(Update 04-25) DFI DT122 (AMD RX-427BB) Industrial ITX T730-a-like; $99 shipped w/ 8GB

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Fritz

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Ordered the Silicom 6 port i350 for the DFI box running PFSense. Shot myself in the foot configuring the LAN port and had to hook the box up to a DP monitor to correct it. Had an Intel NIC and a Realtek NIC. Wasn't happy using the Realtek. Now it's all Intel i350. This is a great little box for PFSense. Rock solid reliable.
 
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Geran

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Ordered the Silicom 6 port i350 for the DFI box running PFSense. Shot myself in the foot configuring the LAN port and had to hook the box up to a DP monitor to correct it. Had an Intel NIC and a Realtek NIC. Wasn't happy using the Realtek. Now it's all Intel i350. This is a great little box for PFSense. Rock-solid reliable.
You can manually update the Realtek NIC in pfsense which this post
 

Fritz

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You can manually update the Realtek NIC in pfsense which this post
Thanks for this. I wasn't even aware of the problem with Realtek NIC's. With the addition of the Silicom NIC I no longer need the Realtek so it's lying dormant. DFI cheaped out using it in this box. I was getting strange hesitations and hiccups and didn't know why. The Silicom fixed all and now everything is smooth and stable.
 

Geran

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Yeah, I wasn't either until recently. I did the stuff in that post on my T730 and it is working great. I have an Intel 4 port, I just wanted that extra port as well.
 

abq

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Current listings:

05-16:
DFI DT122-BE 2nd Gen AMD Embedded R-Series Industrial Desktop Box PC 2.7GHz HD ! | eBay

Overview:

These Industrial ITX machines are based on the same AMD APU SoC as the capable HP T730 thin client. This is a quad core 2.7GHz board with boost clock rates up to 3.6GHz. Typical idle power in Linux with a single SSD, 16GB RAM and a Mellanox Connect-X3 VPI NIC is ~25W. That's around 5W more than the (extremely power efficient) HP T730. Not too shabby for a commodity parts ITX box.

For some context, the T730 thin client is selling for around $160-$200. At $100 or under this is, in my opinion, a very solid purchase.

Why is this machine exciting?
  • Average power draw before add-in hardware is under 20W at idle running modern Linux
  • (2) 1Gb NICs: Intel i210 in addition to a Realtek r8168
  • One full-sized 16x PCIe slot
  • one mSATA/m-PCIe slot
  • You can jam at least 6 2.5" drives in the case if you're creative
  • SATA/mSATA ports aren't shared, you can run 5 drives by default
  • Runs Proxmox well, and can easily handle two (or more) pfSense VMs without breaking a sweat
  • Routes gigabit internet like a champ
  • AES-NI equivalent
  • AMD IOMMU Support
  • Under 2U, fits nicely on a shelf
  • 250W Delta FlexATX PSU
Motherboard Manual:
https://www.dfi.com/Uploads/Downloa...2b2/DFI-BE170-BE171-BE173-Mini-ITX-Manual.pdf

DT122-BE Product Page:
DT122-BE | 2nd Gen AMD Embedded R-Series | Bald Eagle | Pre-Configured System & Chassis | DFI

lspci -tv:
Code:
-[0000:00]-+-00.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Root Complex
          +-01.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Kaveri [Radeon R7 Graphics]
          +-01.1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Kaveri HDMI/DP Audio Controller
          +-02.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Root Port
          +-03.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Root Port
          +-03.1-[01]----00.0  Intel Corporation I210 Gigabit Network Connection
          +-03.2-[02]--+-00.0  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
          |            +-00.1  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 816a
          |            +-00.2  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 816b
          |            +-00.3  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 816c
          |            \-00.4  Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 816d
          +-04.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Root Port
          +-10.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB XHCI Controller
          +-10.1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB XHCI Controller
          +-11.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode]
          +-12.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB OHCI Controller
          +-12.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB EHCI Controller
          +-13.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB OHCI Controller
          +-13.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB EHCI Controller
          +-14.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller
          +-14.1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH IDE Controller
          +-14.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH Azalia Controller
          +-14.3  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge
          +-14.4-[03]--
          +-14.5  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH USB OHCI Controller
          +-18.0  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 0
          +-18.1  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 1
          +-18.2  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 2
          +-18.3  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 3
          +-18.4  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 4
          \-18.5  Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 15h (Models 30h-3fh) Processor Function 5
Noise/Volume:

Just a heads up, these are significantly louder than the T730. The factory 40mm exhaust fan is annoying, but easily replaced with a $5-10 Sunon or your favorite alternate brand.

Pictures:

Here's the inside of the machine with some ideas for drive mounting courtesy of @Marsh

View attachment 11062 View attachment 11061

PSU is a 250W Delta FlexATX that's quite a bit nicer than I expected given the low price we're paying for these machines:

View attachment 11063

IOMMU BIOS:

Update: Thanks to user @mimino DFI has provided a BIOS that enables IOMMU, see post here. See just below for a copy with updated device firmware included as well. This will allow you to use up to 8 VFs per SR-IOV compatible device. SR-IOV support is a bit dodgy though, I wouldn't plan on using it for anything important.


Quieting the Beast:

Edit: I have a selection of 40mm Sunon Maglev fans here, the ~9CFM model works nicely as a replacement. I wouldn't go much quieter/lower CFM if you add a 10 or 40GbE NIC like I did.

The stock fan is an Everflow R124020BM:
  • Rated Current: 0.16 Amp
  • Rated Input Power: 1.92 Watt
  • Rated Speed: 8000 rpm
  • Maximum Air Flow: 10.19 CFM or 0.29 CMM
  • Sound Level: 34.8 db(A)
I've swapped the fan in mine for the Sunon MB40201VX-000U-G99 and it's a perfect drop in replacement. Audibly it's around 1/3 quieter.
  • Current Rating 115 mA
  • Power Rating 1.38 W
  • RPM 8200 RPM
  • Airflow 10.8 CFM
  • Noise 27.5 dBA

The Sunon MB40201V1 is an even quieter and lower power option, at 25dBA a V1 is approximately half the loudness of the stock fan. Temps are good, and you could definitely go even lower speed if you're intending to use your machine for a low intensity application.
  • Current Rating 70 mA
  • Power Rating 0.84 W
  • RPM 7200 RPM
  • Airflow 8.9 CFM
  • Noise 25.5 dBA

V2's and V3's also exist, but I'm not sure I want to go that low speed with a Connect-X3 in the case.

Full Sunon Maglev specs are here:
https://datasheet.octopart.com/MB40201VX-000U-G99-Sunon-Fans-datasheet-8818073.pdf

Stock exhaust fan (Everflow) specs here:
R124020BM 40X40X20mm 3 pin Dual Ball Bearing Fan

Edit, because people keep asking about temperatures:
Hello All,

I noticed the HP T730 clone can use the Allied Telesis AT-29M2 for fibre connection, but not sure if this DFI DT122-BE can as well. I do not see a spot for it in the DT122 pictures. Does anyone have any experience they can share? ...Looks like price dropped to $10 on ebay (Allied Telesis AT-29M2/SC-AA-001 M.2 MULTI-MODE NETWORK ADAPTER 990-004932-001 767035207797 | eBay).

Thanks & Merry Christmas :)
 
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Fritz

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Mine bit the dust. 2 of the inserts the heatsink screws screw into pulled out of the metal frame on the bottom of the MB.
 
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Fritz

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Yikes! Did it cook the CPU?
Yes it did. I kept the case and memory and threw the MB in the big green metal box. It was my pfSense box so I was inconvenienced for a couple of day. :mad:
 
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