VIA Technologies EPIA M-Series Mini-ITX Instruction Manual

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
VIA EPIA M-Series Mini-ITX
Mainboard Operation
Guidelines
The Ultra Compact Motherboard Form Factor
From VIA Technologies

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
Contents
•Overview
•Layout
•Specifications
•CLE266 Chipset Overview
•I/O Back Panel Layout
•Layout Diagram & Mounting Holes
•Power Specifications
•DVD Playback Tests
•Power Consumption Tests
•Compatible Chassis
•FliteDeck – System Management Suite
•Smart5.1 – Intelligent 6 Channel Audio
•Contact

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
EPIA M-Series Overview
The VIA EPIA M-Series Mini-ITX Mainboard is a revolutionary, ultra-compact x86
platform optimized for today’s killer digital applications. At just 17cm x 17cm, Mini-
ITX is the world’s smallest native x86 mainboard platform, and is fully compatible
with Microsoft® and Linux Operating Systems. Available with an embedded VIA
Eden™ ESP processor core for fanless systems with ultra low-power requirements, or
an embedded VIA C3™ E-Series processor for more demanding digital multimedia
applications, the EPIA M-Series is the perfect platform for a whole range of small
form factor, low-power digital media devices and home entertainment centers.
EPIA M-Series Layout
Embedded VIA C3™-E or Eden™
ESP 6000 processor
VIA Apollo CLE266 North
Bridge, featuring int. 8X
2D/3D graphics 1 x DDR266DIMM
2 x IDE Ports ATA/133/100/
Support
1 PCI Slot
VIA VT8235 South
Bridge
10/100 Ethernet
TV-OUT IEEE 1394
USB 2.0
Audio Jacks / VIA Smart5.1
Surround Sound

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
EPIA M-Series Specifications
Processor -VIA C3/Eden EBGA Processor
Chipset -VIA CLE266 North Bridge
-VT8235 South Bridge
System Memory - 1 DDR266 DIMM socket
- Up to 1GB memory size
VGA - Integrated CastleRock graphics
Expansion Slots - 1 PCI
Onboard IDE - 2 X ATA 133/100/66 Connectors
Onboard Floppy - 1 x FDD Connector
Onboard LAN - VIA VT6103 10/100 Base-T Ethernet PHY
Onboard Audio - VIA VT1616 6 channel AC’97 Codec
Onboard TV Out - VIA VT1622 TV out (Optional)
Onboard 1394 - VIA VT6307S Firewire
Onboard I/O
Connectors
- 1 USB connectors for 2 additional USB 2.0 ports
- 2 1394 connectors for 2 1394 ports
- Front-panel audio connectors (Mic and Line Out)
- CD Audio-in connector
- FIR connector
- PS2 connector
- Wake-on-LAN, Wake-on-Ring
-CPU/Sys FAN/FAN3
- System intrusion connector
- 1 I²C connector
- 1 connector for LVDS transmitter module (Optional)
- Serial port connector for second com port
Back Panel I/O - 1 PS2 mouse port
- 1 PS2 keyboard port
- 1 Parallel
- 1 RJ-45 LAN port
- 1 Serial port
- 2 USB 2.0 ports
- 1 VGA port
- 1 RCA port (SPDIF or TV out)
- 1 S-Video port
- 3 audio jacks: line-out, line-in and mic-in; can be switched to 6
channel output with Smart5.1
BIOS - Award BIOS
- 2/4Mbit flash memory
System Monitoring &
Management
- CPU temperature monitoring
- CPU voltage monitoring
- Wake-on-LAN, Keyboard-Power-on, Timer-Power-on
- System power management
- AC power failure recovery
Form Factor - Mini-ITX (4 layer)
- 17 cm x 17 cm

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
VIA CLE266 Chipset Overview
Combining a fully integrated video processing feature set, 2D/3D graphics engine
and ultra efficient VIA DDR memory controller, the VIA Apollo CLE266 Chipset is
designed to enable high quality digital video streaming and DVD playback in a new
generation of fanless, small form factor PCs and IA devices. For more information on
the VIA CLE266 visit the VIA website at www.via.com.tw/en/apollo/cle266.jsp.

