Long time forum member Charles aka “cakalapati” and his company VOV Technology have recently announced the availability of the 4th generation of the HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board. The board connects to the debug port on the motherboard of the HP MediaSmart Server and provides video, serial, and PS2 keyboard/mouse connectivity. This can be used to facilitate BIOS edits, troubleshooting of boot issues, or to install an alternate operating system such as Windows Home Server 2011, Windows Server 2008, or Linux.
Here are the changes and improvements made to the 4th generation board:
- The debug board is 30% smaller than Gen2/3 boards, making it fit easily inside the HP MediaSmart Server machine
- The debug board and faceplates are now black and use a lasered finish, making it look amazing (blending nicely with the black MediaSmart Server finish)
- VGA lines have ESD Protection, Level Shifting, and RGB Termination meeting IEC-61000-4-2 Level-4 ESD Requirements
- PS2 Keyboard and PS2 Mouse implements a low pass filter to limit EMI levels and provide ESD protection meeting IEC 61000-4-2 Level-4 ESD Requirements
The previous 3rd generation debug board has been extremely popular with the MediaSmart Server community, and VOV Technology have earned countless positive reviews from happy customers. Forum member msawyer91 has already spent time testing a beta version of the Gen4 board and has posted his positive review.
All the details you could ever need, including pictures, FAQ, and ordering instructions are available in the Marketplace forum.
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I have 2 of these Gen 4 Boards in addition to several of the previous versions. I really like the enhancements and the change from White to Black which really goes well with any MSS or Acer EasyStore Server.
I currently have one installed on an EX49x and the other I have yet to install because I am debating which server to install it on.
All I can say is if you need want or desire to add a video output to your MSS, EasyStore or RevoCenter, you simply can not go wrong with this board.