Synology Inc. today officially released DiskStation Manager 2.3 (Synology DSM 2.3) firmware that has attracted participation of over 10,000 enthusiastic users in the beta program since January 2010. Synology DSM 2.3 introduces simple volume management with the new Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR), EZ-Internet Wizard, shared folder encryption, surveillance iPhone® App, backup to the cloud with Amazon S3®, and enhanced versions of File Station, Surveillance Station, Photo Station, and Audio Station.

“We continue to provide customers with easy to use features and applications,” said Edward Lin, marketing director of Synology Inc. The SHR simplifies RAID setup by optimizing the disk capacities with data redundancy when different sized hard drives are used. The EZ-Internet Wizard guides users through the steps to establish access to the DiskStation from the Internet, including firewall settings, PPPoE setup or DDNS registration, including router port forwarding configuration. “Thank you for an amazing product that keeps getting better for each release,” commented Ole Anders Bøe from Norway, a participant of the DSM 2.3 beta rewards program.

Flexible security is added with AES 256-bit shared folder encryption to ensure data security and sub-folder backup is also supported in addition to “shared folders”. Amazon S3® is supported as a backup target. Additional new features include a new iPhone app, the Synology DS cam, which allows users of Surveillance Station to live view their IP cameras, take snapshots, and view recorded events with their iPhone or iPod touch®. DS cam is available for download free of charge at the Apple^® App Store.

The Synology DiskStation experience just got better with new enhancements to File Station 3, Surveillance Station 4, Photo Station 4, and Audio Station 2.

In addition to the Synology DSM 2.3 release, the Synology Assistant and Synology Data Replicator 3 are also updated with new features:

New Synology Assistance

Photo Uploader utility is available in the new Synology Assistant to allow uploading photos and videos to the DiskStation with photo thumbnails and H.264 films pre-generated within the client computer.

Wake on LAN utility allows remotely turn on of selected DiskStation models over the local area network by entering the device MAC address.

New Data Replicator 3

Data Replication 3 enhances the compatibility of Windows® 7. In addition, backing up emails in Windows® Live Mail is supported.

Availability

The new Synology DSM 2.3 firmware, Synology Assistant and Data Replicator 3 apply for the following models:

DS1010+, DS710+, DS410j, DS210j, DS110j, RS409+, RS409RP+, RS409, DS509+, DS409+, DS409, DS209+II, DS209+, DS209, DS209j, DS109+, DS109, DS109j, DS409slim, RS408, RS408-RP, DS508, DS408, DS108j, RS407, CS407, CS407e, DS207+, DS207, DS107+, DS107, and DS107e

They come with all newly shipped DiskStations and the free download is also available at http://www.synology.com/support/download.php?lang=enu

The live demo site of the Synology DSM 2.3 is available at http://www.synology.com/enu/products/demo/index.php

ROCCAT, the Hamburg-based manufacturer of gaming peripherals, is releasing initial details about the ROCCAT™ Pyra Mobile Wireless Gaming Mouse. Designed for mobile use, the ROCCAT Pyra scores top marks with its robust wireless connection giving gamers a perfect gaming experience plus a huge array of functions in a compact package. Cutting-edge 2.4GHz wireless technology combined with a polling rate of 1000Hz and sensor performance of up to 1600dpi make it a world leader in the mobile segment, plus ensure that movements are transmitted just as precisely and quickly as with a wired mouse.

Along with its amazing precision, ROCCAT™ is presenting a world first with the Pyra: EasyShift[+]. Pressing the EasyShift[+] button doubles the number of mouse functions with the same number of buttons, plus they all remain easily accessible. Like using the Shift key on a keyboard, the mouse is really easy to use. René Korte, CEO of ROCCAT Studios Hamburg comments: “The number of powerful laptops is now exploding, and gamers are demanding equipment which meets their high demands. With the Pyra Mobile Gaming Mouse, we’re keeping pace with these developments. The mouse is wireless, but you wouldn’t know it – the Pyra is just as precise and fast as a wired mouse. What’s more, it’s compact, yet despite that it offers an enormous amount of functions in an intelligent way. Nothing else offers more performance per square centimeter!”

