Thread: New Dell mini 9

it is a relay on the carnetix unit itself. they call it the ACPI relay because it would be hooked up the ACPI header on a desktop board. on a laptop, the ACPI relay wires would be connected to the laptop's power switch leads.

for turning on the laptop, I suppose in the end it does the same thing as Webmaster's turn on module (a relay shorts the power switch leads for a split second), but the method that triggers the relay is very different. the webmaster module does not turn the laptop off.

the carnetix unit will startup AND properly shutdown the laptop automatically. the SSC is fully programmable and you can set the off delay time, etc.

Originally Posted by tom61

You could always add in a 16GB SDHC card into the slot on the side for storage and programs fairly cheaply, if you're otherwise happy with the 700 model you have.

If I was in the market for a netbook now, I'd likely go with either the Dell Mini, or the Aspire One.

x2 on the aspire ONE.... great price and performance plus doesn't look like a toy.

Originally Posted by FusionFanatic

for turning on the laptop, I suppose in the end it does the same thing as Webmaster's turn on module (a relay shorts the power switch leads for a split second), but the method that triggers the relay is very different. the webmaster module does not turn the laptop off.

the carnetix unit will startup AND properly shutdown the laptop automatically. the SSC is fully programmable and you can set the off delay time, etc.

The Webmaster unit actually can turn the laptop off - it simulates a button press when it loses power. However I found it much better to disable that. It comes with a UBS plug for this purpose - it just prevents the "press" when the computer is powered.

Instead, I let the Windows' built-in power management put the laptop to sleep 5 minutes after losing (what it thinks was) AC power, and then hibernate 15 minutes after that. It works very well.

Originally Posted by NSFW

The Webmaster unit actually can turn the laptop off - it simulates a button press when it loses power

it shouldn't. in that circuit the relay switches on (for .5 sec) when 12v power is first applied, then it should stay switched off until power cut then supplied again. the relay should not switch on when power is removed.

Originally Posted by NSFW

However I found it much better to disable that. It comes with a UBS plug for this purpose - it just prevents the "press" when the computer is powered..

yes, the USB circuit prevents the relay from switching while the carputer is already on... but it's not to prevent the laptop from automatically turning off when 12v power is cut (it shouldn't do that anyways). the USB circuit is there to prevent accidental shutdown in cars where the ignition key's ACC position is opposite the RUN and START positions. in other words, the key has to pass the OFF position when it is turned from ACC to RUN (or vise versa).

for example; if you had the car on, and you wanted to turn the engine off but leave the carputer on; you would turn the key from RUN (12v) to OFF (0v) to ACC (12v). this is generally not an issue in cars where the ACC and RUN positions are both clockwise of the OFF position (where power is not cut until you turn the key all the way back to the OFF position).

Interesting, thanks for clarifying that. I knew something was shutting of my laptop when it wasn't supposed to, but I was wrong about exactly what.

I'm going to leave the USB thing connected though... If I turn off my car, then turn it back on before the computer shuts down (e.g. within ~20 minutes), I don't want the power switch "pressing" again.