Power buttons

**Joker** · 11-26-2003, 05:09 PM

First off: Parts i have m1000 board, slimDVD drive(with converter),256ram, 20 GB HD.

I am making this 'mini pc' as a PC where i can have it act as a DVD player if i have it in my dorm/apt/etc and as a MP3 player in my car. I was wondering:

Where would one go about looking for power buttons and such? and if i could just steal the buttons from an old case, that would be fine also.

I also have a issue with the power supply. I want it small was posible, and still have good performence. I already understand the concept of the OPUS power supply for in car(and it's size), but i am looking for a solution for having it in my dorm/apt/etc.

Would you suggest that i get a AC-DC inverter so i can have it work inside(with the opus PS), and then leave the inverter while i bring it to the car, or find a small power supply (havnt found one yet) which works with AC, then have an DC-AC inverter in the car?

**telekineticfool** · 11-26-2003, 06:22 PM

I have a cheap and generic 250 watt ATX Power supply that i hook to my car pc when I bring it in...just unplug the opus from everyplace and put the power supply in.

As far as power buttons, what do you want? Do you want one to control the opus, which has a shutdown and startup controller in it, or do you actually want an actual soft button to power your computer up and down manually with?

The opus doesn't really need a power button, it is switched by the ignition lead. I put a switch in my cigarette lighter that i got out of an old PC case (old old...before they were momentary...meaning that when you hit it it switches between on and off, like a light switch). As a matter of fact, you could use a light switch if it were hidden...they're only like 30 cents.

If you want a soft power button...well...on an M1000 board you can turn it on and off by jumping a paperclip accross pins 6 and 8, I believe. So anything that connects those pins for a second will work. What I would do is find an old crappy computer at a garage sale, and take the wiring 'harness' out of it...this will include the PC case speaker, the HD activity LED, the power LED, the reset switch, and the power switch, with appropriate little slip-on connectors, and use that for yours. If you look on page 2-11 of your Epia manual, it has a pinout for the front panel connector...just hook stuff up where it says. For example...put the speaker connector between pins 7 and 13, put the HD LED+ on 2 and LED minus on 4...etc etc. Just try it, it will be obvious.

If this doesn't make sense, reply or PM me for more details

**Joker** · 11-27-2003, 12:44 AM

thanks for the powersupply idea. ill keep it in mind.

i understand where the conecters go for the buttons and such(for power/lights), but i was wondering if there are any sites that have actual 'softbuttons(?)'

**telekineticfool** · 11-27-2003, 04:54 PM

a soft power button just means its not actually killing power to the computer...it's just like any other momentary key on your keyboard, except it is on your case--it's sending a signal to the motherboard saying "Hey, if it's ok with you, I'd like to do some shutting down...you know...if you're not busy with anything else." Whereas, a hard power button actually goes "Hyoink!" and cuts off the power completely and instantly. So just any ol' momentary button (where it only is connected when you're pushing it) from Radio shack or where ever will work for a soft power button...or do what I did and go find an old crapulant ATX computer (as long as it was running Windows 95 or 98 at one time or another you should be ok) at a garage sale for like $5 and use the harness out of it...I also stole the motherboard mounting screws, and I use the power supply out of it for my ghetto-style 'home docking station' that i described earlier.

Hope this helps!