What Kind of switch 2 turn comp on ?

[juanchocnva]

 :timebomb:HI
i was just wandering what kind of switches to use to turn computer on from outside of my cab..
 
what kind do u use...its possible 2 see a pic of ur setup..  ...thanks again 4 the Help




 




                                                             

[quadrider1]

I used the power switch that are on power strips to control my arcade power. This just turns on all the power to the monitor and computer from outside the arcade cab. Then i used an arcade button hidden under my control panel to turn the comp on. Just rewired the power button from the comp to the arcade.

[Celsius]

You could also use the option in your bios to turn on your pc when power is on. This way you could use the switch on the power strip to switch everything on

[BonzNumber1]

i use an arcade button that i mounted on the back of the cabinet.  if you look where the switch connects to your mother Bord the connector only has 2 wires just like an arcade button.  i just cut off the hookup and wired my button to it, ground to ground and live to live and plugged it back in.  the power button on a computer is a micro-controller just like an arcade button so to safe shutdown the system just press it quick and windows will shutdown... if you use a master plug power bar and put your computer as master you can make everything else shut off at the same time as your computer so you do spend 10 min screwing with turning crap off   if you want pics i can show you.  heck if you want i'll make a how-to vid (i like making vids)

[Nacimroc]

Just to add to bonz's post! If you dont want to use an arcade button, you can use any "momentary" switch off ebay etc. Its basically a switch that doesn't stay on when pressed.

I use this one and put the LED on dedicated power so the light is always on even when the cab is off so people know where to turn it on!
http://cgi.ebay.com/12V-Metal-Switch-Momentary-Push-Button-Brass-Blue-Led-/250723074005?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a60427fd5#ht_4589wt_905

[juanchocnva]

  thanks 4 thelp guy i have the power strip and i dont like the arcade buttons 4 that so ill go wt ebays thanks again 



 



                                                                     

[Blanka]

Don't use momentary! It makes it too easy to turn off the machine while playing. I think setting the computer on reboot from power failure is the nicest, or wire the normal power-on button to another button (Whit those you need to push it 5 seconds to shut it down immediately, much nicer than the direct killing with a momentary mains switch.

[juanchocnva]

thanks 4 the info Blanka. am putting my switch on top of my 6 foot arcade  its pretty hard 2 reach do u think ur method also applies with my set up?

am not exactly  sure in how to do it.  sounds complicated.





 
 
 



                                                       

[BonzNumber1]

Don't use momentary! It makes it too easy to turn off the machine while playing. I think setting the computer on reboot from power failure is the nicest, or wire the normal power-on button to another button (Whit those you need to push it 5 seconds to shut it down immediately, much nicer than the direct killing with a momentary mains switch.

sounds like a normal computer button to me

[Eddie_Brock]

I've wired everything up to a smart powerbar, with my PC as the master device.
I purchased a small momentary switch from the Source (think RadioShack yanks) for a couple dollars and wired it into the pc power button wire. It's a simple mod, and as long as you're careful where you mount it, it shouldn't pose any problems.

[Rick]

I've wired everything up to a smart powerbar, with my PC as the master device.  I purchased a small momentary switch from the Source (think RadioShack yanks) for a couple dollars and wired it into the pc power button wire. It's a simple mod, and as long as you're careful where you mount it, it shouldn't pose any problems.

Can you describe this in more detail?

Are you saying your smart powerbar turns on other items (like your marquee lighting, and any subwoofer-powered speakers) when you press the button attached to your PC?  If so, that's the configuration I'd love to hear about.  If there's a way I can press one button to have everything turn on - and off - without having to use multiple items to achieve the same result, I'm all for it.  (The only way I could figure it out would be having everything on a standard power bar, with the BIOS set to 'auto on', but that means shutting down Windows 'hard', which I'm not a fan of.)

[BobA]

I've wired everything up to a smart powerbar, with my PC as the master device.  I purchased a small momentary switch from the Source (think RadioShack yanks) for a couple dollars and wired it into the pc power button wire. It's a simple mod, and as long as you're careful where you mount it, it shouldn't pose any problems.

Can you describe this in more detail?

There is really not much more to describe.  The computer plugs into the control outlet on the smart power bar.  When you turn on the computer all the items on the controlled outlets will turn on as well.   The smart powerbar senses the power draw of the computer so it can turn on the other outlets when the computer turns on.   There is aways power to the control outloet so the computer has power even when powered down.

