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Geek Culture / extra computer buttons (and an lcd panel), what should i do with them?

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 7th Sep 2010 10:07
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i am putting some finishing toches on my sytem i built inside of my 1989 i486 server case. I have a few extra buttons left I have a tumbler switch which was used to purn on the pc trough the PSU back in the day. I also have atubo button and a key switch that has wires to hook it up to something. Now i cant use any of these for power or reset buttons because modern boards need the pins to be contacted for a fraction of a second to turn on/off or reset. So all these extra buttons and switches are meant for constant contatct when turned on. just wonder if anyone has any ideas what can i use for these buttons. I also have an 2 digit lcd panel. i still dont know what i can do with that. All these extra buttons and the lcd panel just seem like a waste to let them do nothing and i cant seem to find any place on the motherboard to that can use them

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Van B
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Posted: 7th Sep 2010 10:18
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I would get an old keyboard, and wire up some keyboard functions to these buttons - alt F4 as a button to shut a program down instantly, maybe a button for alt+tab, ohh, and ctrl+alt+delete. You could even find out a key combo, or use a secondary program to control the PC system volume. These buttons would only work in your OS, but I can't think of anything you'd use them for otherwise.

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 7th Sep 2010 10:38 Edited at: 7th Sep 2010 10:44
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at first i was thinking i should hook up the front tumbler panel to the button in the back of the PSU so i can turn off the PSU from the front
but then i thought it wasnt such a good idea because its generally not reccomended to temper with the PSU

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charger bandit
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Posted: 7th Sep 2010 19:32
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You could rig up a different switch in there and just swap the plastic from the button I would have a switch to turn on some epic blue light,or green would be sick.

Oh and how did you mod the case to fit ATX boards?


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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 7th Sep 2010 20:13
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i took a powerful dremel with metal cutting disks, and cut out some chunks out of the back, the motherboardwas held by a few plastic thingies and one screw, it was very flimsy at first but as i added a video cars, sound card and wireless card, They held the motherboard very well. good thing the back slots aligned. i will upload some pics after i complete it. its my most epic project so far

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 15:13
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is it a good idea to replace a regular 12a 250v PSU switch with a 15a 250v? the new 15a has a little light in it with a resistor or something. i want to extend it to the front panel to be used instead of the original on/off switch. will the light with the resistor (or whatever it is) have any bad effects on the PSU. also if i want to extend it, sould i use a certain standard of wires the same as in the PSU? i know its a bad idea to mess with a PSU but i seriosly cant think of a good enough way to use the original power switch that would be cool (you have to agree that having a power supply button on the front panel is pretty cool. U am not too bright when it comes to actual electronics so can anyone tell me if this idea is ok or is it seriosly not safe for my computer?

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bitJericho
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 16:13
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Seriously not safe for you. Keep your PSU unplugged for 30 days to discharge it, then play with wiring new buttons to it.

That said, if you get shocked even after waiting 30 days, totally not my fault. Most PSUs should discharge after 30 days, but I'm sure there's exceptions or things that I am unaware of.

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 16:20
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well i can take extra precautions not to get shocked but i am more worried about any negative effects on my hardware. I got shocked many times and burned many times, stuck my fingers in the outlet when i was a kid, well you know my kind we wont stop untill something bad is gonna happen to us.

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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 16:52
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a friend of mine told me its proboly ok the resistance of the new switch is gonna be like .00001%

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Van B
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 17:03
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As a precaution, why not change the location of the existing switch, and wire the new switch through that - so the existing switch acts as a breaker - you can leave it off while fitting the new switch and reduce the risk of death.

The worst thing I've done with electricity, is mess around with a camera flash capacitor, damn thing nearly took my finger off. I did it again only a year or so ago - changing an LCD screen in a camera, didn't discharge it, and touched the capacitor contacts.

That's the sort of stuff that gets you - it's not direct current, it's the high amp, stored stuff like capacitors and coils that can seriously hurt you - and the charge tends to be held for ages after you unplug. It's amazing that something that works on 3v batteries can hurt like that, and I used to lick 9v batteries for kicks so I'm no wuss when it comes to shocks.

I say don't open the PSU, wire it through the existing switch - if the original switch is on the PSU and you'd have to open it up to get at it, then leave it alone. You might well burn out that PSU anyway, so you really want it to be easily replacable.

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Aaagreen
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 17:08
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You could always avoid opening the PSU by just getting a standard 4-pin molex extension cable and farting around, or am I wrong here?


I'd love to see things from your point of view but I can't get my head that far up my bum.
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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 9th Sep 2010 20:11 Edited at: 9th Sep 2010 20:12
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well not exactly the 4 pin molex but i can put the new switch as a circut breaker for the green wire on the 24 pin connector. infact i think that would be the safest way to do it but it may also have an effect on the motheboard since the switch has the resistor and a lightbulb in it. I like Van B's idea, it seemes most safe for the hardware unlike my green wire idea. (or does the green wire thing even matter since it just used to turn on the PSU?)

btw i also messed around with a flash copasitor, luckily i didnt toch it but i did short it out by accident.

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