Just got my Fit-PC2: Questions & thoughts

[vikking]

Hi!

My Fit-PC2 just arrived that I intend to use as HTPC. I slammed in an 30GB Kingston SSD and stared toying with it. Now I have a couple of questions and issues. I used google and this forum on every term I didn't understand immediately and issue I had. (it's running Windows XP SP3)

BIOS:
- What are the C-states/GV3
- What is LCD Clock
- What is Watchdog Timer (only thing I found is that it has something to do with when the OS hangs)
- I know what spread spectrum is, but since this box isn't intended for overclocking, what's the use?


Software:
- What's the difference between the GMA drivers, IEGD and EMGD?
- Device manager shows a device called: AVR309:USB to UART protocol converter (simple), what is it?

Also, the first time I installed an nLited Windows XP SP3, it had some serious issues with the video driver. The screen just randomly stalled. And video wasn't smooth at all... The second time I tried it with a vanilla XP SP3: it boots and when the display driver is loaded the display output just disappears: my screen even goes to standby... Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

[fly]

- What's the difference between the GMA drivers, IEGD and EMGD?

GMA drivers are shipped on most consumer hardwares featuring the GMA500 GPU integrated in the US15W chipset (aka poulsbo). However, the cipset was originally designed for embedded use, so we have drivers from Intel Embedded, too: IEGD, IVI, EMGD.. the names cahnge, but the core functionality is the same.

- Device manager shows a device called: AVR309:USB to UART protocol converter (simple), what is it?

Most likely the IR Controller with is a serial device connected to an internal USB line.

- What is Watchdog Timer (only thing I found is that it has something to do with when the OS hangs)

The watchdog can reboot the system after a set period, no matter if the unit runs, hangs or is off. When your system is up an running, you can reset the timer so it wont reboot. If it hangs, resetting stops and the unit reboots.

What are the C-states/GV3

C-states do disable specific parts of the cpu to save power. There are global states for the entire system (G and S states -- you might know suspend-to-ram and suspend-to-disk). GV3.. uhm, actually I will have to look up this one

but since this box isn't intended for overclocking

Over- or mostly underlocking could be quite interesting. However, this is not supported nor advised. Some devices might not work correctly.

What is LCD Clock

Just guessing: The clock rate for LVDS or DVI out? However, it should be enabled.

[vikking]

Wow awesome, thanks, that does shine some light on everything.

One problem though: them video drivers + h264 hardware decoding gives BSOD... I read about this somewhere else, but the thread was dated some months back so I hoped it would've been fixed by now. Is there a solution to this?

[fly]

GV3

GV3 is not a state, but means Geyserville Version 3. Geyserville is the codename for Intel's SpeedStep Technology. GV3 is referring to the enhanced version, EIST.

One problem though: them video drivers + h264 hardware decoding gives BSOD... I read about this somewhere else, but the thread was dated some months back so I hoped it would've been fixed by now. Is there a solution to this?

As far as I know, when using XP you need special codecs for the hardware video acceleration to work. I read somewhere about the BSODed systems, too, but actually, I have to search the forum myself. I don't use windows and am not uptodate on the windows graphics drivers. You should use the drivers provided by CompuLab themself.

nLited

I wouldn't use nLite and tools theirlike for productive work environments.

[vikking]

About nLite: yea I know, that's why it runs a vanilla SP3 at the moment

Maybe I should look into running Ubuntu...