LED
J16
GbE Port 0,1
Middle LED
Power On LED
J17
MIPI Camera
Bottom LED
Power In LED
J18
USB3.0 Port
1,3
LED Block 5
J19
USB3.0 Port
2,4
Top LED
GBE0 ACT
J20
SATA port 1
Middle LED
GBE0 Link100
J21
SATA DOM
Power
Bottom LED
GBE0 Link1000
J22
DDR4
SODIMM
LED Block 6
J23
PCIe Mini Card
1
Top LED
GBE1 ACT
J24
(Botto
m)
PCIe Mini Card
2
Middle LED
GBE1 Link100
Bottom LED
GBE1 Link1000
LED Block 7
User LED

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1d www.diamondsystems.com Page 17
6 I/O CONNECTORS
6.1 Connector Pin-out and Signal Description
6.1.1 Power In (J12)
Vin is 9-18VDC (12VDC nominal).
Ground
1
2
Vin
Ground
3
4
Vin
Ground
5
6
Vin
Ground
7
8
Vin
Connector used is a custom version of Samtec IPL1.
Mating Cable: DSC 6980512
6.1.2 External Battery (J14)
1
VBAT
2
Ground
VBAT = +3.0V
Connector used is 22-05-7025 right angle type friction lock pin header.
Mating cable: DSC 6980524
Note: Venus SBC has an on board coin battery holder and by default BR-2032/BN is used on board. Option
connect an external battery is provided via connector J14.
External Battery voltage specification: Typical 3.0V; Max: 3.2V and Min: 2.0V.
The initial RTC voltage can exceed Vmax of 3.2 V (up to 3.47V) for ~1-week period without concerns about
damage to the PCH. PCH RTC current consumption is 6uA with RTC voltage at 3.0V while the system is in a
mechanical off (G3) state at room temperature. This data can be used to estimate the battery life. The voltage of
the battery can affect the RTC accuracy. In general, when the battery voltage decays, the RTC accuracy also
decreases
Example batteries are: Duracell* 2032, 2025, or 2016 (or equivalent), which can give many years of operation.
Batteries are rated by storage capacity. The battery life can be calculated by dividing the capacity by the average
current required and considering external factors that effects the battery life. For example, if the battery storage
capacity is 190 mAh (assumed usable) and the average current required is 6 μA, the ideal battery life will be:
190,000 μAh/6 μA = 31,667 h = 3.6 years.
6.1.3 USB 2.0 Ports (J4)
The USB2.0 connector provides access to two USB 2.0 ports.
1
USB1 Power
2
USB1 Data-
3
USB1 Data+
4
Ground
5
Shield
6
USB2 Power
7
USB2 Data-
8
USB2 Data+
9
Ground
10
Shield
Connector used is SM10B-GHS-TB Side entry type.
Mating Cable: DSC 6980503

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 18

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 19
6.1.4 USB 3.0 Port (J18, J19)
There are two USB3.0 headers with identical pinouts Each USB3.0 header also provides access to two USB 3.0
ports with USB 2.0 backward compatibility. The pinout for the connector is compatible with the Intel standard for
USB 3.0 motherboard connectors.
USB1 Pwr
1
USB1 SSRX-
2
19
USB2 Pwr
USB1 SSRX+
3
18
USB2 SSRX-
Ground
4
17
USB2 SSRX+
USB1 SSTX-
5
16
Ground
USB1 SSTX+
6
15
USB2 SSTX-
Ground
7
14
USB2 SSTX+
USB1 Data-
8
13
Ground
USB1 Data+
9
12
USB2 Data-
ID
10
11
USB2 Data+
Connector used is WUIR-19A1N4BU3N Top entry type.
Mating Cable: DSC 6980100
6.1.5 Serial Ports (J6,J7)
There are two serial port connectors with identical pinouts, two ports per connector. All ports are configurable for
RS-232, RS-422, or RS-485. The pinout for the first connector is shown here.
Pin RS-232 RS-422 RS-485
1
TX1
TX1+
TX/RX 1+
2
RX1
RX1+
NC
3
RTS1
TX1-
TX/RX 1-
4
CTS1
RX1-
NC
5
Ground
Ground
Ground
6
TX2
TX2+
TX/RX 2+
7
RX2
RX2+
NC
8
RTS2
TX2-
TX/RX 2-
9
CTS2
RX2-
NC
10
Ground
Ground
Ground
Connector used is SM10B-GHS-TB Side entry type. Pinout is derived from DS-MPE-SER4M.
Mating Cable: DSC 6980500
6.1.6 Ethernet (J16)
Port 1 DA+
1
2
Port 2 DA+
Port 1 DA-
3
4
Port 2 DA-
Port 1 DB+
5
6
Port 2 DB+
Port 1 DB-
7
8
Port 2 DB-
Port 1 DC+
9
10
Port 2 DC+
Port 1 DC-
11
12
Port 2 DC-
Port 1 DD+
13
14
Port 2 DD+
Port 1 DD-
15
16
Port 2 DD-
Port 1 Shield
17
18
Port 2 Shield
N/C
19
20
N/C
Connector used is SM20B-GHDS-GAN-TF Side entry type. Pinout is derived from Aries.
Mating Cable: DSC 6980513

Venus User Manual Rev 1.1e www.diamondsystems.com Page 20
6.1.7 SATA (J3)
A standard 7 Pin SATA connector is used for external SATA storage devices.
1
Ground
2
SATA 1 TX+
3
SATA 1 TX-
4
Ground
5
SATA 1 RX-
6
SATA 1 RX+
7
Ground
6.1.8 SATA/DOM (J20)
A second standard 7 pin SATA connector is provided for either an external SATA device or a board-mounted
SATA-DOM storage device. Pin 7 is connected to a jumper that selects either Ground or 5VDC system voltage
rail. Ground is used for an external storage device, and 5V is used for a board-mounted SATA flash disk module.
The 5V is connected via a resettable fuse.
1
Ground
2
SATA 1 TX+
3
SATA 1 TX-
4
Ground
5
SATA 1 RX-
6
SATA 1 RX+
7
Ground/5V
6.1.9 SATA DOM Power (J21)
If a SATA DOM module without pin 7 power is used, then it will have a separate power connector to supply 5VDC.
Connector J21 may be used for this purpose. DSC does not offer a cable.
1
+5V
2
Ground
Connector used is DF13C-2P-1.25V, Top entry type friction lock pin header.
6.1.10 Audio (J8)
1
LineOut –L
2
LineOut –R
3
GND_Audio
4
LineIn –L
5
LineIn –R
6
GND_Audio
7
MIC IN
8
GND_Audio
Connector used is SM08B-GHS-TB Side entry type friction lock pin header. Pinout is derived from Aries.
Mating cable: 6980508