Power-on button on PS2 port.

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norbi99

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Hello

Recently I had to replace my PS2 keyboard with a USB one. By doing so I lost the nice ability to turn on my PC just by pressing any key on the keyboard. So I was wondering if it is possible to connect just one button on a ps2 keyboard cable and leave it connected on the ps2 port on my computer? I could just mount that next to my keyboard, and use it as a power button, instead of having to get under the desk every time I want to turn on my computer.


Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

N.
 
Sure.

But I doubt your computer would recognize it, therefore not use it.

Anyway, some mobo's have a Wake-On-USB feature. Try that.
 
Unfortunately my motherboard does not have Wake-on-USB. What I noticed about the PS2 keyboard is that if I unplug it and then plug it back in while the computer is off, it will turn on. So it seems like it only needs some short contact. But I am not sure how to mount a button on ps2 keyboard cable to provide ths contact.


Any advice is much appreciated.
 
Connecting a device to the PS/2 port creatings a signal.

I'm sure there's USB keyboards out there that have the sleep/wake button on them.

Either way, you could just leave your old keyboard connected and put it somehwere else (like behind your monitor or on the floor). Then you could just smack the keyboard to start the machine, but never have to use it.
 
If you know any one who knows alot about electronic circuts, you could have them take the onld keyboard apart and just have one key removed from the key board to power your system.

Cant you power up your pc with the power button on the front of your case?

A friend of mine split the wire that goes to the button on the front of the case and ran a second one and attached it to his monitor, so he could power it up that way/
 
Splitting the wire that goes to the power button is a good idea. If I cant get this PS2 cable to work, ill do that.
So far I took apart an old keyboard, and it seems that at the end of the cable there is a small circuit board. If I make a contact on the pins that are connected to the keys, it is sending a bunch of characters to the PC. I think this might work to power on the PC. I just have to find a proper enclosure for this circuit box and a button on it. I also tried to make a contact between the lines that are in the cable that comes directly from the ps2 port. It just made the PC beepÂ… this also might be enough to power up the pc. IÂ’ll check it out once I get home. (of course all this I was going on a PC @ work, I wont risk to burn out something on my own motherboard.. ;) )

If anyone interested, IÂ’ll keep this post updated.
 
Try something like this: http://www.xoxide.com/vl-system-touch-one.html

You can connect it to your PC, and it's a switch you can put on your desktop.

You can make one yourself easy, as it's just a switch with wires. However, just make sure you use a switch designed to be used with the sort of voltage that your PC case uses. You can't try using a big missile plunger button, because it might cause power problems. I would suggest (if you're making your own) that you try just taking the switch out of your case, extending its "range" with some spliced wiring, and yer all set.
 
After reading this thread again, i have to wonder and ask why do you use the keyboard to power your system? On my pc I press the front power button once and the pc powers up. I have the switch on the back of the psu on all the time. When i shut down I just leave it as is. When it comes to powering back up, I just press the power button. I know in my bios you can configure how the power button works, like the time delay and if you have to press it twice.

Am I off base with this or what?
 
Keyboard power-on is useful if you don't have your box in reach, or you use a multi-terminal switchbox.

Personally, I like the little remote device I posted a link for above. It's been handy.
 
My box is way under the desk, and it is much more comfortable to power in on from the keyboard. (imagine an L shaped office desk with the computer in the corner where the two sides meet).

Back to the topic: I did a bunch of research and testing (hey, I figured out how to turn on my computer by sending a message from my mobile phone ;) ) , I found out that just by making a contact between two wires that are in the ps2 keyboard cable, will also turn on the PC. But! I also measured the voltage in those wires, and there is quite a lot of juice in them. L I think by creating contact between them sooner or later I might fry something in my mobo.. (can anyone confirm or deny this? )

Thanks for the link ShoobieRat, I will probably end up gething that thingy

Thanks everyone for all the imput

N.
 
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