HOW TO TURN ON LAPTOP IF YOU CANT REACH BUTTON any input device that can turn it on?

omlax19 · 07-23-2005, 09:09 AM

ok i would like to mount my laptop in the rear or under on of the seats but the buttin is built into a board in the laptop so clippin wires and running a switch is out of the question.

Does anyone know of a way i could maybe find a device that goes into a usb slot that i can program to have an on switch.

or maybe a small USB keyboard that has a On button

LET ME KNOW please help cause after i get this situated you will be impressed with my car

hint hint dodge magnum, 22's w 5 inch lip, 50 inches worth of monitors

omlax19 · 07-23-2005, 09:17 AM

if you know of anything post it or email me a lnk or something to omlax19@hotmail.com

zPilott · 07-23-2005, 12:09 PM

I don't think it is likely you will find something, especially if you cut the power to the laptop when you leave the car.

Most laptops don't run power to USB devices when they are off, and I don't know of any that will run power to usb devices while off AND disconnected from power.

If you can get a docking station for your laptop, you may be in luck, but then again maybe not.

Running wires is not usually a matter of clipping existing wires, it is a matter of soldering wires to the board.

Good luck with your search.

MoFo · 07-23-2005, 12:11 PM

i think you should put some thought into soldering a push button switch. Take a look at this thread and scroll down to my posts: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...t=power+laptop

shotgunefx · 07-23-2005, 12:28 PM

Here is what I did. I did it on the docking station instead of the laptop because I paid 30 bucks for the docking station on ebay and I felt more comfortable screwing that up

omlax19 · 07-23-2005, 12:44 PM

if i short the power switch to the laptop will it turn on once the laptop is supllied with power?

if so how would i short it ill get picks when i get off work of what i am dealing with

shotgunefx · 07-23-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by omlax19

if i short the power switch to the laptop will it turn on once the laptop is supllied with power?

if so how would i short it ill get picks when i get off work of what i am dealing with

My bad. Should have link this as well.
Basically using a RC circuit (Resistor/Capacitor) circuit. On my laptop, if you short out the power it works, for about 2 seconds and then reboots, over and over and over. So I needed to press it only for a fraction of a second.

DC Current flows through a capacitor until the plates have an equal charge. Until then, current flows.
The resistor is used to manipulate how long the cap takes to charge. Until the cap is charged, the circuit is closed (pressed). When it's charged, current stops and the circuit is open. (unpressed)

So that's how I'm simulating the press.

zPilott · 07-23-2005, 01:10 PM

most of the ones I have seen have 5 contacts on them. you should be able just try out shorting two of them that look promising with a small piece of wire. start with the ones that look easiest to solder first

with my laptop, I checked with a multimeter, and three were connected, and the other two were connected, so even though it looked like 5 posts, there was really only 2 different contacts.

zPilott · 07-23-2005, 01:13 PM

I used the first schematic on this site to turn on the laptop with acc power

http://www.the12volt.com/relays/page5.asp

I split the wires, and connected one to the relay, and the other to a switch, so i still have a manual power button up front

omlax19 · 07-23-2005, 03:46 PM

i dont really understand the scematic

kevinlekiller · 07-23-2005, 04:50 PM

Its relay that shuts off after a few seconds.

The coil is energized until the cap finishes to charge. Once you stop giving power to 86 the resistor removes the the charge the capacitor built up. This way the next time you give power to 86 the capacitor can build up a charge again.

MoFo · 07-23-2005, 10:30 PM

on all 3 laptops that I have opened up, the power switch had 5 or six points on it. It turned out I would always have to short opposite corners. For example: by shorting the top left and bottom right, the power would come on. Heres a pic from the thread I posted earlier:

kevinbr100 · 07-24-2005, 01:54 AM

first i tested which leads to use on the power switch, then i sautered 22 gauge wire, ran the wire outside the laptop case, add a connector to the 2 wires, ran wire to dash and connected it to onstar switch (i dont use onstar, so thought i would make use of their buttons)

omlax19 · 07-24-2005, 07:12 AM

OK i got some pics to show you what im working with so if you could show me what to do on one of my pics that would be awsome

also when looking the the pics there are 6 push button switches across the board with are on/off and the email, and music ...but all of the turn on the pc if its of the are numbered 1 through 6 so maybe if i mess up on 1 ill still have 5 others well heres the pics

omlax19 · 07-24-2005, 07:14 AM

oh yea if all else fails i was just thinkin or running that board to where i need it but there are a ton of wires connected to the back of it

and heres my setup that will be goin in