WORLD FIRST: EASYSHIFT[+]

Along with the standard functions of a 5-button mouse, the ROCCAT™ Pyra offers a unique and very innovative feature that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet: EasyShift[+]. Just like on a keyboard where you have the Shift key, simultaneously pressing the EasyShift[+] button together with another button triggers a second function. Figuratively speaking, that means every mouse button has two functions giving you a total of 12 at any one time instead of the usual 6 – but compared to a 12-button mouse, all the buttons are optimally positioned and easily accessible.

NON-STOP GAMING

Thanks to the USB charging cable, you never need to interrupt your game to swap batteries or charge them. If the batteries are running low on power, the LED in the core of the mouse flashes to indicate that; in these instances, just connect the USB charging cable for on-the-fly charging. And to ensure the batteries last as long as possible, the Pyra has rest and deep-sleep modes designed for gamers which allow the ROCCAT Pyra to gradually power down when not in use, saving battery power as a result.

V-SHAPE FEATURING GRIPTECH SIDE AREAS

The compact ROCCAT™ Pyra packs a punch by simultaneously combining a sporty design with the best possible ergonomics. The V-shape, with its raised ridge on the top of the mouse which is designed to fit into the palm of the hand, accommodates almost any hand shape or size – regardless of whether it’s the left or the right. What’s more, the Griptech side areas are made from solid rubber, providing secure grip. And the wide, distinctively notched mousewheel is also rubberized.

ROCCAT SOFTWARE

Use the driver to configure numerous settings such as the dpi (400, 800, 1600), sensitivity level and click speed, etc. The button assignments and EasyShift[+] button can also be configured in the driver. Five profiles make it possible to customize the mouse to suit different applications, with one profile ideally being reserved for the Windows profile. Once a profile is associated with an application, the corresponding profile automatically loads the relevant button assignments and dpi setting, etc., when the particular application is launched. And when Windows is switched back to, the Pyra automatically switches to the Windows profile. A good example of using secondary button assignments with the help of EasyShift[+] is when multimedia functions are selected – the media player can then be both launched and controlled just by using the mouse. What’s more, command sequences can be recorded, edited and assigned to a button using the highly praised ROCCAT Macro Manager.

ON THE PULSE OF THE LATEST TRENDS: FOR NOTEBOOK GAMERS

Its compact design makes the Pyra ideal for notebook gamers, and indeed gamers who prefer mobile mice. It comes with a practical case and fits easily into any notebook bag. The tiny nano receiver can simply be stowed in the mouse, ensuring it never gets lost. The ROCCAT™ Pyra Mobile Gaming Mouse will be available from retailers from beginning of April 2010 for a RRP of €59.99. The ROCCAT™ Pyra will also be available in a wired version for a RRP of €39.99.

MSI is the world’s first mainboard manufacturer to introduce 100% Hi-c CAP’s on its mainboards. Hi-c CAP’s will deliver the best stability, reliability, overclocking and lifespan possible for a mainboard.

No solid capacitors at all

The first thing you will notice when you see a MSI Big Bang mainboard is that it has no solid capacitors at all. After a closer look (and checking the backside of the PCB to be sure) you will notice that MSI is using a different type of capacitor called Hi-c CAPs.

The 8-Phase CPU power supply (PWM) uses low voltage output and high-voltage input Hi-c Cap Capacitors.

The 2-Phase memory MSI also used 100% Hi-c Cap capacitors.

The Hi-c CAP Capacitors are really everywhere, gone are the solid capacitors.

Hi-c CAP’s: The next generation of solid capacitors

Hi-c CAP’s are the next generation solid capacitors and are specially selected for those who want to bring their mainboard to the next level of overclocking and gaming performance. Component lifespan and stability are also the key points for MSI mainboards. Hi-c CAP stand for Highly-Conductive Polymerized Capacitor. The core of Hi-c CAP’s capacitors is built from Tantalum which is a rare metal. Hi-c CAP’s have excellent electrical benefits.

