VIA Technologies EPIA NL-Series User manual

January 30, 2012 Version 1.11
Operating Guide
EPIA NL-Series Nano-ITX Mainboard

EPIA NL-Series Operating Guide
January 30, 2012 - i - Version 1.11
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS .........................................................................................................................................................................I
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES OVERVIEW...................................................................................................................................................1
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES LAYOUT.........................................................................................................................................................2
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES SPECIFICATIONS.......................................................................................................................................3
VIA EPIA NL PROCESSOR SKUS .....................................................................................................................................................4
VIA LUKE COREFUSION™ OVERVIEW.......................................................................................................................................5
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES LAYOUT DIAGRAM & HEIGHT DISTRIBUTION (TOP)................................................................6
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES LAYOUT DIAGRAM & HEIGHT DISTRIBUTION (BOTTOM)......................................................7
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES HEAT SINK LAYOUT & HEIGHT DISTRIBUTION..........................................................................8
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES BOARD COOLING METHOD & HEIGHT DISTRIBUTION............................................................9
NOISE LEVEL DATA..........................................................................................................................................................................10
POWER CONSUMPTION...................................................................................................................................................................11
VIA EPIA NL 5000E...........................................................................................................................................................................11
VIA EPIA NL 8000E...........................................................................................................................................................................12
VIA EPIA NL 10000............................................................................................................................................................................14
POWER SPECIFICATIONS...............................................................................................................................................................16
VIA EPIA NL-SERIES MICROSOFT AND LINUX DRIVER SUPPORT................................................................................17
M ICROSOFT D RIVER S UPPORT ..............................................................................................................................................................17
L INUX D RIVER S UPPORT .......................................................................................................................................................................17
CONTACT ..............................................................................................................................................................................................18

EPIA NL-Series Operating Guide
January 30, 2012 - 1 - Version 1.11
VIA EPIA NL-Series Overview
The VIA EPIA NL-Series Nano-ITX Mainboard is an ultra compact x86 motherboard using pin headers
design for low profile with unprecedented expandability and versatility for today’s ever-growing need of
embedded applications. The mainboard is based on the VIA Luke CoreFusion™ processor featuring an
embedded hardware MPEG-2 decoder and integrated VIA UniChrome™ Pro 2D/3D graphics for rich
digital media performance. With the sizable memory bandwidth of DDR400 SDRAM SODIMM, the high
data transfer speeds of ATA-133 and Serial ATA and further enhanced by support of 6-Channel AC’97
codec for Smart 5.1 surround sound, the VIA EPIA NL-Series delivers the increased performance levels
required of today’s embedded digital media applications.
The latest in high-bandwidth connectivity is supported with up to eight USB 2.0 pin header, as well as an
COM / LPC / SIR pin header and one 10/100 Fast Ethernet pin header for extended broadband
connectivity. The VIA EPIA NL-Series also offers support for a number of LVDS embedded LCD panels,
TV-out, S-Video, Video interface port, CRT VGA / SMBus / CAP0 and has one Mini-PCI slot for
expandability options. The VIA EPIA NL-Series is compatible with a full range of Nano-ITX chassis as
well as FlexATX and MicroATX enclosures and power supplies.
The VIA EPIA NL-Series is fully compatible with Microsoft® and Linux operating systems and is available
in a variety of configurations, including the fanless VIA Luke CoreFusion™ processor for silent system
designs.

EPIA NL-Series Operating Guide
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VIA EPIA NL-Series Layout

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VIA EPIA NL-Series Specifications
Core Logic - VIA Luke CoreFusion™ processor
- VIA VT8237R-series South Bridge
System Memory - DDR400/333/266 SODIMM socket
- Up to GB memory size
VGA - Integrated VIA UniChrome™ Pro AGP Graphics with MPEG-2
Decoding
Expansion Slot - Mini-PCI
Onboard IDE - 2 UltraDMA 33/ 00/66 connectors (Secondary 2.0mm 44-pin
header)
Onboard S-ATA - Serial ATA connector
Onboard LAN - VIA VT6 03L 0/ 00 Base-T Ethernet PHY
Onboard Audio - VIA VT 6 7A 6 channel AC’97 Codec
Onboard TV Out - VIA VT 625 HDTV Encoder
Onboard I/O onnectors - USB pin header for 8 additional USB 2.0 ports
- SIO pin header (including COM port, SIR and LPC support)
- KBMS pin header (Switchable for KB/MS connector)
- 2 FAN connectors (CPU FAN and SYS FAN)
- LVDS / DVI connector (an add-on card is required)
- Audio pin header for Line-out, Line-in, Mic-in, CD-in and
S/PDIF out
- TV Out pin header for S-Video, Composite, and Component
(YPbPr/Scart/D-Terminal)
- LAN pin header for 0/ 00 Ethernet LAN port
- CRT pin header (including VGA port, SMBUS and CAP0)
- Front-Panel pin header
- + 2V Nano-ITX power connector
BIOS - Award BIOS
- 4/8Mbit flash memory
System Monitoring &
Management
- CPU temperature monitoring
- CPU voltage monitoring
- Wake-on-LAN, Keyboard-Power-on, Timer-Power-on Watch
Dog Timer, FAN control
- System power management
- AC power failure recovery
Operating Temperature - 0°C up to 47°C ~ 50°C (by different product items)
Operating Humidity - 0% ~ 95% (relative humidity; non-condensing)
Form Factor - Nano-ITX (8 Layer)
- 2 cm x 2 cm
* The specification is subject to change without prior notice.

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VIA EPIA NL Processor SKUs
The VIA EPIA NL-Series is available in 533MHz, 800MHz and 1.0GHz speed grades. The VIA EPIA NL
utilizes VIA’s ultra low power VIA Luke Core Fusion™ processor.
PadLock ACE US government
approved Advanced Encryption
Standard (AES), performing
cryptographic functions for
securing e-mails, personal files,
online transactions, and networks.
PowerSaver 3.0 tech-
nology, extends battery life by
dynamically altering the voltage
and clock frequency to reduce
power consumption when the
processor is not required to run
at full speed
.
The VIA FliteDeck™ Suite, an
advanced system management
suite that enables to user to
effortlessly track and monitors
mission critical system data and
enable seamless live Windows®-
based BIOS updates as well as
comprehensive BIOS status
information.

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VIA Luke CoreFusion™ Overview
The Luke CoreFusion™ Processor is a high performance, cost-effective and energy efficient processor
with integrated UniChrome Pro graphics / video controller. The Luke CoreFusion™ Processor integrates
VIA’s most advanced system controller with high-performance UniChrome Pro 3D / 2D graphics and
video controller, DVI monitor and TV-Out interfaces. And provides superior performance between the
DRAM, V-Link and internal or external AGP 8x graphics controller with pipelined, burst and concurrent
operation. The VT8237R-series South Bridge is a highly integrated peripheral controller which includes
Serial ATA, Ultra DMA IDE, USB 2.0, 10/100 MB networking MAC, AC’97 and system power
management.
The complete system consists of the Luke CoreFusion™ Processor and the VT8237R-series V-Link
South Bridge on the EPIA NL board.

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VIA EPIA NL-Series Layout Diagram & Height Distribution (Top)

EPIA NL-Series Operating Guide
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VIA EPIA NL-Series Layout Diagram & Height Distribution (Bottom)

EPIA NL-Series Operating Guide
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VIA EPIA NL-Series Heat Sink Layout & Height Distribution