Thread: Help me out

Also, I'm working on a nitrous set-up for my car; is it possible to wire relays using USB to control everything? I pretty much have it all, am just wondering if I can arm it via PC rather then finding/making a switch panel and using it.

And what do you guys think of the CNX-P1900?

Originally Posted by WuNgUn

A FusionBrain or Phidgets device will allow relay/hookup control...

You could grab power from the cap I s'pose...shouldn't be a problem. I'm a little worried about 'noise' though, with 2 amps on it as well...
Make sure you give the PC a good, dedicated ground point.

Wouldn't using a seperate ground potentially cause ground loop issues?

I'm thinking of ordering a FB v3

Any DC-DC PSU's that have the "remote pulse turn-on" option?

Originally Posted by RadRacer

Any DC-DC PSU's that have the "remote pulse turn-on" option?

When you say remote pulse turn on, do you mean for the AMPS? Most PSUs have that feature, although most dont really work correctly, you still hear a pop. I use a program called AMP_CTRL which activates a pin on the serial port. Then from there I have a PAC TR4 that amplifies the signal to turn on all 5 of my AMPS.

From the factory my car has seperate channels for the remote door unlock. I have wired them both together, and have the 2nd channel open for whatever now. The CNX-P1900 had a remote-pulse turn on feature that I liked; when I hit the unlock button 2x on the key fob, it will unlock my doors, and then the spare 2nd channel would start up my carPC, before I'm even in the car; this way everything's up and running and I don't have to wait as long to hit the road. Are there any other PSU's that can take a pulse 12v signal and use it to turn on the PC when there's no ignition power.

Originally Posted by RadRacer

From the factory my car has seperate channels for the remote door unlock. I have wired them both together, and have the 2nd channel open for whatever now. The CNX-P1900 had a remote-pulse turn on feature that I liked; when I hit the unlock button 2x on the key fob, it will unlock my doors, and then the spare 2nd channel would start up my carPC, before I'm even in the car; this way everything's up and running and I don't have to wait as long to hit the road. Are there any other PSU's that can take a pulse 12v signal and use it to turn on the PC when there's no ignition power.

Not that I know of..... the easiest and best solution is to activate the remote start module on your car alarm if it has it. That way, you simply turn on the car, then the PC will start up anyways. That way you just get in and go and dont have to worry about draining your battery. Since the engine is running it will be charging the battery.

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Not that I know of..... the easiest and best solution is to activate the remote start module on your car alarm if it has it. That way, you simply turn on the car, then the PC will start up anyways. That way you just get in and go and dont have to worry about draining your battery. Since the engine is running it will be charging the battery.

Well, my car's a 5spd with no e-brake, so remote-start isn't going to happen :P The only time I'd activate the PC this way would be when I'm about to get in it, so I don't see a problem with draining the battery. Perhaps some power issues with cranking the car, but I bet that can be solved.

Thought: why not use both a regulator and a PS? I know one guy on here has a CXN-P1900 for pretty cheap; if I wire it up so the output of that is read as the ignition input for the PSU, then I could still use the pulse-start feature, and I'll have a regulated supply to throw an extra hub/screen/whatever onto if needed.