Desktop Board Features

Table 3 describes the LED states when the board is powered up and the LAN subsystem is operating.

Table 3. LAN Connector LEDs

LED

LED Color

LED State

Indicates

 

 

 

 

A (Link)

Green

Off

LAN link is not established

 

 

 

 

 

 

On

LAN link is established

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blinking

LAN activity is occurring

 

 

 

 

B (Speed)

N/A

Off

10 Mb/s data rate

 

 

 

 

 

Green

On

100 Mb/s data rate

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow

On

1000 Mb/s data rate

 

 

 

 

Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Support

The Desktop Board supports up to 10 USB 2.0 ports (six ports routed to the back panel and four ports routed to two internal headers) via ICH8. USB 2.0 ports are backward compatible with USB 1.1 devices. USB 1.1 devices will function normally at USB 1.1 speeds.

USB 2.0 support requires both an operating system and drivers that fully support USB 2.0 transfer rates. Disabling Hi-Speed USB in the BIOS reverts all USB 2.0 ports to USB 1.1 operation. This may be required to accommodate operating systems that do not support USB 2.0.

Enhanced IDE Interface

The board’s IDE interface handles the exchange of information between the processor and peripheral devices such as hard disk drives and CD-ROM drives. The interface supports:

Up to two IDE devices (such as hard drives)

ATAPI-style devices (such as CD-ROM drives)

Older PIO Mode devices

Ultra DMA-33 and ATA-66/100 protocols

Serial ATA

The Desktop Board supports four Serial ATA channels (3.0 Gb/s) via ICH8, connecting one device per channel.

17

Page 17
Image 17
Intel DG35EC manual Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Support, Enhanced IDE Interface, Serial ATA, LED Color LED State Indicates

DG35EC, Intel Desktop Board specifications

The Intel Desktop Board DG35EC is a versatile and reliable motherboard designed for the Intel Core 2 Processor family. Launched in the mid-2000s, it became known for its solid performance and robust feature set aimed at both general computing and home entertainment needs.

One of the standout features of the DG35EC is its support for the Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors. With LGA775 socket compatibility, it allows users to take advantage of the multi-core architecture for improved multitasking capabilities and overall performance. The board supports a maximum memory capacity of 8GB using DDR2 RAM, offering dual-channel architecture for enhanced memory bandwidth, which is crucial for tasks that require significant data processing.

The DG35EC is built with Intel's G35 Express chipset, which integrates several key technologies to enhance user experience. This chipset combines graphics and memory functionality, allowing for seamless multimedia playback and enabling support for DirectX 10. The integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3000 delivers decent graphics performance for day-to-day applications and light gaming, which was impressive at the time of its release.

This desktop board also boasts a suite of connectivity options. It features six SATA 3Gb/s ports for fast data transfer with compatible hard drives and SSDs, enhancing system responsiveness. Additionally, it includes a wide array of USB 2.0 ports, enabling users to connect multiple peripherals, such as external storage devices, printers, and keyboards without the need for expansion cards.

For audio capabilities, the DG35EC is equipped with Intel High Definition Audio, providing immersive sound quality for multimedia applications and improved audio fidelity for high-definition content. This feature was particularly appealing for users who enjoyed media consumption on their desktop systems.

The board is also designed with various expansion slots, including PCI Express x16 for graphics cards, and several PCI slots for legacy devices, thus ensuring compatibility with a wide range of hardware. The compact ATX form factor makes it suitable for a variety of cases while providing sufficient room for expansion.

Overall, Intel's DG35EC Desktop Board stands out for its reliable performance and feature set tailored for everyday computing and multimedia applications, making it a solid choice for users looking to build a functional and efficient desktop system.