Computer can be turned on by the regular momentary power switch or an arcade button wired to the same spot on the motherboard.

[Donkbaca]

I'll tell you what I did.  First get one of these, or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Protector-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK

Its a smart strip/surge protector.  One device is a "master device" that controls the other switched outlets.  What happens is that the circuitry in the strip monitors the draw on the power for the master outlet.  When you turn a device on, it draws more power from the outlet, the strip senses this and turns on the other outlets. So, you plug the computer in to the master, plug the monitor, speakers, marquee light, powered usb hub, etc. into the switched outlets.  You turn on the pc, the strip sends power to the other outlets, bingo, everything is on.

Modern PC's use a momentary switch to turn on.  If you open your case and follow the tow wires from your power button they will attach to some pins on your mother board.  When your PC is off there is a constant 5v available there.  when you press the power button on your PC, you close a circuit and short these pins, which sends a signal to the pc to turn on.  Conversly, if its on and you hold it for 5 seconds, you close the circuit and send a signal to the pc to do a hard shutdown.  To make things nicer, most modern motherboards have a power management feature that allow for a one-button shutdown of windows.  If you go into your control panel, under power management features, you can assign what happens when the power button is pushed.  If your motherboard supports power management, you can set your pc to either sleep, or shutdown windows when the button is pushed.  So, instead of holding the button down for 5 seconds to shut off your pc or going to the start menu and hitting shutdown, all you do is tap the power button and the pc safely shuts down windows.

All you need to do this is a momentary switch and some wire.  By the way, a momentar switch is any switch that makes momentary contact.  The momentary switches you are probably most familiar with are the microswitches in your arcade buttons.  Just wire the common and normally open sides of the switch, and presto, instant, cheap computer power button you can mount anywhere on your cab that will turn on and shutdown your entire rig with one button press.

[Rick]

I'll tell you what I did.  First get one of these, or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Protector-Autoswitching-Technology/dp/B0006PUDQK

Its a smart strip/surge protector.  One device is a "master device" that controls the other switched outlets.  What happens is that the circuitry in the strip monitors the draw on the power for the master outlet.  When you turn a device on, it draws more power from the outlet, the strip senses this and turns on the other outlets. So, you plug the computer in to the master, plug the monitor, speakers, marquee light, powered usb hub, etc. into the switched outlets.  You turn on the pc, the strip sends power to the other outlets, bingo, everything is on.

Modern PC's use a momentary switch to turn on.  If you open your case and follow the tow wires from your power button they will attach to some pins on your mother board.  When your PC is off there is a constant 5v available there.  when you press the power button on your PC, you close a circuit and short these pins, which sends a signal to the pc to turn on.  Conversly, if its on and you hold it for 5 seconds, you close the circuit and send a signal to the pc to do a hard shutdown.  To make things nicer, most modern motherboards have a power management feature that allow for a one-button shutdown of windows.  If you go into your control panel, under power management features, you can assign what happens when the power button is pushed.  If your motherboard supports power management, you can set your pc to either sleep, or shutdown windows when the button is pushed.  So, instead of holding the button down for 5 seconds to shut off your pc or going to the start menu and hitting shutdown, all you do is tap the power button and the pc safely shuts down windows.

All you need to do this is a momentary switch and some wire.  By the way, a momentar switch is any switch that makes momentary contact.  The momentary switches you are probably most familiar with are the microswitches in your arcade buttons.  Just wire the common and normally open sides of the switch, and presto, instant, cheap computer power button you can mount anywhere on your cab that will turn on and shutdown your entire rig with one button press.

The perfect solution!  Thanks!

[flashiv]

Thanks for the info!     I will be trying this out after the holidays. 

[Nacimroc]

Just to add that for Ireland / UK plugs, the equivalent smartstrip over here is called an "intelliplug".

http://www.oneclickpower.com/shop/?only=DSK

There is a laptop version which won't work with a PC so be careful which one you order. Do not bother with the larger version as all you have to do is plug a 4 way extension into the outlet of the smaller version for the exact same thing at half the price.

[Donkbaca]

Glad I coud help

[Dr Zero]

They make a switch that looks like a lock if you wanted to have one up front that was not easy to accidentaly turn off

http://www.twistedquarter.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=462