SFF S370 Motherboard + WORKING!! IR Keyboard $30 @ Package2You

[mindless1]

Package2You has ECS P6STP-FN Motherboard bundled with an Infrared Keyboard w/mouse (stick) for ( EDIT: ) $30

Package2You Product Description Page (order from their homepage, the first link above).
Another picture of the motherboard

EDIT: ECS product page for motherboard has disappeared, for a limited time you can see a backup copy salvaged from Google's cache - ECS Product Page

These are special-purpose for sure, having Infrared keyboard, only a single PCI slot, NO SERIAL, PARALLEL, OR PS/2 PORTS , and unfortunately, NO INTEGRATED SOUND I was thinking TIVO, but have no experience with these boards, and less than average satisfaction for ECS boards in general.

EDIT: Thanks to fxsts for discovering that only the sound PORTS are missing, a soldering iron + stereo jacks & a possible jumper change (see fxsts's posts) = working onboard sound.

EDIT: Kudos to sativen for getting the IR keyboard working!! Finally these can be useful. IR Keyboard cable plugs into motherboard header J2, red wire end down (see manaul pg 36). IF it's plugged in backwards it may fry the receiver so be careful.


Any suggestions for a deals on S370 CPU might make a good contribution to this thread... I don't think these will run a Tualatin, but who knows with some hacking?

Directron Celeron 700 Sale $27
Edit: Directron sale is over, now $34


Package2You has realtime inventory updates to their website.

EDIT: 54 available as of time/date below.

 

[DongTran]

7.42 reseller ratings for the lazy

 

[alm99]

why can't this mb have two pci slots, i would be all over it. Anyone have any idea the onboard video will be for tv-out?

 

[kami333]

Might be worth getting it just for the keyboard and using the board as a router or something. I wonder what the connection on the reciever is, the manufacturer's website mentions ps/2 link but it's probably built into the motherboard since they give that option.

Further reading shows that "NOTE: Keyboard and Transceiver is in non retail box" but how to hook it up without ps/2 or parallel ports? Might be worth shooting them an email and asking them for clarification.

 

[fxsts]

Cool. I ordered one. I can swap MS-6312 in my NetVista case with this so that I can connect it to TV and surf on the net from my couch using the infrared keyboard/mouse.

You can get NetVista case off ebbbay for $15 - $25.

 

[fxsts]

I found out that it does not have AUDIO after I ordered it.

Need to find a cheap low profile sound card somewhere.

 

[Zambonni]

Sadly these will probably not work for tivo like systems. Since you would need a tv capture card, you would
be out of pci slots. I can't believe these have no onboard audio since the ecs page states they do. Why would you make a mb with onboard lan and video and no onboard sound?

If these had audio, they would be awesome.

Anyone know of any cpu that would work in these that could get by with just a heatsink? Don't the via/cyrix chips run cool enough to get by with just passive cooling?

 

[kami333]

Yeah, C3s you can run without a fan easily. However, if you are doing captures it might be a bit slow. I have a Epia with a C3 800 and it does dvds, divx, and mp3 just fine.

I wonder if this is a case of just not having the ports? As in the controller chip is already there but they didn't attach the connectors to save some money? In that case it maybe possible to just solder on some connectors. I think the Sis630 does audio too, right? Interesting idea.

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: kami333
Yeah, C3s you can run without a fan easily. However, if you are doing captures it might be a bit slow. I have a Epia with a C3 800 and it does dvds, divx, and mp3 just fine.

I wonder if this is a case of just not having the ports? As in the controller chip is already there but they didn't attach the connectors to save some money? In that case it maybe possible to just solder on some connectors. I think the Sis630 does audio too, right? Interesting idea.

I was thinking along the same lines, just got off the phone with Package2You... It doen't have the audio chip onboard, nor the internal audio I/O jacks, it looks like no way to get the audio except using the only PCI port or something USB.

These are revision 1.0 boards (Does this matter? I don't know, just more info). Network port is integrated onboard, not a dongle-style slot bracket.

 

[vladgur]

I think people are trying too hard to create a pc-based tivo/replaytv equivalent. Some go as far as spending $150+ on AIW cards. I think it would be better to just buy the tivo/replaytv then waste your time and efforts on building a system and trying to get it to work as convenient as tivo does. Trust me, I tried it and build a number of HTPCs and none of them work anywhere close as gracefully as my PVR501 DVR for dishnetwork which is already inferior to TIVO.

But if you build a nice DVD/DIVX/MP3/Internet Jukebox out of this mobo and netvista, and just get a cheap spdif-out soundcard and a pci-riser for sound, it might just work. Forget about PVR, focus on perfecting other functions

 

[mindless1]

Originally posted by: Zambonni
Sadly these will probably not work for tivo like systems. Since you would need a tv capture card, you would
be out of pci slots. I can't believe these have no onboard audio since the ecs page states they do. Why would you make a mb with onboard lan and video and no onboard sound?

If these had audio, they would be awesome.

Anyone know of any cpu that would work in these that could get by with just a heatsink? Don't the via/cyrix chips run cool enough to get by with just passive cooling?

Possible USB Sound + Solutions
USB Sound ?
Another USB Sound
USB Sound $$$
USB Sound

2-3 years ago I had a Celeron 566@850 that used passive (fanless) heatsink (but was directly under the PSU air intake). I wonder if Celeron 700 for $30 would be a good match for this.

 

[fxsts]

I would run FCPGA Celeron around 700Mhz w/ very slow running fan (one of those from 486 era). Those usually do not make almost any noise at all. C3s are too weak for DVD, Divx, MP3, and etc. (For me, it's no reason othber than I happen to have a spare 633Mhz Celeron hanging around).

