Wireless Card for Via Epia MII 12000

The mother board has a 10/100 lan (RJ-45 external connector) which provide an internet connection, but taking advantage of the PCMCIA onboard slot I prefer to use a wireless card, because wireless communications are better in order to get an autonomous system.

Which wireless card?
I am using a "Proxim Gold Orinoco 8470 WD Atheros" pcmcia card, because is fully supported by linux, the principal features are:

• Atheros-based chipset
• Supports Packet Injection
• Supports PROMISCUOUS mode
• SECURITY

• 802.1x support EAP – TLS, TTLS, MD5, PEAP, LEAP
• Encryption: 128/64-bit WEP
• 802.11d Global Roaming
• MC External connector for range extension antennas

• Unlimited location profiles
• Adjustable transmit power control
• Maximum Output Power
• 802.11g: 60 mW EIRP
• 802.11b: 85 mW EIRP
  

• Data Speeds:
• Automatic fallback 802.11g modes: 54, 48, 36, 24, 18, 12, 9, 6 Mbps
• For extended range 802.11b mode: 11, 5.5, 2, 1 Mbps
  

• CardBus Card (32-bit) Type II PC Card
• Windows 98/ME/XP/2000, Mac, GNU/Linux, BSD's, and Solaris O/S

This kind of cards are very used in wardriving and wep cracking (supports promiscuous mode and packet inyection) and the external antenna connection can be very useful.

Compact Flash to IDE Adapter on Via Epia MII 12000

The CF to IDE Adapter, allows the user to use the CF Card as a normal Hard Disk Drive, this adapter functionality is invisible for the computer. The principal features of the adapter are:

* No external power needed when used on VIA’s EPIA series motherboard
* On-board LED indicators for power-on and compact flash access
* Voltage selection for +3.3V / 5V compact flash
* Master / Slave mode selection
* Fully compatible with CF Type I, II & Micro Drive
* 40-2ay ( 2.54mm ) standard IDE connector
* Power input: +5V, floppy disk Drive power connector

I am using a 4 GB Compact Flash Sandisk Extreme IV card with a Syba CF-IDE Adapter

How to boot from a CF-IDE adapter on Via Epia MII 12000:

Firstly, the hardware connection:

• The adapter does not support hot swapping, so, with the computer turned off, connect the adapter to the IDE slot, insert the CF card, and plug the floppy disk drive power connector.
• The jumpers have to be in these positions:

• JP1 - CF power source selection:
• 1-2 From external (SELECTED)
• 2-3 From the 20th pin of 40-way standard IDE connector (*)

• JP2 - CF voltage selection:
• 1-2 +5.0 Volts
• 2-3 +3.3 Volts (SELECTED)

• JP3 - CF mode selection:
• 1-2 Master/Single (SELECTED)
• 2-3 Slave

(*) I don not know exactly why, but external supply is always needed by this adapter, I have tried with two different adapters (same model) and the power source from the 20th pin does not work in this model.

Then, the correct choices of the bios have to be chosen:

• In Standard Cmos Features:
• In "Ide Primary Master" check that the hard disk is detected (with the default options)

• In Advanced Bios Features:
• Set at "Fist Boot Device" the HDD-0
• Check in "Integrated Peripherals" (in the first bios screen) that the onboard IDE channels are enabled

Finishing...
With the jumpers of the CF Adapter selected, the card correctly inserted and the bios features selected, the Hard Disk Drive is detected without problems.

I recommed to use another IDE-CF Adapter, becouse the syba model is very cheap but for me is problematic with the power source selection.

Data Storage Device: Compact Flash VS Hard Disk

In the embedded system a device for recording (storing) information is required.
In this device, the operative system (O.S) will be installed and additional data can be saved.
Two options:

2.5 Hard Disk Drive (HDD):

• Low cost (price GB/€)
• High power consumption
• Mechanical moving Parts
• Big size

Compact Flash memory card (CF):

Just the opposite from the Hard disk, that is to say, high cost per GB, low power consumption and size and non moving parts:

• Shock: Compact Flash cards have an operating shock rating of 2,000 Gs, which is equivalent to a 10-foot drop
• Data reliability: Compact Flash data is protected by built-in dynamic defect management and error correction technologies, but the
• Power: Typically consuming less than five percent of the power than that required to operate 1.8" and 2.5" disk drives, CF cards run at 3.3V or 5V with a single power supply.
  

For this project is more interesting to use a Compact Flash as data storage device (connected to the IDE bus throw a CF-IDE Adapter) , because maybe the embedded system will be used in a mobile robot and CF with non moving parts is more resistant to the shocks and make the system more autonomous with less power consumption.
In addition a 4GB memory is enough for install the operative system and other necessary software.

Sources:
CompactFlash.org

RAM Memory for Via Epia MII 12000

There are many kinds of ram memories, with different packages and speeds (see ram in wikipedia ), the Via Epia MII 12000 manufacturer specifications says:

RAM-Socket: 1 x DDR / RAM Type: DDR 266/PC2100 up 1Gb

Pc2100 and pc200 can be used, technically you can use PC3200 or above if you like, but there will be no performance advantage over PC2700.
The processor only has a 266 MHz front side bus, so theoretically PC2100 (DDR266) is all you need. However, PC2700 (DDR333) is often cheaper and more easily found than PC2100, and there can be a functional performance advantage in some instances; at very least, the PC2700 will clock down to PC2100 and go merrily along, so there's no harm in using a higher frequency memory module.

