Norco announced a fanless, Linux-ready mini PC with support for 1080p video. The 4.7 x 4.7 x 1.6-inch BIS-6620III incorporates the Intel Atom Z510 CPU and Intel SCH US15W chipset, and offers an HDMI port, SD and CF slots, a gigabit Ethernet port, five USB 2.0 ports, and extended temperature support, says the company.

The BIS-6620III was shown at Computex in Taipei in early June, but is now making its formal debut, says Norco. The mini-PC is suitable for HD media player, kiosk, proximity, digital signage, POS, thin-client and "build your own embedded system" applications, says the company.

Norco BIS-6620III

The BIS-6620III is equipped with the original 1.1GHz Intel Atom Z510 and SCH US15W companion chipset. Unlike the 945GSE chipset that's typically combined with the Atom N270, the SCH US15W is claimed to be capable of decoding 1080p (1920 x 1080) video. 

BIS-6620III front detail

The computer is said to support 2D and advanced 3D graphics, as well as full hardware acceleration of H.264, MPEG2, VC1, and WMV9 video formats at up to 1080p quality. Unlike the previous DVI-enabled BIS-6620II model, an HDMI port is supplied, which is claimed to output at up to 1920 x 1080 resolution.

BIS-6620III back detail

The BIS-6620III is further equipped with a single DDR2 SODIMM memory slot. The slot supports up to either 1GB of memory, according to the datasheet, or 2GB, according to the press release.

The computer offers a CompactFlash socket, as well as a separate SD slot for memory expansion, says Norco. In addition, a 1.8-inch, SATA2 ready storage bay is available for a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD) drive, says the company.

Unlike the earlier BIS-6620II, this third-gen box offers a gigabit Ethernet port, but it is missing the previously available COM ports. The computer also provides five USB 2.0 ports, two of which are front facing, compared to two USB ports total on the previous model.

A PS/2 keyboard/mouse port is available, as are headphone and a microphone jacks, says Norco. A Wi-Fi radio and external antenna are said to be optional.

The fanless computer runs on 12V DC power and is said to offer extended temperature support of 14 to 122 deg. F (-10 to 50 deg. C), as well as vibration resistance. VESA mounting is also said to be available.

Specifications listed for the Norco BIS-6620III include:

• Processor — Intel Atom Z510; BPC-7652+AFC-450H motherboard support
• Chipset — Intel SCH US15W northbridge/southbridge chipset with GMA500 graphics
• Memory — Up to 1GB DDR2 via 1 x SODIMM slot; 256MB shareable as video memory
• Storage/memory expansion:
  • 1 x CompactFlash slot
  • 1 x SD memory card reader
  • 1.8-inch HDD/SSD bay with SATA2 support
• Networking — 1 x gigabit Ethernet port (Realtek RTL8111C); optional Wi-Fi with external antenna
• Other I/O:
  • 5 x USB 2.0 ports (2 x front-facing)
  • 1 x PS2 port (keyboard/mouse)
  • 1 x mic
  • 1 x line-in
• Other features — Power and HDD LEDs; VESA mounting; "heavy duty steel" enclosure
• Operating temperature — 14 to 122 deg. F (-10 to 50 deg. C)
• Vibration resistance — 0.5g rms/5-500Hz random
• Dimensions — 4.7 x 4.7 1.57 inches (120 x 120 x 40mm)
• Weight — 17.6 oz (500 g)
• Operating system — Linux; Windows XP Embedded, XP, Vista, and Windows 7, with plans to also support Windows Embedded Standard 7

Availability

No information was provided on the pricing or availability of the BIS-6620III. More information may be found in a PDF datasheet, here.

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