D945GCLF - complete with Intel Atom

Originally Posted by Fuzzy_3D

Hi, I have 4 quick questions about this Board / CPU combo.

1. Can you Over and Under clock the CPU?

2. Can it decode 1080p H264 24fps content at stock clocks?

3. Can you use the PCI slot for an add in Video card (for component/composite output)?

4. What does it score in Cinebench 10?

1. Not in this version of the BIOS - there are no FSB or multiplier configuration options.

2. No. I tried Trailer 3 of The Dark Knight from apple.com/trailers and it stuttered a lot.

3. Presumably, I hadn't tried... stock standard PCI slot as far as I'm aware. Interestingly, I noticed that in FudZilla's review they have a DVI port - I most definitely have a VGA port - so there may be more versions of this board floating around that we are not quite aware of yet (so don't be disappointed it doesn't come in your favorite color because it might just).

4. I'll add this to the list of benchmarks to run tomorrow (currently running Smoothwall in a test environment under load to see how it goes).

Just regarding benchmarks, I'm open to trying any however they will need to be readily available (still disappointed that all of the benchmarks VIA has released of their Nano seem to be using proprietary benchmarks that I for instance cannot get a hold of to run on the Atom).

Originally Posted by InorganicMatter

Only one LAN port?

Darn it. I need a board with two LAN ports on it, and I really want to avoid using the PCI slot. Mini-ITX cases go way up in size and price when PCI slots get involved.

I take it using a PCI riser card (1 to 2 slots) would be out of the question? I suppose it'd take you out of Mini-ITX and into the 1U formfactor, but if you were crafty with the positioning of the powersupply/drives it'd still be damn small!

I still find it hard to believe that it only has one LAN port... I am with the guy above... a Smoothwall or IPCOP, would be what a TON of people would use one of these boards for....

I don't care about 1 LAN, I wished it had Gigabit LAN on the PCI-E bus. This will make an awesome low power file-server.

Just wait guys, they'll have quite a few Atom boards out by the end of the year. Did anyone see the boards from MSI and Gigaybte from the Computex coverage? They've got gigabit LAN over PCI-E.

Intel is making a huge push for Mini-ITX.

Delete Please.

Originally Posted by oDii

1. Not in this version of the BIOS - there are no FSB or multiplier configuration options.

Actually according to the manuals now available on their site, you can adjust the Multiplier from the "Maintainance" menu when the board is set to "Configure" mode. (CMOS jumper on pins 2-3)

Originally Posted by squeezee

Actually according to the manuals now available on their site, you can adjust the Multiplier from the "Maintainance" menu when the board is set to "Configure" mode. (CMOS jumper on pins 2-3)

Really? I can only presume I'm running a different version of the BIOS that they used to write that as when I set the board to "maintainence" and even "recovery" (no pins jumpered), I had no options for setting the multiplier. All either mode does is give access to the Maintainence menu, which allows for clearing passwords and reenabling USB ports and the like - nothing to do with any clocking options.

I'd also strongly suspect that if I flashed the BIOS to the version that they're using, the option would not actually change the multiplier as this seems to be the way Intel is heading.

Ahh, yeah looking at it again the list of bios options is generic for a range of boards, so they may not have put the feature in there. Supposedly you change "Default Frequency Ratio" to disabled, then you can adjust "CPU Frequency Multiplier", but if the option isn't there what can you do.

Either way with the low power draw and performance of the chip i don't think it's worthwhile to underclock it anyways. Hell you'll get better power savings by unplugging your keyboard or mouse.

If we're lucky perhaps a non-intel board will come along and give us some overclocking options.

Originally Posted by Raz1r

Just wait guys, they'll have quite a few Atom boards out by the end of the year. Did anyone see the boards from MSI and Gigaybte from the Computex coverage? They've got gigabit LAN over PCI-E.

Intel is making a huge push for Mini-ITX.

I hope so... I mean pair a 2w CPU with a 25w chipset... how dumb is that? Poulsbo is the mobile Atom chipset and that would rock for a SFF PC - it also has H264 acceleration etc so would make for a great HTPC, low power server or NAS box, the list goes on....

Even Asus new eBox doesnt have a decent chipset!

Originally Posted by Methanoid

I hope so... I mean pair a 2w CPU with a 25w chipset... how dumb is that? Poulsbo is the mobile Atom chipset and that would rock for a SFF PC - it also has H264 acceleration etc so would make for a great HTPC, low power server or NAS box, the list goes on....

Even Asus new eBox doesnt have a decent chipset!

The Atom N270 (netbook) or Atom N230(nettop) processors are limited by Intel for use with the 945GSE or 945GC chipsets respectively. So don't get your hopes up about other manufacturers using different chipsets.

The chipsets you're thinking of are for use with the Atom Centrino platform, which is only going to be in smaller more pocket-formfactor devices.

Originally Posted by squeezee

The Atom N270 (netbook) or Atom N230(nettop) processors are limited by Intel for use with the 945GSE or 945GC chipsets respectively. So don't get your hopes up about other manufacturers using different chipsets.

The chipsets you're thinking of are for use with the Atom Centrino platform, which is only going to be in smaller more pocket-formfactor devices.

err Wikipedia seems to say 945GSE IS Poulsbo.... which is the Atom chipset with accelerated video decode built in!??!

If this had Onboard S/PDIF I'd get rid of my Core 2 Quad and use one of these as my foobar2000 computer.

(I own a MacBook, but I use foobar for my music on a second PC)

Originally Posted by Methanoid

err Wikipedia seems to say 945GSE IS Poulsbo.... which is the Atom chipset with accelerated video decode built in!??!