• It has an extreme high conductivity because of its low ESR.
• The excellent temperature characteristics make sure that the conductivity is not affected by temperature changes when overclocking. This makes the difference while overclocking with LN2, because solid capacitors are affected.
• It features a self-repair mechanism.
• The Hi-c CAP not only offers low temperature and high transfer efficiency, but also over 15x less leakage.
• The Hi-c Caps offer a lifetime which is 8 times longer than average solid state capacitors. Even at a constant high temperature of 85C in high loading environments, it can be used for over 16 years.
• Because of its flat shape you will not have any mechanical issues anymore with heatsinks or VGA cards which conflict with solid caps.

MSI is the first mainboard manufacturer to implement 100% Hi-c Cap’s instead of traditional solid capacitors raising the bar for high-quality products in the industry. Both MSI Big Bang Trinergy (with NF200) and MSI Big Bang Fuzion (with Hydra 200) are equipped with 100% Hi-C Caps. Most MSI own designed VGA cards are equipped with Military Class components of which Hi-C Caps are a part. Considered Hi-C Caps as the next generation capacitor, it captures the essence of MSI’s commitment to quality.

• DrMOS: MSI mainboards are the only ones to use DrMOS chips. This 3-in-1 mosfet ensures better and stable power delivery to the CPU in extreme conditions. Because of the 3-in-1 integration MSI mainboards only need one component instead of 3 seperate components. The result is that DrMOS equipped mainboards are the most power efficient and thus coolest running mainboard on the market which is proven in reviews by many international media over and over again.
• Super Ferrite Choke (SFC): The MSI Big Bang series are equipped with a new type of choke which improves the power efficiency by more than 20%. Besides this they improve the stability and lower the operating temperatures. Bringing down the heat generated by the PWM improves overclockability.

100% Hi-c Cap on MSI Big Bang Trinergy

“As far as a small or medium business is concerned, the DS710+ ticks all the right boxes,” exclaimed Victor Chiang, Sales and Marketing Director, Synology UK. “Smaller than the size of a shoe box, the DiskStation is powerful, secure and reliable enough to cope with the majority of a company’s backup, IT and internet requirements at a low initial cost outlay and on-going running costs.”

The DS710+ is one of the few Synology DiskStations based on an Intel® processor, consuming just 31 watts of power¹ while providing excellent performance.  It can be expanded up to 14TB with the optional DX510 external drive unit (launching March 2010) and supports JBOD, RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6 delivering over 110MB/s read and 100MB/s write speeds within a Windows environment².

“Today’s small business environments require network attached storage solutions that support multiple clients and protect data while reducing operational costs”, said Seth Bobroff, General Manager, Intel Data Center Group, Storage. “The Intel® Atom™ processor D410 with integrated storage features within Synology’s solution delivers an energy-efficient and cost-effective platform that helps manage networked data.”

“Yet again, Synology has done a superb job reducing power consumption to a minimum without compromising functionality and performance”, Chiang reiterated. “With the use of Synology’s scheduled power down function, hard drive hibernation and wake-on-LAN support, it’s possible the DS710+ will consume less power than an energy-saving light bulb³”.

With the release of DiskStation Manager 2.3 in March 2010, the free upgrade will enable Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) allowing the use of different capacity drives and a more simplified RAID configuration and setup.  The upgrade will also enhance backup, encryption, remote web-file access and add Amazon® S3 remote backup support.

1. Under normal operation.
2. Performance based on a RAID 1 configuration.

3. Based on average use of 6 hours per day, consistent disk access for 20 minutes per hour, hibernation after 10 minutes of inactivity and use of a daily scheduled power down.

Availability

The DS710+ is available immediately from dabs.com

Recently the trend has been to offer cases designed for gamers, which offer ease of access, great thermal performance and unfortunately in my opinion an unsightly appearance. Thankfully not all manufacturers have followed the latter of this trend and today we take a look at a case from one such company called Fractal-Design. As a relative newcomer to the chassis arena Fractal-Design may not be familiar to you, but that’s not going to last for long as their flagship chassis the Define R2 is already making waves in enthusiast circles.

Now that the initial demand  for the chassis has eased,  the Define R2 can be found in most of the main retailers. Currently Overclockers UK seem to have a steady stream of the cases in supply, so they should be your first port of call if you want to pick up one of these beauties.

