A close look at the new EPIA N700-10EW

Windowsfordevices.com really like to get down to the nitty gritty details about embedded products. In this article they really give the new VIA EPIA N700-10EW the once over, taking a good look at the design, I/O ports and options, as well as notes on how it differs from other VIA boards.

"Where the Epia N700 was available with a choice of Via processors -- either the 1.5GHz C7, or the 500MHz Eden ULV -- the N700-10EW is apparently offered with just one, an Eden ULV clocked at 1.0GHz. The latter CPU has a maximum TDP of five Watts, which, combined with the VX800's five-Watt TDP max, lets the Epia N700 use as little as 10 Watts, according to Via. Maximum memory capacity of the board, meanwhile, remains 2GB of 533/667MHz DDR2 RAM."

EPIA N700-10EW: Can be served hot or cold

Is it just more or are the temperature extremes that this little VIA board can withstand more impressive than other embedded boards?
"Guaranteed to maintain absolute stability at temperatures ranging from -20oc to 70oc, the VIA EPIA N700-10EW can be employed in environments that traditionally inhibit x86 computing."
Yep, it's another VIA EPIA board, a Nano-ITX platform variety, with a VIA Eden processor, the VX800 system media processor, one of VIA's latest, and it even has completely solid state capacitors.
"All VIA EPIA N700-10EW boards are rigorously tested for compatibility and reliability prior to shipping and are bundled with special wide temperature-verified system memory modules to ensure complete system stability." More in the official Press Release.

VIA Eden and C7 chosen for military apps

This article on COTS Journal highlights the growing use of rugged embedded computers by the military.

"The list of military programs using PC/104 in the airborne, marine, handheld and vehicular arenas continues to lengthen. Military system developers select PC/104—and its wider community of form-factors including PC/104-Plus, PCI-104 and EPIC—because of its compact size as well as the ruggedness inherent in its stacking architecture."

One example given is that of the Poseidon EPIC form-factor which uses either a VIA Eden ULV or VIA C7 processor, obviously chosen for their reliability and dpendability in tough conditions.

"For military applications that depend on remote terminals, protocol conversion or data logging in power-shy environments, the ideal SBC would combine a low-power CPU with lots of onboard communications formats."

Avalue release slim-line 22-inch panel PCs

This very clean design is new from Avalue. With a VIA Eden ULV processor running at 1GHz and the CX700M chipset, it's ideally suited to embedded applications. VIA's embedded platforms like the Eden and CX700M combo are so small, the 22 inch screen dwarfs the specs hidden in the back. But the quality of the screen output is great with 700:1 contrast ratio and 300-nit brightness rating.

Here are some more details on those specs:

Processor:
PC-22W01 -- Via Eden clocked at 1GHz
Memory:
PC-22W01 -- Up to 1GB of DDR2 memory
Display:
22-inch touchscreen
1680 x 1050 resolution
700:1 contrast ratio
5ms response time
Storage -- 2.5-inch hard disk drive or CompactFlash
Networking -- 2 x gigabit Ethernet
Other I/O:
2 x USB
1 x VGA
Audio line output
1 x RS232
Expansion:
Mini PCI slot
Type I/II CompactFlash slot
Operating temperature -- 32 to 104 deg. F (0 to 40 deg. C)
Dimensions -- 20.07 x 13.85 x 2.16 inches (510 x 352 x 55mm)
Weight -- 10.5 pounds (4.79kg)
More info at Windows For Devices.com

Strong as a pitch fork

A trident is a long three pronged weapon. The word puts an image in my head of a determined looking old man, impossibly muscly for his advanced years, lunging out of the water, with not a salad fork, but a trident held valiantly above his head. Trident, a UK company that's an off-shoot of the multi-national distributor, Avnet, chose the word well in naming the company, which specialises in embedded hardware and devices. Embedded often means - stick me somewhere dirty, hot and out of sight. Like the new AMOS-3000.

"It is constructed in five pieces: the top cover, bottom plate, front and rear I/O panels and the DOM module, and is offered with desk, wall and VESA mounting options."

Versatile and built with solid materials worthy of the Trident name.

"The VIA AMOS-3000 is a based on the EPIA P700 Pico-ITX form factor board powered by either a 1GHz VIA C7 processor or an Ultra Low Voltage 500MHz VIA Eden processor."

So, solid, but also cool running and with no moving parts. More at TMCnet.com.

New ETX board from AAEON

VIA's processors may soon find themselves responsible for entertaining folks, with the announcment of some new boards from AAEON, designed for high end entertainment devices.
"According to the specifications of the new board, customers will be provided with a 4.5 x 3.7-inch ETX COM format that boasts a 1.6GHz VIA Eden or a 2.0GHz VIA C7 processor, combined with VIA's fully integrated CX700M media system processor, or chipset. Dubbed EXT-CX700M, the board has been designed to support up to 1GB of DDR2 memory." - Softpedia.com.

New headphone and sound technology

VIA and DTS have teamed up to create the ability for a headset that has full surround sound.
"The DTS Surround Sensation Ultra PC with Head Tracker system can create a 5.1 surround sound experience with stereo headphones, tracking head movement at 30fps and across a 60-degree field and adjusting the sound accordingly. If, say, you move your head to the left, sound from the “phantom” center speaker of the virtual 5.1 setup will be louder in the right earpiece, mimicking how a true surround system would work." - Slashgear.