[geeks] Intel D201GLY2 is out...

[Lionel Peterson]

>From: Shannon Hendrix <shannon at widomaker.com>
>Date: 2007/10/31 Wed PM 06:23:15 CDT
>To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>Subject: Re: [geeks] Intel D201GLY2 is out...

>On Oct 31, 2007, at 2:24 PM, Lionel Peterson wrote:
>
>> FOr those who don't remember/care, this is the revision of the  
>> Intel Celeron-based uITX MB with built-in CPU/Cooler for $70 I  
>> spoke of a while ago. The main difference, two on-board 1.5 Gb/sec  
>> SATA ports, along with the PATA 100/66 port.

<snip>

>> Intel link: http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/D201GLY2/ 
>> index.htm

<snip>

>Neato!
>
>My usual question when I see something like this is, "How reliable is  
>it?"

It runs fine, but beware - the video chipset is a bit odd, and last I looked it was hard to find "proper" video drivers for Linux (generic drivers were OK, but I didn't look too hard) the machine wound up running WinXP Pro and Intel supplied proper drivers for that OS.

>I would love to replace my space hog heaters that I use for email and  
>general server duty with a tiny little machine based on something  
>like this, but 24/7 without issue is a requirement too.
>
>This is very tempting to play with.

The issues I came up with were:

 - Requires a 2x2 12v "processor" power lead
 - Uses a 20 pin (not 24 pin) power connector (not more popular 24 pin moden PS use - but a 24 pin works fine)
 - heatsink on CPU is very tall (because it was made to be used without a chassis fan, IIRC. Your chassis choices are limited, and truely small chassis will cost some real money.

A great idea might be to put one of these in a Sun 911 chassis (or lunchbox IPC/IPX/LX case), using a fairly standard adapter that lets you run a mini-ITX system off a 12V HD supply lead (like this: http://www.mini-box.com/PicoPSU-80-WI-32V)...

Lionel