I don't post much here but I am constantly reading through the forum and with all the information here, I have been able to get my MacMini (running vista) with Carnetix p1900 working wonderfully (YouTube video of my setup).
I would like to make some changes in my setup to bring the MacMini back home from the car. I have purchased an Intel D945GCLF2 motherboard to replace it and will be using a 200GB Sata drive and 2gb Ram.
My Current Setup:
Carnetix p1900 + 5v
Lilliput 7in LCD (Carnetix Powered - Secondary Output)
Slim DVD Drive (Carnetix Powered - 5v Add On)
Macmini (Carnetix Powered - Primary Output)
Bluetooth Dongle (MacMini Powered)
USB to Serial (MacMini Powered) For HD Radio
USB Touch (MacMini Powered) For Lilliput
USB HUB - 4Port (Carnetix Powered - Carnetix Powered - 5v Add On) does NOT draw power from MacMini (lead was cut in hub)
BU-353 (USB Hub Powered)
FusionBrain (USB Hub Powered)
External USB port (USB Powered) For iPod or iPhone connection
Here is my question:
To adapt my current p1900 to my new Intel D945GCLF2 motherboard I have purchased a picoPSU 120 WI 25 Wide Input PSU which allows its to be powered by regulated voltage range from 12v to 25v (Carnetix will be setup to send 18v regulated). I plan to remove the USB Hub from my setup and plug all use devices direct into the motherboard. Will the p1900 combined with picoPSU 120 be able to power all usb devices and motherboard safely? Without draining my battery too fast?
Also I am thinking of using S3 standby. Will I benefit from this? Will the USB devices still have while in S3 Standby?
Check my schematics in my sig below, similar to what you want to do, but I've got a P2140...
I've actually upgraded my MB (Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-US2H) and CPU (AMD Athlon 64 X2 5050E 45W Dual-Core), and 7200RPM 250GB HD, the pico 120W feeding all this no prob...(oh, I feed it 12V reg)
I think you should be good, YMMV......
WOWOW you have a TON OF THINGS connected lol...
I have read several of your posts around and your information has helped me. Thanks for replying. Do you (or anyone) see any downsides to running this setup?
Thanks again.
Yeah, I'm practically using all my USB ports
Haven't had much time to check you're stuuf out, gotta run now, I'll see if i can look at it better later....
Typing in my car, wife and kids in Walmart
just looked up some power specs of what your doing.....that atom board is lower power than mine, at 18V you can max out the pico withthe p1900, I can't see a problem! you should even have some leeway to add more things later!
A lot of peaople bash the picopsu120, I've been running mine almost 2 years no problems, I screwed up originally thinking the P2140 was an atx PSU , but I love the P2140 usb interface, I can monitor and change settings on the fly from RR. I highly recommend this combo!
Nice...there is one final thing I am concerned about.. with my previous setup, i modified my p1900 with a relay that will cut power to the USB hub and the screen. The relay is controlled by the MacMini's harddrive power. When the computer when to standby/hibernate, not of the USB devices on the HUB would have power..
My concern, if I eliminate my USB Hub (modified with cut lead) all my devices will draw power straight from the motherboard. If I do an S1-S3 standby/S4 hibernate, will there still be power running to my devices?
If possible, I would like as little load while in standby (drained my battery once after 3 days of no driving).
PCPete, thanks again for all your help. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.
Hmm, can't really help with hibernate/standby...I 've programmed the p2140 to do complete shutdown after 13min of IGN going off.
Hopefully someone will chime in regarding this....
3 days in standby probably is not a good idea regardless though
currently I have a USB hub that does NOT draw power from the computer. It is powered by the carnetix and modified NOT to draw power from the USB. I hooked the carnetix power supply the 5v lead to a relay that is activated by the harddrive power. When in standby the power to the harddrive is cut this turning off the USB hub and all devices. When resuming from standby (or hibernation) the usb hub gets powered at exactly the same time as the hard drive does.
This is my idea: Eliminate the usb hub. find the 5v lead that supplies power to the USB devices on the motherboard. Cut the lead and attach a relay to it. Use the harddrive power to trigger the relay so that usb devices are only getting powered when the harddrive is powered.
I have done this already with my macmini and i dont have any issues with resuming from standby or hibernation. I am running vista on my mac and have it setup to standby for 24 hours and then hibernate.
Does anyone see any potential issues with this on a non mac motherboard?
Wow, this is almost my exact setup. I had my mac mini stolen so I'm looking for a replacement. I don't have any reason to get another mac mini so something like the Intel D945GCLF2 is what I'm looking at or possibly the Zotac Ion board that just came out. If I go with the Zotac with the DC input I don't need the pico psu right? How about performance, are you worried about running GPS, front-end, etc with a weak atom processor?Originally Posted by Urbanmindz
Thanks a bunch!
If you go with the zotac with built in DC to DC you will NOT need the pico PSU, HOWEVER, you will not be able to use the p1900 primary output to power your board as I believe the Zotac board can only use 12v regulated input and the p1900 only puts out 18/19/20v.
I could be wrong but if i remember correctly those are the fact.
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