Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: JRChristenson on July 06, 2011, 03:00:04 pm
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I'd really like to wire an arcade button into the power switch on this thing but I can't find the red and black wires that should be so obvious. Any help would be appreciated.
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My optiplex 270 has a ribbon cable going to the front rather than individual wires, and I'm not sure if I will try to mess with it, or research the board to see if I can solder leads on somewhere else.
Mine is the small form factor so may not be same as the case you are referring to. Interested to see if anyone pops up with a good answer on this.
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The power cable usually goes directly to the bottom corner of the motherboard. There will be a bunch of pins with tiny connectors on them. They are for things like power, reset and power LED. Certain motherboards may be different, but it is pretty standard for the pins to be in the bottom corner.
Just buy your own power cable instead of using the cable that goes with your computer case.
(http://images17.newegg.com/is/image/newegg/12-201-029-TS?$S300W$)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201029&cm_re=motherboard_power_switch-_-12-201-029-_-Product (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201029&cm_re=motherboard_power_switch-_-12-201-029-_-Product)
Wire an arcade button to one of these, unplug the cable on your motherboard leading to the computer case power switch and plug your cable in there instead.
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Isn't the power supply to the MB part of the 20(?) pin MB connector? My MB doesn't have a separate 2 pin connector I think.
Could we just tap into the wire going from the power supply to the MB power pins? momentary switch on that would be functionally the same, right?
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Just buy your own power cable instead of using the cable that goes with your computer case.
Not a bad idea, but if it's a ribbon cable like TopJimmyCooks said, I can't just unplug it without disconnecting a lot of other things, right?
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Isn't the power supply to the MB part of the 20(?) pin MB connector? My MB doesn't have a separate 2 pin connector I think.
Could we just tap into the wire going from the power supply to the MB power pins? momentary switch on that would be functionally the same, right?
the lines for the pwer/reset/LEDs should ususally be in a different area. Your power supply won't go to this area at all. If you wired a switch into the mobo power line, then you would only be able to do a hard power down. It won't shut the computer down properly.
Just buy your own power cable instead of using the cable that goes with your computer case.
Not a bad idea, but if it's a ribbon cable like TopJimmyCooks said, I can't just unplug it without disconnecting a lot of other things, right?
Some computer cases do have a bigger block connector instead of the 2 pin connectors. On one computer of mine, I broke the block down into two pin connectors using a utility knife. On another computer, I realized I didn't need to use the reset switch or the LEDs, so i just removed the whole thing and put only the 2 pin connector for the power switch in its place.
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Good info, I'll take a closer look at intercepting it in the area of the MB plug or hopefully separate power plug.
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Good info, I'll take a closer look at intercepting it in the area of the MB plug or hopefully separate power plug.
I'm looking at mine now, please post here again if you have any luck!
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if u consider using it for emulation in a cabinet u dont need the button. use the option power on after ac loss in bios settings instead. power down can be managed via frontend.
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if u consider using it for emulation in a cabinet u dont need the button. use the option power on after ac loss in bios settings instead. power down can be managed via frontend.
Say more.
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I suspect it's one of these two. The one on the right seems to go to a switch that only allows the computer to run when the case is closed. My question in this, why are they four pin connectors rather than two?
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I suspect it's one of these two. The one on the right seems to go to a switch that only allows the computer to run when the case is closed. My question in this, why are they four pin connectors rather than two?
Nope. Speaker and case intrusion switch.
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If it's a SFF 270 then it only has the ribbon cable going to the MB. No standard pins like a typical MB.
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Nope. Speaker and case intrusion switch.
Sigh...
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If it's a SFF 270 then it only has the ribbon cable going to the MB. No standard pins like a typical MB.
I don't know how to determine if it's an SFF 270, but if it is can I still wire in an arcade button?
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I don't know how to determine if it's an SFF 270, but if it is can I still wire in an arcade button?
SFF means small form factor. Looks like this
(http://www.pacificgeek.com/productimages/xl/GX270P426-3B-2.jpg)
If it is you'd need to break out the cables from the ribbon cable to do it.
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Looks like a lot of the pinout info for the front panel is here
http://www.mp3car.com/hardware-development/105026-dell-optiplex-gx270-front-panel-pinout.html (http://www.mp3car.com/hardware-development/105026-dell-optiplex-gx270-front-panel-pinout.html)
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SFF means small form factor. Looks like this
(http://www.pacificgeek.com/productimages/xl/GX270P426-3B-2.jpg)
If it is you'd need to break out the cables from the ribbon cable to do it.
Yeah, that's it. Thanks for the info.
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That's my case too. will be experimenting with shutdown through mala and the bios settings first, ribbon cable surgery second. Onward and upward. Thanks JMB.
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This picture is not very good quality (not mine) but are these the pins I'm looking for?
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I just sent off about 50 of those things to be recycled. Still probably have 1/2 a dozen or so. Let me know if either of you need any replacement cables.
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This picture is not very good quality (not mine) but are these the pins I'm looking for?
Yes.
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Could be a good idea to test with a multimeter. Push the buttons and see when it beeps! (and obviously when it doesn't, when the button is not pressed)
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I finally got back to this and I am happy to confirm that pins 2&3 in the picture above were the ones I was after. Very happy to finally have this problem solved, thanks for all the help. :applaud:
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I'm late to the party, but I'll throw this out from a previous similar question for any future BYOACers who use search:
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=100211.msg1059143#msg1059143 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=100211.msg1059143#msg1059143)
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I have a power button!
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Haha be careful, man. Hopefully you don't have a microleaf on that button!
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Haha be careful, man. Hopefully you don't have a microleaf on that button!
I don't, but why would it matter if I did? ???
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Easy to accidentally turn the system off.
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Easy to accidentally turn the system off.
Oh I see. It's going to be on the back anyway....