VIA Releases New ETX Module Equipped with a Dual-Core CPU

Having established itself as the primary provider on the niche market, though not one bereft of troubles, of embedded hardware, VIA has announced the latest computing module, bearing the name of VIA ETX-8X90.

VIA's computing modules, similar to small board PCs really, are made in such a way that they can take any role assigned to them, while also wasting as little energy as possible.

The ETX-8X90 is no exception, featuring not only the 1.2 GHz VIA Nano X2 E-Series dual core processor, but also the VIA VX900 media system processor.

Alongside them, packed inside the 114 x 95 mm package (4.48 x 3.74 inches), are two memory slots (up to 4 GB of DDR3 RAM supported), a pair of PCI buses, an ISA bus, one SATA port (for storage), one IDE slot (also for storage) and a pair of COM ports.

In addition to that, VIA implemented 18/24-bit dual-channel LVDS, a VGA port (resolution of up to 2560 x 1600 pixels), four USB 2.0 ports and a pair of mini USB connectors.

Finally, since no self-respecting computing system, even a small one such as this, is complete without network connectivity, the VIA ETX-8X90 got 10/100 Ethernet as well.

"We continue to broaden the range of our Computer-on-Module portfolio with the addition of the ETX legacy form factor," said Epan Wu, head of the VIA embedded platform division, VIA Technologies, Inc.

"The VIA ETX-8X90 module provides industry leading processing performance in the shape of the VIA Nano X2 E processor allowing existing ETX customers to quickly scale to today's requirements."

VIA ETX-8X90 features hardware acceleration for the VC1, WMV9, MPEG-2 and H.264 video formats, and works under a wide range of Windows and Linux systems. A proprietary start-up kit including a multi-I/O baseboard reference can help customers set up whatever system they have in mind. The product page located here has more information.