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
EPIA M-Series I/O Back Panel Layout
PS/2 Mouse Connector Parallel Port Connector
RJ-45 LAN Port
VGA Dis
p
la
y
Connector
COM
Line-In
Line-Out
Mic-In
2 x USB Ports
S-Video Port
RCA Video
or
S/P DIF Port

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
EPIA M-Series Layout Diagram & Mounting Holes
Power Specifications
The EPIA M utilizes an industry standard 20-pin ATX main connector to the power
supply. Due to the EPIA M platform’s ultra low power requirements a 90 – 120 Watt
ATX power supply is ample for even the heaviest of multimedia system applications.
1 +3V 11 +3V
2 +3V 12 -12V
3 Gnd 13 Gnd
4 +5V 14 PWR_ON-
5 Gnd 15 Gnd
6 +5V 16 Gnd
7 Gnd 17 Gnd
8 PWR_GD 18 NC
9 5V_SB 19 +5V
10 +12V 20 +5V
Note: NC = no connection
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
17
18
19
2010

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
DVD Payback Test
The table below compares VIA C3™ processor and CLE266 chipset DVD playback
performance to that of a powerful Intel® Pentium 4 1.7 GHz and 845 chipset with
Leadtek Geforce 4 MX440 VGA card. Despite giving away 1.167 GHz of processor
speed and competing with Geforce4 graphics the VIA CLE266 platform delivers
equivalent performance at a fraction of the cost and required space and cooling. Note
that this is a comparison of only the DVD playback performance, not a of overall
system performance, as digital media performance is what counts for the lifestyle
PC.
DVD Playback Performance
This table also shows that both platforms have achieved the magical figure of 30 frames per
second that indicates smooth or flawless DVD playback.
Power Consumption Tests
As the DVD playback performance is comparable in the table above, we will also look at the
different power consumption results for a range of typical home PC activities with the VIA EPIA
M-Series mainboards compared to the typical “one size fits all” platform that is being promoted by
others in the PC industry. We have also included the low power VIA EPIA-Series Mini-ITX
mainboards as a frame of reference. Where the VIA EPIA M-Series mainboards are aimed at the
living room space, the VIA EPIA 800 and fanless VIA EPIA 5000 are aimed at the thin-client,
small footprint desktop and education PC markets, although they are also being used as 1u
server, Personal Video Recorder and car PC platforms amongst others.
The “one size fits all” system that we are using as a reference platform is an Intel 845-based
Pentium 4 platform and we are comparing the power consumption to that of the VIA EPIA M-
Series Mini-ITX mainboards. Some of the tests are not aimed solely at Digital Media
performance, so they also include the power consumption numbers for the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX
mainboards. All tests were conducted using the Microsoft Windows® 2000 operating system and
include the wattage consumed by the total platforms. The table below each diagram uses the
Intel platform as a frame of reference for the accompanying calculations.
Intel 845 with Leadtek
Geforce 4 MX440
VIA Apollo CLE266
Platform
29.968--2529.7810—12Windows ME
Frame
Rate
CPU Usage
Frame
Rate
CPU usagePerformance
Pla
y
er
Cyberlink
PowerDVD4.0-(DxVA)
Cyberlink
PowerDVD4.0-(DxVA)
Vendor
Intel® Pentium 4 1.7GHzVIA C3™ 533MHz
CPU

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
EPIA Series Platform Power Consumption
in Watts
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Playing DVD
Playing MP3
Network ApplicationsIdle
Office Applications
EPIA-M 9000 EPIA-M E6000 EPIA 800 EPIA 5000
DVD playback performance of these two platforms is not only flawless but the scores are also
very close to each other. In figure 2, the power consumption of the EPIA M9000 and the Fanless
EPIA ME6000 is less than half of that of the reference platform.
26.4 22.3 22.2
14.1
53
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Watts
EPIA M9000 EPIA ME6000 EPIA 800 EPIA 5000 Intel 845-
based MB
Pentium 4 1.7G
Playing DVD

Operating Guidelines Version 1.10
22.7
20.4 18.4
13.4
39.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Watts
EPIA M 9000 EPIA M E6000 EPIA 800 EP IA 5000 Intel 845-
based M B
Pentium 4 1.7G
Playing MP3
Power consumption of the fanless VIA EPIA ME6000 is around half of that of the reference
platform at 51.9%. It is interesting to note that for MP3 playback the fanless VIA EPIA 5000 only
uses around 1/3 of the power that the reference platform uses. This is significant power sensitive
systems like car MP3 players are gaining in popularity.
16.7 16.2
10.7 9.6
24.3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Watts
EPIA M 9000 EPIA ME6000 EPIA 800 EPIA 5000 Intel 845-
based M B
Pentium 4
1. 7 G
Idle
In this comparison, the power consumed while standing idle is compared and the VIA EPIA M-
Series mainboards draw around 2/3s of the power that the reference platform draws.