I have also run a FC-PGA Celeron w/o any fan, but it was with a bigger HS and in a larger ATX case.

NetVista case does not have any active airflow other than the small PS fan, so I would at least put a little fan on HS.

 

[Zambonni]

Thanks mindless1, makes this more interesting.

Yes, you cannot create a htpc that is on par with a tivo, but you can create a htpc that
can be multifuction (unlike the tivo)

You can play divx, mp3, browse, email, etc and also schedule, capture, and play back your favorite TV shows.

 

[vladgur]

That would be possible and maybe even worth it if you dont already have a set-top PVR. And if you dont have a set-top PVR, I would suggest to go out and get one. PVRs are like microwaves, you dont know whats youre missing untill you have it and after you got it, you wont go back. Its just A LOT MORE convinient than having to deal with PC issues while watching TV. Lets face it, you watch tv much more often that you watch dvd/divx movies. So make one convinient by buying a tivo/replaytv and make the other one possible by building a quiet inexpensive htpc. Combining them will result in reduced experience in both most likely, because you wont be able to perfect the PVR on PC experience and you wont have time to perfect the DVD/DIVX experience since youre consumed by the PVR configuration....

If you have enough time, nearly anything is possible. Its all about how valuable your time to you.

 

[fxsts]

Originally posted by: vladgur
That would be possible and maybe even worth it if you dont already have a set-top PVR. And if you dont have a set-top PVR, I would suggest to go out and get one. PVRs are like microwaves, you dont know whats youre missing untill you have it and after you got it, you wont go back. Its just A LOT MORE convinient than having to deal with PC issues while watching TV. Lets face it, you watch tv much more often that you watch dvd/divx movies. So make one convinient by buying a tivo/replaytv and make the other one possible by building a quiet inexpensive htpc. Combining them will result in reduced experience in both most likely, because you wont be able to perfect the PVR on PC experience and you wont have time to perfect the DVD/DIVX experience since youre consumed by the PVR configuration....

If you have enough time, nearly anything is possible. Its all about how valuable your time to you.

I totally agree with vladgur. Tivo/ReplayTV would be better routes if anyone wants to record TV.

As far as I am concerned, I am just getting this because it's kind of my hobby to get into these things and build/work on those which are somewhat useless (i.e. I-opener, ePod, ....).

After I buid it and finish setting it up with my big screen TV, I will probably never use it. When I want to watch DVD, I will use my DVD player. I will use my computer(s) for web surfing. I never watch Divx, and I only use Mp3s to burn them onto CDs to play them in my cars.

Some people play games and waste their time. I build useless stuff to waste my time. Oh, well.

 

[vladgur]

Im sort of that way too, except most of the time I dont know ahead of time that its going to be useless. I too have an Iopener dusting away somewhere

 

[Zambonni]

We all must be I-opener folks! I still use mine. It is in the stereo cabinet hooked to the receiver to play mp3s off the main machine in the den. usb ethernet and win98se - totally silent after drives spin down. I just need a replacement that will do more than the old iopener.

 

[kami333]

Dammit, I sent them a email asking clarification on the transciever and all I get is a generic "check our website, it has all the info" reply. Guess I'll have to call them tomorrow.

 

[fxsts]

My I-Opener is sitting in my roon next to my Barbie PC and ePods. I spent a lot of time & money on it. But after I was done with it, I moved on to the next project and have not touched it much ever since.

Anyway, regarding this board not having the sound. As far as I know, SIS 630 is a single chip all integrated chipset. So it should have sound built in regardless of whether or not the board has a header for it or not. I am hoping that it just does not have the header, but has the trace for it so that I could just put some jumpers on.

If it's not the case, I could possibly put an internal circuitry of a cheap USB speaker in the case.

Well, let's see.

 

[bzo]

while the Sis chipset on this board appears to have built in sound, according to the ECS page, it looks like they are using an external CMI chip. On the picture, you can see it on the far corner of the board by the pci slot.

So if what package2you says is correct, and the sound chip itself is missing, there is probably little hope for hooking up audio.

 

[alm99]

this thing would be a good mp3 box for the living room

 

[fxsts]

Originally posted by: alm99
this thing would be a good mp3 box for the living room

Only if you get the sound to work, or buy a set of USB speakers/sound system.


Edit:
Sorry. I was only thinkinfg for myself. Of course, if you do not use NetVista or any other low profile cases, you can always put a PCI sound card in.

 

[alm99]

Originally posted by: fxsts

Originally posted by: alm99
this thing would be a good mp3 box for the living room

Only if you get the sound to work, or buy a set of USB speakers/sound system.


Edit:
Sorry. I was only thinkinfg for myself. Of course, if you do not use NetVista or any other low profile cases, you can always put a PCI sound card in.[/

The motherboard has RCA and S-Video outputs on it, at least thats what the decription says, to hook up to the TV. Just add a sound card. I would think this would work. It beats having cds around and dealing with them

 

[fxsts]

Originally posted by: alm99

Originally posted by: fxsts

Originally posted by: alm99
this thing would be a good mp3 box for the living room

Only if you get the sound to work, or buy a set of USB speakers/sound system.


Edit:
Sorry. I was only thinkinfg for myself. Of course, if you do not use NetVista or any other low profile cases, you can always put a PCI sound card in.[/

The motherboard has RCA and S-Video outputs on it, at least thats what the decription says, to hook up to the TV. Just add a sound card. I would think this would work. It beats having cds around and dealing with them

My problem is that I have a low profile case, and I have not been able to find any low profile PCI soundcard. I do not even know if anyone makes such a thing when integrated sound has gotten this common.

 

[vladgur]

there are quiite a few of low-profile sound cards. None of them have SPDIF-out though