ECS LIVA Mini PC Kit Review

How to build the Kit
You will need a small headed Phillips head Screwdriver to complete this build.

This is basically a tool-less exercise except for the Boss Screw that is made to secure the M.2 Wireless 802.11 b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 on the BAT-Mini motherboard in the back next to the CMOS Battery.

Now for you ladies out there I don’t have to tell you this but for the men, we hate instruction manuals. We are not stupid and we don’t need instruction manuals right men. WRONG!!! There are some great insights on what to do and how to do it and it won’t make you feel like a noob if you look at it.

Liva Instruction Manual

Now that you have that quick reference laying on the floor next to you the next thing is to get to know your new BAT-Mini Motherboard. It is a really powerful little device you have there that has a Celeron 1MB Cache, dual core, dual thread with a built in video card on the chip. We call this an APU. Anyway the APU has 2GB of DDR3 1333 SKHynix memory soldered on the board with a 32 or a 64 GB eMMC or like a soldered on SSD from SanDisk. Also it has a full BIOS like any computer from AMI and a Gigabit LAN connection, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI out, Audio out, and a VGA out. Here is the board with the heatsink removed and labeled.

Liva Uncovered with no

First thing you want to do in this kit is assemble the Wifi portion of the device. Simply take the Wifi M.2 Card and press it securely into the M.2 Slot as pictured below.

LIVA KIT STEP 1

Now that you have got it in place press it down against the post that used the Boss Screw. I love that name, The “BOSS SCREW”. I didn’t make it up. It’s written on the motherboard that way.

Liva Mini PC Kit Step 2
Now place the “Boss Screw” into the hole and use the Screw driver to tighten it down. Don’t tighten too tight; just secure it until the screw stops spinning that will be enough.

Now find your case top and put the peel and stick square pads onto the top inside body of your LIVA MINI PC Case top. Make sure that you put them in the right order and the right place as one of the wires is shorter than the other.

Liva mini Install Wifi antenna

Now you want to secure the two Wifi wires to your M.2 Wifi/Bluetooth device like it’s pictured below. Be sure to match the wire colors with the wire code on the Wifi device. Now secure the white triangle with the silver or white wire and with the black triangle and the black wire.

Liva Mini PC Antenna Post wiring

That was easy. Now the next thing is to mount the motherboard into the case top. First align the back I/O parts to the holes in the back of the case and then slowly drop down the front audio port into position. It will want to stop at this point here. Don’t worry, this is normal.

LIVA MINI PC KIT Line up MB

Now you have reached the toughest part of the build. No. Not putting those darned antenna wires on those two posts. I know, that was like threading a needle with your eyes closed and two kids screaming in each ear.

This is tougher because you have to have faith that you won’t break what you just bought. First again, determine that the I/O Back plate is lined up perfectly and then slowly apply pressure to the motherboard front in a downward motion slowly applying pressure until it clicks into position. That was the power button soldered on the motherboard mounting with the plastic switch on the outside of the unit. Now breathe a sigh of relief and take a minute to check that all is lined up good. It should have snapped in perfectly. The case is perfectly made for this board.

Liva Mini PC Motherboard mounted

Now take the bottom of the Case and determine the orientation by looking for the audio jack half moon cut out and then carefully place the two parts together and let them sit in place just to make sure you are ready to press down. You will only want to do this one time so make sure your WIFI wires are on and then align the bottom to the top of the case.

Liva Mini PC KIT Line up the bottom

Now that you are sure that all is lined up and all is ready then use your hand in a vice motion and slowly start applying the pressure.

Liva Mini PC KIT Vice Grip

Now you have completed the kit that you got in the box. Congratulation if it looks like the two pictures below, you did a great job.

Liva Mini PC KIT Sealed and lined
Liva Mini PC Kit sealed and lined up front

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