So who are Fractal Design? Here’s what they have to say about themselves:

The concept – Design

The concept of Fractal Design is to provide products with an extraordinary design level, without compromising the important factors of quality, functionality and pricing. The computer of today has come to play a central role in most people’s home, creating a demand for appealing design of the computer itself and its accessories.

Our main product areas are computer enclosures, power supplies, cooling, external storage and Media Center-products, such as Home Theatre-enclosures, keyboards and remote controls.

Designed and engineered in Sweden

All Fractal Design products have been thoroughly designed, tested and specified in our Swedish head quarter. The well known ideas of Scandinavian design can be found through all of our products; a minimalistic but yet striking design – less is more.

Visions and goals

Our vision is to have a constant, healthy growth together with our partners worldwide. Our goal is to be widely recognized for our designed products and to have them available in all major market regions within EU and US. We should be a good alternative to the already established retail brands of today. It’s of great importance for us that our partners understand the values of Fractal Design, therefore we are putting great effort into choosing the right partners from the start. We will work actively to maintain sales territories and profitable business for our partners.

The way to reach our goals

In the competitive market of today, it’s not enough to just provide excellent products. Regular and well planned marketing activities in close cooperation with the channel and the available media, are keypoints to succeed. We are well experienced in marketing brands in the IT business, and we will use this to create efficient marketing tools – to gain a bigger market share and good earning possibilities for our channel.

On the next page we take a look at the Information & Specifications of the Define R2.

From the official Press Release:

Synology UK, leaders in open source network attached storage solutions announced today their most powerful NAS unit yet.  Aimed at the SMB and enthusiast market, the DiskStation DS1010+ delivers superb performance, reliability, security, scalability and all the features required for modern day business needs.

“The DS1010+ is a complete out-of-the-box business solution for all networking and internet requirements, including web server, ftp access, email hosting, backup, file and printer sharing, IP Camera based surveillance and much more” explained Victor Chiang, Sales & Marketing Director, Synology UK.  “All features can be very easily configured in minutes through Synology’s intuitive Disk Station Manager 2.2 web interface”.

As with all Synology Disk Stations, the DS1010+ is designed to be highly energy efficient consuming just 68 watts under normal operation.  The unit also capable of wake on LAN/WAN, scheduled power off and hard drive hibernation to ensure maximum power saving while the Disk Station is not in use.  “Reducing carbon footprint is an extremely important part of business” continued Chiang.  “For many businesses the performance of the DS1010+ is more than enough to replace an expensive-to-run PC based server but at a fraction of the power consumption”.

Supporting up to 5 hard drives internally and a further 5 with the optional Synology DX510 expansion module allows the DS1010+ to be configured up to 20TB of storage.  In a RAID 5 configuration, the unit delivers an average 115+ MB/sec read and 109+ MB/sec write in a windows environment over 2x Gigabit network ports.  All drives are also hot swappable in case of failure or replacement.

The DS1010+ will also support Synology Hybrid RAID (SHD) technology with the update of Disk Station Manager version 2.3 allowing the use of different capacity drives and a more simplified RAID configuration and setup.  The unit is powered by a 1.67GHz floating point processor, 2 Gigabit LAN ports, 4 USB ports, and 1GB DDRII RAM on a 64bit memory bus.  A 2GB memory upgrade is also available for more demanding users.

Availability

The DS1010+ is available immediately from CCL online.

http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?product_id=43481

A couple of months ago Lavasoft released their latest anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-rootkit software in the form of Ad-Aware Internet Security. The software comes in three main variations including the Pro Edition whichs offers all the benefits of the Internet Security Package, the Plus Edition which lacks a few of the more sophisticated features, and the Free Edition which you might have guessed is a stripped down version offering just the basics of malware protection.

Spyware is a huge problem across the internet as all too many of us are aware.  A simple google search, navigating through numerous websites is all it takes to infect your machine with all manner of malicious programs, designed not only to cause a nuisance, but slowing down machines and flooding users with pop-ups so having an adequate internet security installed and up to date is a must.

