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Starting the cabinet all at once. It works! And here's how...

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SoundDoc:
Just reading over this thread got me thinking, you want to turn the computer on when the power switch is flipped, off when its flipped off, but it would be advisable to also have the computer instead of just powering straight off (for those running windows) to start shutting down instead.

about $10 in components should do it. a 555 timer, a couple caps, resistors, and a relay. Basically, you need a rising & falling edge trigger, with a delayed pulse one shot.

you'd plug the computer into constant power, and the "device" into the switched mains, and a small cable from the "device" to the power on header on the MB.

When you turn on the cabinet, the relay  picks up, triggering the "device", after a second, it would pulse the power on header for a second, starting the computer.
Same thing on power off of the cab, the drop of the relay would trigger the "device", pulsing the power on header, initiating a shutdown, or hibernation, or whatever you've got it programmed to do. No hard crash of the computer.

I agree that the way Peale has it set up must work, and if your not concerned about crashing the machine, its a easy way to go.

I've seen too many times though a machine just getting its plug pulled killing the HD, or the CPU, as it doesn't get a chance to shut down gracefully. When you just pull the plug on the PSU, the 12v and 5v lines surge momentarily, and can kill components (HD's usually die first).

If anyones interested, I'll draw it up quick. Everything for it would be availiable at radio shack, and for probably less than $10. You'd need to be able to solder though.

SD

krick:

--- Quote from: SoundDoc on June 15, 2004, 09:59:04 pm ---
I agree that the way Peale has it set up must work, and if your not concerned about crashing the machine, its a easy way to go.


--- End quote ---

Peale is using DOS so there's not likely to be a problem with just "pulling the plug".  If I was building a cabinet for a family member, I've probably use DOS and do it the way he does.  Less stuff to go wrong.  


On the other hand for those of us who need to use Windows....


--- Quote from: SoundDoc on June 15, 2004, 09:59:04 pm ---
If anyones interested, I'll draw it up quick. Everything for it would be availiable at radio shack, and for probably less than $10. You'd need to be able to solder though.


--- End quote ---

YES PLEASE!  If this works, you'll be famous....  Well, with me anyway.

SoundDoc:
Ok, give me a day here to draw it up.
I still hate just pulling the plug on a machine. When the PSU just looses power, the voltages go all out of whack, and components can take damage. when the control signal from the computer shuts down the psu, it "turns off" the power supply. Lets call it a soft off, vs a hard off.

Anyway, I'll draw it out tomorrow, and calculate out the values.  Should have something by the evening.

SD

krick:
I found this.  You might find it helpful...

http://www.schematica.com/555_Timer_design/555.htm

danny_galaga:
going slightly back, i just happened to notice that very occasionally maybe one time in fifty that my cab doesnt power up when i turn it on. you might recall that i am using a relay on its lonesome. i suspect this is because it must be just on the edge of not working (or working i guess). in time it will either get better or worse i imagine as the relay physically wears out. ill keep you posted.
still, when it doesnt power on, i just turn it off and on again and its away!

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