Hi!
My current TV recorder (4 HDD, 2 PCI TV cards) uses 100W even if 100% idle.
Is it a good idea to search/make a mainboard
(just SATA, 1000ETH, PCI;
where the PCI slots must have a “turn off” feature (maybe via a PCI-USB bridge))?
R there any databases for such mainboards?
Is it easy to design my own mainboard (e. g. around the CS3516 by Cortina Systems)?
Thx.
Bye
Arne
Not to rain on the parade, but if you have never made a circuit board before, this would be an incredibly bad thing to try first.
Designing a PCB around a SoC like that is going to be a lot of work - not to mention the programming to get thing running.
If you are a professional embedded systems designer, sure, go for it (but why would you ask here?). For a hobbyist, this is probably more on the scale of not worth the time, effort, and headache.
If you are looking for something to play with, try the propellor processor. It can do TV/video out rather easily - might be a fun place to start.
OK…
I have been told so before…
R there any mainboard databases, where i can search for a low power mainboard?
or is this the wrong place to ask?
-Arne
Sounds like you want a mini-ITX motherboard with an Atom processor and Ion video chip. Any decent computer store (eg Newegg) will have a bunch of them.
This combination will run Windows or Linux, and will play back high-definition video, but will use MUCH less than 100W.
ok - cool… 
i found some atom mobos,
but they all have on-board graphix…
can they turn it really off, if it is not needed (for graphix i would use my big box…)?
my current PCIe graphix card in my big box doesnt use less power when DPMS kicks in…
the mainboard manufacturers dont say much about power consumption under certain circumstances…
-arne
Seriously designing a PCB for a PC motherboard has to be the hardest design task out there.
You have to take into account trace length, interference between various circuits, leakage current in the PCB material itself. Current flow, resistance, voltage drop for the power mosfet circuits.
The only possible solution is to use a hotair rework station to remove some of the un-needed devices, eg sil image raid chip.
Have to looked into the various BIOS and OS settings ? Rather a lot there that can reduce power consumption, especially the ones that underclock the CPU when its not in use. Slowing down the FSB is one that has a major effect on power usage.
Get a plug in adapter that turns the power off when in standby.
If the motherboard is in Standby mode and you remove power, then it will no longer be in Standby when you reapply power (ie, you'll have to restart). If you want to do this, then Hibernate would be a better mode to use.mattylad:
Get a plug in adapter that turns the power off when in standby.
I think about half of your power consumption (at least) is coming from those hard drives. Go buy yourself some WD “Green” drives (maybe one big one instead of four) and a “green” power supply. A large chunk of your power consumption will go away.
Designing your own motherboard takes years of experience and many expensive tools. It’s not worth it at all if all you want to save is a few watts.
oki doke
that CS3516 website sounded to me like i just have to add some SATA and USB connectors and then i m done…
thx…
i bought a N270 board now…
according to intel it has appr. 12W when MSDOS is idle…
“hopefully” MSDOS doesnt know about SpeedStep…
i will send the hard discs to standby when i dont need them for some hours (e. g. when i m asleep…)…
-arne