When I was given the oppertunity to review Ad-Aware Pro Edition I jumped at the chance, as for years I’d religiously stuck to the well known names of free anti-virus and anti-spyware protection and now was the chance to see whether or not paying for an Internet Security package is actually worth the premium.

Before we go any further, first let’s get an idea of what Lavasoft are all about. Established back in 1999 they brought their flagship Ad-Aware software to market as the first commercial Anti-Spyware product available.  With continued success the growth of the company led to relocating their headquarters to Gothenburg, Sweden, where they can still be found today.

Their mission statement reads the following:

The Lavasoft Mission

The Lavasoft mission is, as an innovation-driven organization, to pioneer and deliver high quality security solutions that protect individual computer users and business networks worldwide from compromising and intrusive privacy threats.

A mission statement is not enough it seems, they also have a vision for the future which I wholeheartedly agree with, no matter how hard it may be to achieve:

The Lavasoft Vision

Our vision is that every computer user, regardless of economic status or geographic location, has the power to control their individual privacy and security. We strive to promote an environment of ethical change in the malware industry to uphold our ideals of social and corporate consciousness.

So now that we know who they are, let’s see what their latest edition of Ad-Aware can do compared with some of the latest versions of popular free anti-virus and anti-spyware programs.

Features

• Complete Malware Protection, Including Anti-Virus and
  Anti-Spyware
• Ad-Watch Live! Expert Real-time Protection
• Genotype Detection Technology
• Behavior-Based Heuristics Detection
• Expert Level Rootkit Removal System
• The Neutralizer Malware Removal Tool
• Do Not Disturb Mode
• Minimal Strain on System Resources
• Download Guard for Internet Explorer
• Toolbox Including Process Watch, AutoStart Manager, Hosts File
  Editor, and ThreatWork
• Customizable Profile Scans
• Network Drive Scanning
• Automatic Pulse Updates & Free Technical Support

Most of the Features listed above are pretty straightforward, but no doubt the Genotype Detection Technology is somewhat of a mystery to you. This system basically detects threats before they are created by cross referencing data from current threats to keep you protected from potential threats of the future.

If you want an in depth look at any of the features listed above then visit the Features page of Lavasoft’s website.

On the next page we take a look at the Installation and Usability.

From the official Press Release:

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and other computing hardware solutions proudly announce Team Australia using a GIGABYTE GA-790FXTA-UD5 motherboard set a new Super Pi 8M world record for the AMD platform, giving them the number one spot for the last challenge in this season’s F1 OC, making this the 4^th month in a row a GIGABYTE motherboard was used to win the challenge.

The highest Super Pi 8M score on the AMD platform for the December, 2009 F1 OC Highest FSB Challenge was achieved by Dinos22 from Team Australia using a GIGABYTE GA-790FXTA-UD5 motherboard and AMD Phenom II X4 965 BE processor. The result resets the SuperPi 8M world record to an amazing 2 min 08.984 secs, leaving his rival behind with a 5 secs lead – a massive achievement that highlights Team Australia’s skill and prowess as an international overclocking competitor and further cements GIGABYTE’s motherboard performance leadership.

“We are delighted that GIGABYTE motherboards have won four F1 OC events in a row, especially considering each round featured a completely different overclocking challenge including SuperPi 32M on the Intel P55 platform, the highest FSB, 3DMark 06 on integrated graphics and SuperPi 8M on any AMD platform,” commented Tim Handley, Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing at GIGABYTE Technology Co. Ltd. “This unequalled track record in the first season of F1 OC proves that there is no substitute for innovation leadership combined with good quality design and manufacturing when it comes to high-end motherboards. We congratulate Team Australia for their achievement and look forward to more record-breaking wins in the coming months from overclockers around the world.”

“We were particularly impressed with Gigabyte during F1OC,” commented Nick Ross, Editor, The Overclocker and Chairman of www.f1oc.org. “In supporting some of the best overclockers in the world, the company managed to break some major world records throughout the five rounds of competition. It’s no understatement to say that Gigabyte has further cemented its place on the top step of the overclocking world with F1OC – everyone has been impressed with the company’s achievements – which can only result in an increased ROI.”

