M2-ATX and LV-677 Mod Photos

mrbean_phillip · 01-24-2007, 06:37 AM

Hello Guys and Girls,
Ok, I know some of you may know this, but some may not be aware of timing issues when using M2-ATX PSU, and Commell LV-677 motherboard.

The fans would spin up, but it would not initialize post, or attempt to boot.

You need to replace capacitor C35, originally a 22nf unit, case size 0603, with a 10nf unit, same case size (0603).

The following pictures show the size of this little smd capacitor when compared with a standard case screw, it really is tiny, and if you don't have soldering skills, a skilled, steady hand, and good eyes and lighting, let someone else do it, as you may easily muck up your llittle dc-dc inverter.

Second pic shows the exact location of the cap, this is mine soldered in place after the replacement.

Glad to report my M2-ATX now boots up the LV-677, running T5500 Merom cpu, and do proper shut down too.

So, it works fine.

Enjoy.

Kind regards,
MrBean.

Gamer64 · 01-24-2007, 06:44 AM

Hey all,

I did the same mod, only i used a normal capacitor instead of an SMD one. Works fine here.

mrbean_phillip · 01-24-2007, 06:49 AM

Yep, that would work too, just not as neat, and maybe a risk from a mechanical perspective, if you bump the cap you may damage pcb tracks, as they are tiny...... no through holes to properly secure std size cap...but, if you careful handling it, etc, should be 100% ok

Gamer64 · 01-24-2007, 06:54 AM

Yup, that`s true. I had that problem when i pulled a connector from the board that it got loose. But my supplier didn`t have that cap in SMD

. If u use a cap like i did, just cut the legs as short as possible. You could also use some hot glue to keep it in place too.

mrbean_phillip · 01-24-2007, 07:18 AM

hehe - I had to order 200 at 5c each, totalling $11- Aud to meet minimum order requirements.

Now I can buy 200 M2-ATX's for my carputer as backups.

Rofl.

tom_rosenback · 05-22-2007, 05:28 AM

I have got a Jetway motherboard and a M2-ATX powersupply. It posts fine but it doesn´t find the harddisc unless i reset the MB (with the reset switch), is this "The Fix" for this problem?

ShawJohn · 05-25-2007, 07:15 PM

could be.

These M2's seem to have loads of different issues all going on at once

Not impressed with mine!! Opus90 was much more reliable

mrbean_phillip · 05-25-2007, 08:16 PM

No Problem with the M2-ATX, working fine on my LV-677 after the cap mod. It's not necessarily a problem with the PSU, it might be the case that the motherboard has some timing issues too, ie. introduced after the M2-ATX.

So a fix should be done to the M2 to accommodate newer boards.

If this is the case with your setup

ShawJohn · 05-26-2007, 09:01 AM

so how come it works fine on EVERY single ATX PSU I've tried on it, and I've been through 4 different ones just to check

Its a bit weak suggesting that the problem is with the motherboard!

Timing or not, the problem lies with the M2, and it shouldn't need end users to add/change caps because the ones on the board are insufficient!

I wouldn't buy another :no:

crooper · 05-26-2007, 01:05 PM

Is that with the current or older-version M2? Didn't they fix this issue?

mrbean_phillip · 05-26-2007, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Its a bit weak suggesting that the problem is with the motherboard!

And it's a bit weak too that you suggest that the M2 is worse than anything else out there.

Even today you will find new std AT X PSU's that;s not always 100% compatible with all components out there.

It happens.

I have tested my M2 on various boards, I have about 5 different setups here, and they all work - except for the timing mod I had to do on one cap to suit the Commell.

So yeah.
Just for the record, I have bith a Carnetix P1900 running my Macmini, and the M2 running my Commell board.

So no fanboy, I just hate it when people thrash specific hardware when they have a problem with something small, and don't really know how to solve it, then blame the hardware

Whatever you use, it's your prerogative anyway, so enjoy it. Just open your own thread if you want to bash M2, this is a mod how to make M2 compatible with LV-677, not how crap or good M2 is compared to other converters.

tom_rosenback · 05-27-2007, 05:19 AM

What is this timing issue?

ShawJohn · 05-27-2007, 06:36 AM

WTF Mr_Bean!

Do you design these things or get commision or something?

A number of folk have posted up with M1 & M2 problems, they aren't perfect! FACT!!!

The VIA EPIA SP13000 motherboard is made to adhere to the ATX power format, so if an ATX PSU will not work properly with the board, then the problem is with the PSU not the motherboard.

You claim the problem is down to a cap, well fair enough... I'm not an electronics engineer, Im a Mechanical Engineer, so how do you expect someone with little or no circuit analysis skills to determine the cause of this problem???

When I replaced my OPUS90 with the m2 I did so because I wanted some more Amps, no other reason. And I wish I hadn't! Thats all I said.

The simple fact is that the Opus worked 100% and did what it says on the tin... The M2, has had various startup issues, it lets the PC drain the battery below what the car requires to start so it will leave you stranded if you aren't carefull. And yes the jumpers are set correctly.

From what you have said above the problem seems to lie in the fact that the M2 cannot supply enough amps on the 5VSB rail, hows that a problem with my Mobo!?!

And having to wait through about 8-9 boot cycles for it to do a clean boot is just plain crap! It ONLY works how it should when resuming from suspend, every other mode and it reboots.
Odd days when its been freezing the PC won't respond at all, when before on the opus all was fine.

OPUS every time for me, and I bet Im not the only member with that oppinion!

You get what you paid for IMO, and I got what I paid for. I should have spent a few more beans on a proper PSU

Go defend the M2 somewhere else

EDIT: Some of my comments/quotes have been mixed up from this thread http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/powe...x-problem.html

mrbean_phillip · 05-27-2007, 07:49 AM

Quote:

WTF Mr_Bean!

Do you design these things or get commision or something?

Nope, I don't get commission, I didn't design the M2-ATX

Quote:

I'm not an electronics engineer

And I am

Quote:

You get what you paid for IMO, and I got what I paid for.

Yep, that's why I am happy with both the Carnetix and the M2-ATX

Quote:

Go defend the M2 somewhere else

And hence why I feel happy defending the M2-ATX.

Even here if I wanted to.

My last reply wrt this matter, as I mentioned, it's your prerogative what you spend your money on, and what you ultimately use.

I only say that is not fair you slandering specific hardware because there may be issues you are not aware of. And in the electronic's world, it is sometimes the case. If you don't enjoy these little expereinces, why then do carputers as a hobby in the 1st place?

Have a nice evening, enjoy your setup.

Regards.

ShawJohn · 05-27-2007, 08:19 AM

I buy hardware that is made for the purpose, as I cannot make my own.

When I buy something I expect it to do what it said on the tin, otherwise the item is not fit for purpose.

If I pay for something I expect it to work, if I bodge something, I expect to have to fiddle to make it work.

I don't however, expect to have to fiddle with something to make it do what it claims to do straight out of the box! And if there is issues with specific motherboards then the M2 team should make people aware of that before they purchase! And they don't!!!

I wouldn't expect to have to start changing parts and soldering on an Opus, infact I've never even heard of such a mod being necessary on anything other than the M-series PSU's.

I would be ****ed if I'd bought a VGA screen and then had to modify it to work with a VGA graphics card!

I bought an ATX PSU, and as such expect it to work with an ATX motherboard. (I know the SP13000 is ITX, but it is ATX compliant!

And its not like I use obscure hardware, loads of folk are using the SP13000

Where are you coming from?!?!?!

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