If you followed my link you'll see that the Atom MID chipsets are the System Controller Hubs, the US15W for example has hardware video decode.

Wikipedia says lots of things which aren't quite correct, link.

Man, I just noticed that mini-ITX board also has a 12V CPU connector. /facepalm

Those things are a pain in mini-ITX systems. Finding a reasonably priced case with a PSU capable of outputting the required power and having the right connectors is a real challenge.

Originally Posted by InorganicMatter

Man, I just noticed that mini-ITX board also has a 12V CPU connector. /facepalm

I read somewhere (an e-store in Portugal where you can actually pre-order one of these) that this board actually has the 4-pin connector "pre-bridged", which I assume means you don't actually REQUIRE the connector to be present, only advisable.

Which makes A LOT of sense, since the damn CPU consumes less than the southbridge, which I believe gets its power from the ATX12V connector...

Btw, AFAIK, most (if not all) PicoPSUs now ship with the Molex>ATX12V2 converter, so that will only be a problem in configurations VERY tight on space (though you'll have to deal with the oversized SB cooler first... hehe)

Cheers.

Miguel


P.S.: Anyone knows when these ones will be available in Europe? Especially in Portugal? And/or if they're easy to find in the US (I might have someone go there in a while, and getting stuff at half the price it would usually cost me - customs, import taxes, VAT, VAT again, reseller margins, stupid 1:1 USD:Euro convertion rate followed by resellers, etc. - is always nice... hehe)

Originally Posted by Methanoid

err Wikipedia seems to say 945GSE IS Poulsbo.... which is the Atom chipset with accelerated video decode built in!??!

Originally Posted by squeezee

If you followed my link you'll see that the Atom MID chipsets are the System Controller Hubs, the US15W for example has hardware video decode.

Wikipedia says lots of things which aren't quite correct, link.

At least the 945GSE has a low TDP of 6W, compared to the 945GC with 22W.

If we could get a mini-itx board with Atom N270 + 945GSE + Gigabit LAN controller it would be great for a server/nas or other network device. For HTPC uses the G45 mini-itx board should be a good option.

Yup, 945GSE and Gigabit would do me then!!

Can you guys help a doddering old fool. I am sure I have seen a screenshot or page where some guy has got OSX running on an Atom CPU.

Anyone got a link. I've spent last few days looking... I didnt imagine it.... really!!

Originally Posted by Methanoid

I hope so... I mean pair a 2w CPU with a 25w chipset... how dumb is that? Poulsbo is the mobile Atom chipset and that would rock for a SFF PC - it also has H264 acceleration etc so would make for a great HTPC, low power server or NAS box, the list goes on....

Even Asus new eBox doesnt have a decent chipset!

Originally Posted by squeezee

The Atom N270 (netbook) or Atom N230(nettop) processors are limited by Intel for use with the 945GSE or 945GC chipsets respectively. So don't get your hopes up about other manufacturers using different chipsets.

What he said, plus the following:

Unfortunately, Intel imposed pretty severe limitations on the Atom packages. First, the CPUs are only designed to be used with two different chipsets, both based on the aging 90nm-based (at least) tech: the 945G. While that IS a good chipset for this performance level (it's still one of the most prevalent in entry-level Intel-based systems), the power output is REALLY off the charts. That probably won't change until the shrink on the CPU and chipset, next year or so. When that happens, we'll probably have a single package CPU+MCH+IOCH (CPU+Northbridge+Southbridge) combo, all 45nm-based, with VERY good power and performance features. Untill then, however, we're stuck....

The 945GSE is not really an option for the desktop market. It is a very compelling chipset power-wise, but because of Intel impositions on the nettop configurations, you can't have SATA with that CPU+chipset combo (which sucks big time). That's why you probably won't see mobos based off that chipset. Well, that and the fact apparently Intel has driver issues with the IGP of the 945GSE (that seems to be very common with Intel...)

Which brings me to the point... The desktop EeePC has a SATA drive, NOT IDE. And its power draw is in the 20W region. That begs the question: Why are power draw figures of this motherboard so high? Surely the chipset can handle lower voltages and still behave correctly... I mean, it can go as high as 1066MHz FSB on stock voltages, and the Atom only needs half that.

Cheers.

Miguel

Originally Posted by Methanoid

Yup, 945GSE and Gigabit would do me then!!

Can you guys help a doddering old fool. I am sure I have seen a screenshot or page where some guy has got OSX running on an Atom CPU.

Anyone got a link. I've spent last few days looking... I didnt imagine it.... really!!

I've not seen one confirmed yet. Once I get my board I'll check it out. It should be quite easy, the 945GC area on OSX86 recorded no problems with the chipset. As long as the Atom behaves it should be a piece of cake to install 10.5.1 on.

I know that netkas released a screenshot of a benchmark with an Atom processor, but I'm not sure it was with this board, or even with this version of the Atom.

Originally Posted by __Miguel_

Which brings me to the point... The desktop EeePC has a SATA drive, NOT IDE. And its power draw is in the 20W region. That begs the question: Why are power draw figures of this motherboard so high? Surely the chipset can handle lower voltages and still behave correctly... I mean, it can go as high as 1066MHz FSB on stock voltages, and the Atom only needs half that.

The EEE Box uses the mobile platform (N270/945GSE), not the desktop/nettop (230/945GC) platform that the D945GCLF does. I didn't see anything that would preclude them from having SATA drives since the ICH7-M provides the functionality.