The F1 OC competition is held by TheOverclocker.com and brings together the world’s top overclockers representing 13 different countries. December’s event ran from December 1^st to 31^st‘, 2009, where participants had to submit their Super Pi 8M scores via an emailed CPU-Z submission. A powerful and stable motherboard is key to any successful SuperPi 8M overclock, and participants were allowed to use any hardware configuration. Remarkably, four of the top six results this month came from GIGABYTE motherboards, with Team Australia’s score coming out on top.

The GIGABYTE GA-790FXTA-UD5 features support for USB 3.0, GIGABYTE 3x USB Power Boost and Serial-ATA Revision 3.0 (6Gbps). Built with top-notch high performance engineering, the GA-790FXTA-UD5 features the highest quality 8+2 CPU VRM power phase design, able to handle the power demands from 140W CPUs with ease, truly epitomizing everything a highest performance, highest feature set motherboard is all about.

SuperPi has been one of the most commonly used overclocking benchmarks because it is the most direct way to test CPU and Memory performance. It requires outstanding tweaking skills to balance high CPU and Memory frequencies, while finding the best memory latency, all while maintaining temperatures of -100°C on the CPU and -50°C on the North Bridge.

More information about F1 OC and Team Australia’s victory is available from the official F1 OC website:

http://f1oc.org/latest-results/

If you are unfamiliar with the terminology and its uses, it’s simply an external storage device attached to the network via a router, modem or switch, which serves files to multiple computers connected to that network.

Obviously the Network Attached Storage devices we have today offer much more than a simple networked storage system. Many offer the ability to network printers, host websites and operate as a download station, amongst a wealth of other features.

The huge benefits of NAS come in the form of automatic backups.  Sure, an external hard drive will do the same job, but what it won’t do is ease the process, backup from multiple machines and allow the files to be accessed throughout the network.

You may not have heard of Synology before, I know I hadn’t heard of them until recently, but they certainly are a well established and successful company, dedicated to developing Network Attached Storage devices since 2000.

Today I’ve got the Synology DS210J 2Bay NAS Server to review and it’s a great looking piece of kit. It’s aimed at home users and small businesses, which is no surprise as it offers many features suited to home users like an itunes server, audio station and photo station 3 and plenty for the business users too.

A promising unit without a doubt, read on to see how it performs!

Specifications

Hardware

• CPU: 800MHz, 16bit@DDR800
• Memory: 128MB
• Internal HDD¹: 3.5″ SATA(II) X2 or 2.5″ SATA/SSD X2 (with the Disk Holder)
• Max Internal Capacity: 4TB (2x 2TB hard drives)⁸ (See All Supported HDD)
• External HDD Interface: USB 2.0 port X3
• Size: 160mm X 218mm X 88mm
• Weight: 0.98kg
• LAN: Gigabit X1
• Fan: X1(70mmX70mm)
• Noise Level:² 24dB(A)
• Power Recovery
• AC Input Power Voltage: 100V to 240V
• Power Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz, Single Phase
• Max Supported IP Camera: 5⁷ (See All Supported IP Cameras)
• Operating Temperature: 5°C to 35°C (40°F to 95°F)
• Storage Temperature: -10°C to 70°C (15°F to 155°F)
• Relative Humidity: 5% to 95%RH
• Maximum Operating Altitude: 10,000 feet

To prevent a list longer than my arm I’ve listed only the hardware specifications. If you want to read the full Specifications of the DS210J then visit the spec page here.

On the next page we take a look at the Packaging & Contents.

]]> http://performancehardware.net/reviews/synology-ds210j-nas-server-review/feed/ 0 http://performancehardware.net/news/the-ultimate-lga1156-mini-itx-platform-unleashed/ http://performancehardware.net/news/the-ultimate-lga1156-mini-itx-platform-unleashed/#comments Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:45:13 +0000 AntiHeroUK http://performancehardware.net/?p=1903 ZOTAC International, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and mini-PCs, today unveils its latest next-generation high-performance mini-ITX platform – the socket LGA1156 compatible ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi. Loaded with compatibility with the latest processors, memory technology and ATX-equivalent expansion capabilities, the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi is the ultimate platform for users that demand big system performance in a small form factor package.

