3 Way Switch Question - Xbox and PC Powering Up/Down

[slapaham]

As mentioned before, I am building a PC/Xbox Cab - and I would like the ability to switch between the two flawlessly. At the moment I have a push button to power up and power down the Xbox and a push button in the place of the PC power button (which, when held, also powers down the PC) As I have a rather complicated powerstrip setup (basically, starting the PC will power everything up and the same goes for the Xbox - god knows what would happen if you powered up both of them at the same time - I don't think I want to find out!!) I want to get it so that both cannot physically be booted up at the same time. I had a thought that a 3 way switch might be the way to go -



1 side powers the PC, the other side, the Xbox and the middle, powers nothing. However, I don't think this system would work. First of all, having the PC connected to it would mean when the switch was fully over, it would have the same effect as holding down the power button, in turn, powering the PC down. Also, the Xbox, while it wouldn't matter if the button was held in (this doesn't effect anything on the Xbox), to power off, you would have to flip the switch backwards then forwards - not the most easy-to-use system and it would also mean that the chance of powering both the PC and the Xbox at the same time, would not be eliminated.

Can anyone suggest anything that might do what I want it to do...?

[severdhed]

you would need something like this...


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CARLING-3-WAY-ON%2fOFF%2fON-MOMENTARY-ROCKER-BOAT-SWITCH_W0QQitemZ190283224820QQcmdZViewItem


a 3way on-off-on momentary switch.  that way it is normally in the center, off position, and you can momentarily push it either way to turn on either the pc or xbox.


for the record, you shouldnt be shutting your PC down by holding the power button it...that is bad for it.  if you are running windows xp, go to control panel, power options, click on the advanced tab, then where it says : when i press the power button on my computer, choose Shut Down.

that way when you press the power button just once, it will tell windows to shut down properly, instead of forcing it to shut down like it does when you hold the button.

[slapaham]

Oh, I understand that, I was just making it clear that the push button acts in exactly the same way the original button did (although, I'm sure most people would have guessed that!). I wouldn't force a shut down - not a good idea!

Thanks for the feedback. I just wonder whether or not it's worth doing. I may just consider mounting the 2 push buttons on the back. Then it will just be a case of remembering to make sure that the cab is totally powered down before pressing either button.

Thanks again.

[slapaham]

Having said that, it might be nice to do...

I found this -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DPDT-ON-OFF-ON-Momentary-toggle-switch-miniature_W0QQitemZ270353236861QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_3?hash=item270353236861&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A15%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Would this be suitable? Would it simply be a case of taking the 2 wires that were attached to the PC push button and attaching them to the 2 pins below one side of the switch and the same for the Xbox?

Also, does this kind of switch actually cut the power to what ever is powered up when you flip it to the central position? I ask because the Xbox requires you press the button again to power it down.

[severdhed]

actually that probably wouldn't work, bucause the pc and xbox do not share the common ground.  you would be better off to have two separate buttons i think. 

also, no, moving it back to center would not turn the power off to the pc or the xbox...since it is a momentray switch, it will return to center automatically once you let go of it. 

you could always use two separate buttons side by side, with a hinged flap that is mounted between the two that covers one or the other...you flip it one way to access the pc power button and it will cover the xbox power button..and then flip it back and it will cover the pc button and give you access to the xbox button.

it shouldn't be too difficult to make something like that out of a thin piece of wood, or plexiglass or something.


EDIT:  or perhaps a small sliding panel that would cover one button at a time...that way you would be forced to cover the other one.  if it just flipped back and forth, you could still make it jsut stick straight out still allowing access to both.

[slapaham]

2 buttons it is! I think that what I might do is mount the 2 buttons on the back and put one to the furtherest left and one to the furtherest right. That way you'd have to make a real effort to make the mistake of putting both on at the same time! 

[severdhed]

that's much easier than fabricating a sliding panel to cover them!!!