Internal Wireless 802.11b/g and Jacks
The
miniPCI slot comes pre-loaded with an 802.11b/g wireless networking card. An
external dipole antenna connects directly to the miniPCI card with a specialized
coaxial cable. There is room for a secondary antenna, but this space is not
used.
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The
external antenna an the coaxial cable attached to the 802.11b/g wireless
LAN card are illustrated here. The white antenna at the back of the AOpen
MiniPC MP945-VX swivels left and right, and bends 180 degrees so the user
can choose the best orientation for wireless signal
strength.
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With everything removed
from the Aopen Mp945-VX system, we get a better sense for how tightly
components are packed into this small book sized computer. The Aopen
Mp945-VX is built like a notebook really. Note the connect at the upper
left for the optical and hard drives.
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At the
back of the AOpen MP945-VX Mini PC we find all the various system connectors.
The layout is essentially the same as with the MP915-B reviewed
earlier.
Starting
from the left there is the Kensington lock, 12V DC power connector,
Digital DVI video output, video-output jack (S-video,
composite, component), Gigabit LAN connector, two USB 2.0 ports, one IEEE
1394a port and a collection of audio inputs (SPDIF
out, audio out and a microphone jack). The gold connector is for the integrate
wireless 802.11a/b/g NIC. The system comes with all necessary connectors/cables
including a DVI splitter cable with both DVI and analog video outputs (system
does not support dual monitors though) and a component video output
cable.
Next up, a look at the High
Definition HTPC applications the AOpen MiniPC MP945-VX might
be suited for, and the one big thing we really didn't like about this compact
computer system.... hint, it's not the size.
Page 1: AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX Ultra Small Formfactor PC Review
Page 2: First Impressions: Big Potential
Page 3: External Features of the MP945-VX
Page 4: Internal Features of the MP945-VX
Page 5: System board, memory and thermal solution
Page 6: Internal Wireless 802.11b/g and Jacks
Page 7: Complaints and HTPC Applications
Page 8: High Definition Content Playback and BIOS
Page 9: Benchmarks: SYSMark 2004
Page 10: Benchmarks: Office Productivity, SiSoft Sandra, Super Pi
Page 11: Benchmarks: PCMark05, 3DMark05
Page 12: Benchmarks: UT2004, Doom 3
Page 13: One Great Little HTPC Machine?