Support for the latest generation of Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 takes the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi to performance levels previously unattainable by the mini-ITX form factor. The ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi supports Intel® QuickPath technology for lightning-fast communications to high-speed dual-channel DDR3 memory for superior bandwidth and quicker memory access that delivers the chart-topping performance enthusiasts and performance-hungry users desire.

“Since Intel® announced its latest generation of Nehalem CPUs, there’s been great demand for a mini-ITX platform for the CPUs, unfortunately the power consumption and heat output of the original Intel® Core™ i7 900 series would’ve been too high for such a small form factor,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International (MCO), Ltd. “With the latest generation of Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processors, greater energy efficiency and improved thermal management, the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi is able to deliver a mini-ITX platform capable of accommodating the new high-performance processors with no compromises.“

Beyond the support for the latest Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processors, the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi supports the powerful Intel® HD Graphics processor integrated in the latest generation of Intel® Core™ processors. When the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi is paired with Intel® Core™ processors with Intel® HD graphics, the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi becomes a powerful home theater PC platform with premium Blu-ray playback capabilities.

Intel® Clear Video HD technology with AVC/H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 hardware decode delivers smooth video playback of high-definition sources, including Blu-ray, while new xvYCC color and HD sharpness technology delivers crystal clear visuals with stunning precise colors. New dual video decode technology enables the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi to decode Blu-ray picture-in-picture content using the graphics processor, freeing up the CPU for other tasks.

“Intel® Core™ processors with Intel® HD graphics and the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi platform is perfect for home theater PCs no matter what type of video formats the user may watch,” Mr. Berger said. “In addition to top-notch HD video playback capabilities, Intel® Core™ processors with Intel® HD graphics and the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi features technologies that enhance standard definition content such as enhanced DVD upscaling (8×8 polyphase), advanced de-interlacing, sharpness enhancement and noise reduction.”

Premium audio output is supported by the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi, enabling users to send raw Dolby® TrueHD and DTS®-HD Master Audio audio tracks from high-definition Blu-ray movies to an audio receiver over HDMI. High-definition 7.1-channel analog audio outputs are also available on the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi for top-notch analog audio quality.

For users that demand greater graphics power and want to take advantage of NVIDIA® CUDA™ and PhysX® technology, the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi features a full-speed PCI Express x16 slot for compatibility with the latest graphics cards.

“Combining the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi with a ZOTAC GeForce® series graphics card, users can have the best performance available from the processor and graphics processor that’ll take on anything you can throw at it including the most demanding games, applications and high-definition video playback,” Mr. Berger said.

Topping off the features and capabilities of the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi are six SATA 3.0Gb/s ports, one eSATA 3.0Gb/s, digital optical S/PDIF output, plenty of USB 2.0 ports and integrated 802.11n WiFi. The integrated 802.11n WiFi features dual-stream technology for wireless network transfers at speeds up to 300Mb/s – triple that of standard 100Mb/s wired networking – for wired performance without the wires.

It’s time to play with the ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi.

General details

• New ZOTAC H55-ITX WiFi
• Intel® H55 Express chipset
• Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5, Core™ i7 compatible
• LGA1156 socket
• Intel® QuickPath bus
• Intel® Clear Video HD technology
• HDMI x.v.Color, xvYCC Color & Deep Color technologies
• Video de-interlacing, sharpness detail and noise reduction technologies
• Hardware MPEG2, VC-1 & H.264/AVC decode
• Dual-video decode for Blu-ray picture-in-picture
• High-quality 8×8 polyphase DVD upscaling
• PCI Express 2.0 x16 expansion
• Dual-link DVI output (up to 2560×1600)
• HDMI output
• HDCP compliant
• 6 SATA 3.0 Gb/s + 1 eSATA
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Onboard 802.11n (300Mb/s) WiFi
• Microsoft^® DirectX^® 10 with Shader Model 4.0 compatible
• OpenGL® 2.1 compatible
• Mini-ITX form factor

Taken from the official Press Release