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trying to wire an arcade button to the power button on my pc
DillonFoulds:
If your DMM has a mode that looks like o)) (a speaker kinda thing) then it's a continuity test, and whenever the probes are touching, or both on a path that makes them connect, the DMM will beep.
This is probably one of my favourite tools of my DMM, to be honest.
So put one end on the power button wire, with the computer unplugged. Now you can probe around with the other end along any pins on that header until you hear a beep. Easy Peasy!
The only caveat is that you might end up finding the wrong end of the button (the ground) in which case you'll hear a lot of beeps, so probe a different leg on the power button and try again.
RandyT:
:dizzy:
This is a simple project...or at least it sounds like it should be.
You have to remove the switch board. I have seen at least one reference stating that there is a small microswitch on that I/O board that is the power button.
Look at that switch carefully. Is it a "through hole" type switch? If so, it's a simple matter to solder another set of wires in parallel with that switch, using the points where the present switch's terminals protrude through and are soldered to the board. If it's a surface mount switch, it's a little trickier, but still possible.
I don't quite know how screwing around with a ribbon cable is going to help, unless you try to strip one wire out of it, which is not a simple approach. You could try to solder to the pins of the connector, but if the switch is there, you can solder directly to it without the hunting.
Post a large photo of the front, and back of the I/O board and we'll know for sure the best approach.
RandyT
katuuuz:
Ok sounds good guys. I'll extract the i/o panel when I get home and take some pics. Talk to you guys then.
SavannahLion:
--- Quote from: RandyT on December 16, 2010, 12:31:19 pm --- :dizzy:
This is a simple project...or at least it sounds like it should be.
You have to remove the switch board. I have seen at least one reference stating that there is a small microswitch on that I/O board that is the power button.
Look at that switch carefully. Is it a "through hole" type switch? If so, it's a simple matter to solder another set of wires in parallel with that switch, using the points where the present switch's terminals protrude through and are soldered to the board. If it's a surface mount switch, it's a little trickier, but still possible.
I don't quite know how screwing around with a ribbon cable is going to help, unless you try to strip one wire out of it, which is not a simple approach. You could try to solder to the pins of the connector, but if the switch is there, you can solder directly to it without the hunting.
Post a large photo of the front, and back of the I/O board and we'll know for sure the best approach.
RandyT
--- End quote ---
+1
Right now most of us are guessing as to the iopanel design it really isn't that difficultp
katuuuz:
Ok. I think I'm on to something with my multimeter. I unplugged the small ribbon labeled "control panel," plugged in the PC, and was unable to power on with the dell power button. So, I guess now I know that that small ribbon has something to do with the turning on of the computer. Upon learning this, I took out my DMM and set it to conducter mode, or whatever (speaker mode lol) and started prodding the pins of this "control panel" connection on the I/O board itself. I was able to achieve the beeping noise by touching the 2 pins that are aligned in red pencil in the attached photo... also the screen on my DMM displayed "SHRT". (Short?).
Upon doing this, I thought I was in like flint, so I went rummiging through my arcade tacklebox only to find a coin switch. I ghetto rigged some wire to the connections on the coin switch, and then ghetto rigged the opposite ends to the pins highlighted. I clicked the twine on the coinswitch which resulted in nothing. I swapped the wires pin-side and tried again with no luck.
Below is a picture of the face of the daughter board, with the 2 pins I got the "SHRT" reading on connected in red pencil. Also is the back-side of the daughter board upon request. Lastly, the third picture is a cord that may be it too. Maybe I am wrong in being wishful, but those exposed wires look like the power supply wires. They go from the daughter board to the motherboard and on the motherboard are labeled "Front Audio Mic USB2."