I have bought a 512MB PC2700 DDR 333MHZ Memory Module 184PIN (unknown manufacturer) throw eBay (22€), it works perfectly. Very easy to install, just plug in the slot until listen the "click".

Sources:
News Forge: Review: VIA Epia MII-12000 motherboard

PicoPSU 120 W on Via Epia MII 12000

Este post va en ingles, basicamente porque ya lo tenia escrito de antes en este idioma asi que ahi va, suerte:

PicoPSU-120 12V DC-DC ATX power supply features:

• 120 Watts
• 12V input
• 100% silent, fanless
• Over 96% efficiency
• Plugs directly into the ATX connector
• Intel Core Duo compatible
• Perfect for mini-ITX boards

More info ( 3D model, IGS format, manual, picutes, etc... ) here
manufactured by mini-box.com



To supply the PicoPSU is also necessary an 12V external AC-DC power brick adaptor, I am using a 5 A one, which in theory generate 60W (5A x 12V = 60W.) that means that the PicoPSU cannot reach the top, 120W, only is able to obtain 60W, but this is not a problem, because 60W is more than enough for the designed embedded system.

The reason because I am using the 5 A externeal brick instead of the ideal 10A (which can generate 120W) is the price, a 10A one can cost more than the double and for me is not necessary.


Connecting 120w PicoPSU to the board:
The process is very simple:

1. Plug the PicoPSU directly into the ATX connector of the mother board.
2. Connect the PicoPSU to the external AC-DC 12V external brick.
3. Plug the brick to 220V.
4. In this moment, the microprocessor fan will turn a half of turn, and the led of the PicoPSU will light.
5. To turn on the computer, is important to read the Case Connector functionality from the MII 12000 users guide:

Case Connector: F_PANEL
The F_PANEL connector block allows you to connect to the power switch,
reset switch, power LED, HDD LED, SLED and the Speaker on the case.

• Power Switch (PW_BN):Connect to a 2-pin push button switch. Pressing this button will turn the system power on or off.
• Reset Switch (RESET) The Reset Switch is used to reboot the system rather than turning the power ON/OFF. Avoid rebooting while the HDD is working. You can connect the Reset Switch from the system case to this pin.
• Power LED (PWR LED) The LED is lit when the system is power on. If the system is in S1 (POS -Power On Suspend) or S3 (STR - Suspend To RAM) state, the LED will blink.
• HDD LED: HDD LED shows the activity of a hard disk drive. Avoid turning the power off while HDD LED is lit. Connect the HDD LED from the system case to this pin.
• SLP_LED: The SLP_LED is lit when the system is in the S1 (POS - Power On Suspend) state.
• Speaker: The speaker from the system is connected to this pin.

Therefore, to turn it on, just put a push button switch (and press it) or put jumper between the pins 6 and 8.

Fuente de alimentación para Via Epia MII 12000

El siguiente paso para dejar la placa base funcionando es elegir una fuente de alimentación adecuada para sistemas empotrados:

Los requerimientos que tenemos son:

• Tamaño pequeño/ ligero
• Que se alimente de 12V, ideal para baterias
• Alta eficiencia
• Bajo coste (por supuesto)
  

en el mercado hay:

• PICOPSU de 60, 80 y 120 W. :
  
• Tamaño ultra pequeño, 100% silenciosa, sin ventilador, mas del 90% de eficiencia, se conecta directamente al conector ATX de la placa base (manufactured by mini-box.com)

• M1/M2-ATX Series: con rango de tensiones de entrada entre 6-24V ,100% silenciosa, con sistema de prevención de descarga de bateria, 90 or 160 W. de salida, los inconvenientes son su tamaño, no tan reducido como la pico-psu, y que no se conecta directametne al conector ATX de la placa base, lo que requiere mas cables. (manufactured by mini-box.com)

• PW Modulos: muchas opciones: PW-200-M (200W), PW-200-V (200W), PW60 (60W), PW70 (70W). Todas con 12v de entrada, se conecta directamente al conector ATX, 100% silenciosa.(manufactured by mini-box.com)

Mi eleccion final ha sido una 120W PicoPSU, 60€ en ebay de segunda mano(con un transformador de 220AC a 12V DC) in www.ebay.co.uk.

Nota: por el momento no estoy 100% seguro de que la pico-psu se pueda conectar directamente a una pila de 12V, sin ningun otro regulador o elemento similar entre medias.

Información sobre Via Epia MII 12000

He recopilado algunos enlaces interesantes sobre la placa base que voy a usar, la Via Epia MII 12000:

Enlaces de información general (en inglés):

• www.via.com pagina oficial.
  
• Oficial forum foro muy interesante sobre placas mini-itx.
  
• Epiacenter.com una de las mejores fuentes de información
  
• Mini-itx.com ejemplos de modding de placas mini-itx.
• Epia HowTo
  
• Calculator calculadora para la fuente de alimentación.

Información sobre mi placa (en inglés):

• Via Epia MII 12000 review1 ( * * )
• Via Epia MII 12000 review2 ( * * * * )
• Via Epia MII 12000 review3 ( * * * )
• Via Epia MII 12000 review4 ( * )
• Via Epia MII 12000: sitio oficial con drivers, manuales e imagenes.