Arbor announced a Qseven module that employs Via's 1.0GHz Nano U3500 processor. The Emq-v900 has 1GB of soldered-on DDR3 memory, two SATA ports, eight USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, and multiple video outputs, the company says.

Arbor's Emq-v900 uses the 2.75 x 2.75-inch Qseven module format that Congatec launched in 2008 (as part of a 14-member consortium that also included MSC Vertriebs and Seco, among others). As such, it has a 230-pin "golden finger" connector, using Nvidia's MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) format, that sends all its I/O to and from a baseboard.

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of Qseven modules have featured Intel Atom processors. We've encountered an ARM-based version (with a dual-core Nvidia Tegra 290 CPU) in the form of MSC Vertriebs' MSC Q7-NT2, and Congatec recently introduced the Conga-QAF, using AMD G-Series processors — but Arbor's new entry appears to be the first Qseven module with a Via CPU.

Arbor's Emq-v900

Specifically, the Emq-v900 employs the single-core, 1.0GHz U3500, which can idle using just 100mW, according to Via. (The chipmaker has always been coy about Nano TDPs, but this CPU uses a maximum of 5 Watts, according to Wikipedia and other sources.)

Via's comparatively large VX900 northbridge/southbridge is also part of the mix. This 31 x 31mm chip offers hardware acceleration for H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV-HD, AVS, Blu-ray, and "advanced browser streamed video technologies," all at "true HD" resolutions, its manufacturer says.

Thus, according to Arbor, the Emq-v900 module supports multiple displays. The possibilities, any two of which may be selected at once, include LVDS, DisplayPort, and TDMS (transition minimized differential signaling), the company says.

Like all the Emq-v900's other connectivity, its video outputs have to reach the outside world via a separate Qseven baseboard. While such devices are widely available, Arbor neither listed its own nor mentioned whether or not the module is compatible with third-party products (we'd assume so).

In any case, other interfaces are said to include two 3.0Gbit/sec. SATA ports (supporting RAID 0 and 1 configurations), eight USB 2.0 ports (one configurable as a client port), and HD audio. The Emq-v900 also provides SDIO and two PCI Express x1 expansion lanes, according to Arbor.

Specifications listed by Arbor for the Emq-v900 include:

• Processor — Via Nano U3500 clocked at 1.0GHz
• Chipset — Via VX900
• Memory — 1GB of soldered-on DDR3 memory
• Expansion interfaces — 2 x PCI Express x1 lanes
• Networking — 1 x gigabit Ethernet
• Other I/O:
  • LVDS
  • DisplayPort
  • TMDS
  • 8 x USB 2.0
  • 2 x SATA
  • 1 x SDIO
  • 1 x LPC
  • high definition audio
• Operating range — 32 to 140 def. F
• Power — 12VDC; 1.55A
• Dimensions — 2.75 x 2.75 inches
• Other features — watchdog timer

Further information

Arbor did not provide pricing, availability information, or operating system details for the Emq-v900. However, more information on the device may be found on the Emq-v900 product page.

Jonathan Angel can be reached at [email protected] and followed at www.twitter.com/gadgetsense.

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