question about powering up with one button

[hulkster]

okay, ive done research on this topic and i want to power up cab with one button (happ pushbutton with horizontal microswitch).  im not that keen on the idea of hacking and soldering, but if i have to do some ill do it.  

i have a computer, 27" TV, and will have a light for the marquee that i want powered up.  ive read about the smartstrip and know that they allow you to plug everything into it and then once one comes on, everything comes on.  okay, so my question is, can you wire the smartstrip some how to be wired to a microswitch...via quick disconnects?  i want to just have a button mounted to the outside of my cab, to be able to press this button or hold it down or whatever and this will activate the smartstrip, will in turn activate everything to power up.  i know there are other ways to do this and ive read posts about it, but i was just wondering if there was a way to do this with minimal hacking.  thanks for any tips.

[Zathras]

Actually the Smart strip watches for power use on one particular port (typically the computer is plugged in there as it needs a certain current draw to kick it off).

So what you need to do is have a button that turns on the device you have hooked to that port.  On a computer the switch is just connected to a simple two pin header on the motherboard - so what I did was to take a plug (something like the HD light) from an old dead computer and solder on longer wires to run it to my hidden power button (just a normal arcade button).

Works like a charm.

[Zathras]

also if you don't want to solder you could just wire nut on the longer wires and it should work fine

[_Iz-]

See my response in this thread...

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=16248

[hulkster]

Actually the Smart strip watches for power use on one particular port (typically the computer is plugged in there as it needs a certain current draw to kick it off).

So what you need to do is have a button that turns on the device you have hooked to that port.  On a computer the switch is just connected to a simple two pin header on the motherboard - so what I did was to take a plug (something like the HD light) from an old dead computer and solder on longer wires to run it to my hidden power button (just a normal arcade button).

Works like a charm.

so are you talking about the wire that comes from the power button on the outside of the computer?  i think thats what you are talking about...that wire goes to the mobo.  correct me if im wrong.  so basically just extend that wire that powers the pc, to a quick disconnect to a pushbutton?  and if i can use that wire nut that you are talking about, id rather use that.  can you show me a picture of it?

[hulkster]

See my response in this thread...

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=16248

looks like you posted that when i posted my new thread!  sorry, that seems like it should work pretty good.  similar to what Zathras said.  so what did you use to connect the wire from the mobo power thing to the extended wire leading to the microswitch?

[_Iz-]

See my response in this thread...

http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=16248

looks like you posted that when i posted my new thread!  sorry, that seems like it should work pretty good.  similar to what Zathras said.  so what did you use to connect the wire from the mobo power thing to the extended wire leading to the microswitch?

The same stuff you use to wire the control panel would work fine. I used stranded speaker wire and crimp connectors.

[CM]

There is also the "wake-on-keyboard" feature that most BIOSs have in them now.  This is useful when used along with a smartstrip.  I turned this on and since all my control panel buttons are mapped to keyboard keys through the IPAC ... it turns on with any button.

(Downside is that my 2-yr old now knows how to turn the cabinet on every time he walks by)  

[hulkster]

well okay, i know how to connect wire to the microswitch, im just wondering how to connect to the two wires to make the extended wire?  i was looking around the garage last night, and i found an old package of "solderless wire connectors"....is that what you are talking about?  kind of a black tube like things.  there were about 20 of them in this package.  will that work?

[_Iz-]

Hard to say without seeing them but they sound right from the name. You could just twist each pair of wires together and black tape them too. You can also get some "double" crimp connectors made for joining wires, you put one wire in each end and crimp each end separately and the connector makes the connection internally.

[Sephroth57]

yeah i think he meant barrel crimp connectors, theyre just tubes that you put a wire in each side, crimp it real good and its all insulated and connected. those would be great

[hulkster]

There is also the "wake-on-keyboard" feature that most BIOSs have in them now.  This is useful when used along with a smartstrip.  I turned this on and since all my control panel buttons are mapped to keyboard keys through the IPAC ... it turns on with any button.

(Downside is that my 2-yr old now knows how to turn the cabinet on every time he walks by)  

well i was looking at that in my bios.  its a new ASUS mobo, so im pretty sure i can change it to power on with one button press.  so i guess technically, i could assign one button to the space bar (for example) and then when i press the button on the outside of the cab, it powers up the pc which is plugged into the smart strip...which would in turn power up the whole thing!  is this right?  so all i would need is to have a pushbuton to whatever button i assign to power up the computer?  

however i just thought of something, if i make the space bar for instance the power up key, then if i accidentally hit the space bar on my keyboard, it will shut down the pc right?  do most people make it shifted keystrokes?

[crashwg]

When you assign a power up key to something like spacebar it will do just that, power up after it has served that function it acts like a regular space bar again (otherwise, you wouldn't be able to type anything).

[hulkster]

ah!  okay, well what about powering down/shutting down.  

[crashwg]

Some of the frontends out there have an option to shut down on exit.  So if you're using a FE, check the configs.
Personaly, I'd just wire the power button from the front of the computer case to somewhere on the outside of the cab (or in your case, the pedistal) that way you can start up and shut down, with 1 button.

[crashwg]

Also, I'm not sure if the input device you are using and if it has a sleep button input but that can be set up to shutdown/power off your pc.

[hulkster]

okay....so i take the wire that connects the mobo to the power button, and cut that off (though still connected to the mobo) and strip it at the end.  then take another piece of wire and strip that at the end, then take one of those solderless connectors and connect the two wires.  then just wire a button to that wire.  and plug the computer into the smart strip.  IS ALL THAT CORRECT???

i did a search for the smart strip and they are lik 35 bucks!  geez.  can i get one cheaper some where?

[crashwg]

Exactly!
You can also go to sears, in the hardware/powertools section that have something similar, but it only has 3 plugs altogether, the one that you plug the computer into and 2 that are controled by the computer, but you can plug in cheap @$$ powerstrip from the dolar store if you need more plugs.

[hulkster]

you wouldnt happen to know what its called would you?

also, what kind of wire do i need to use for this?  i have 22ga. wire right now for my buttons and stuff, but do i need something different or will this work?

[hulkster]

anybody?

[crashwg]

22g should work just fine

Craftsman Auto Switch
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00924031000

I'm thinkin about getting a couple of these things.  One for my cab and one for my powered sub on my reciever...

[CM]

anybody?

I think he is referring to this:
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00924031000

[hulkster]

sweet!  thanks guys *runs to sears*

[crashwg]

What, is my link not good enough for you?  

[hulkster]

its great!  but a little pricey.  im just looking for a more cost effective way of doing it.

[crashwg]

You might want to bring a picture or something.  When I went a looking for these things nobody knew what the heck I was talking about.

Oh, and they're (at least in concord) with the powerstrips and stuff go figure, but you can also find them next to things like router tables and bench grinders.