External Back
Let's take a gander 'round the back now.
The S/PDIF jacks are in a strange position on the top-right of the chassis. That's the first time we've seen them there, not that it makes much difference. There's provision for both S/PDIF input and output (from the ALC650 CODEC) using optical connections. Shuttle's familiar two slots sit to the right, housing both the dedicated 8x AGP slot and a single 32-bit 33MHz PCI slot.
A slightly larger picture should display what's on offer 'round the back. A single COM port sits above the on-board video's HD15 input. A further 4 USB2.0 ports, making a possible 6 usable ports, sit below the second Firewire port. This port is the standard 6-pin variety that draws its power directly from the XPC. A single RJ45 LAN connector sits next door. PS/2 ports usher in the middle and the three sound ports, which double-up to form a 6-channel output formation, finish off the right side of the rear. Some users may bemoan the lack of parallel and serial ports. Shuttle do bundle these as optional extras, but it's all about high-speed connectivity, baby. The lack of video-out is a little worrying. This XPC is all about portability and ease of use. A video-out connection was expected.
Even Shuttle XPC's bundles are looking quite bloated now. The on-board S-ATA gives rise to a 2 S-ATA cables (duh) and 2 power connectors. One can really see the benefit of the thinner S-ATA cables in an environment as cramped as an XPC's. A standard ATA133 cable with a convenient twist in the middle accompanies another standard-looking floppy cable. These cables look gargantuan next to their sleeker S-ATA cousins. All the screws you'll need, 2 shiny XPC stands, a U.K spec' power cable, a driver / utility CD, and 2 reasonable manuals round off the 61G2's package. There's not much else you'd need for this package, really.
