How to connect front panel audio & USB ports

Status
Not open for further replies.

smurph

In Runtime
Messages
269
I purchased my PC approx. 18 months ago, and for a long time I had never used the front panel audio (headphone & microphone ports) or USB connections. After about a year I discovered that they do not function, and are actually not connected to my mobo. I am now unable to get the manufacturer to assist me.

I have a Foxconn 661M03 series mobo with onboard sound, and I believe it allows for the front panel connections, just I cannot follow the diagramtic instructions, if you can call them that! I attach a link to a jpeg showing instructions for the mobo, if someone could please assist and inform me which cable connects to what, I would appreciate it.



Inside the case connected to the front panel, but not to the mobo, there are 8 cables with connectors, labelled as follows:
SPK L single connector, colour: red
SPK R single connector, colour: white
M BIAS single connector, colour: un-noted
M IN single connector, colour: un-noted
VCC,-USB,+USB triple connector, colours: red, white & green
VCC,-USB,+USB triple connector, colours: orange, black & green
GND single connector, colour: black
GND single connector, colour: white
 
How much do you care for it the front USB ad audio? As if the connections are not one connection, but 4 seperate pins, don't bother, they will take you ages.
 
Trifid, I see that you have made many posts, I do appreciate assistance and people taking time and effort to respond on this site, but please only reply with helpful advice. It may be your opinion that these are less than useful ports, then why do most PCS now come with them??

I am asking advice as I would like use of them, now more and more items are attached using USB, and I would like to be able to occasionally attach my camera at the front, instead of the lead being permanently installed at the rear.

If someone can look at the attached pic and provide the correct advice it will be quite quick and simple to install correctly, not ages as you state.
 
Sorry, it was more meant as a warning for a long fidgetty time connecting them, but I will be happy to tell you how to do it, as soon as I find out how I tried it myself.

For a start, look in your case, at the wires coming out of the USB, on my case, it is in one big chunk, so I can look at it, and see which way round it goes, but on yours it may have the individual pins with writing on each.

Line up the usb headers in a group of 4, going 5v/VCC, D-, D+ and ground, this may also be red, white, green, black and orange, yellow, grey, black. The missing pin will show you which way round it will go.

For audio do the same - but I can't help as much here, as I don't have audio header at hand and on my case, it is tied down somewhere.

If it doesn't work, take it out, and check that it ended up in the right order.
 
Trifid, thanks a more positive helpful approach.

In my list above, for the 2xUSB ports, I think I have 2xtriple (VCC,-USB,+USB) and 2xsingle (GND) connectors. I will orientate the triple connectors as you say, as shown in my diagram.
My only question is which GND goes where, would it be right to assume that the cable colour would match the central cable of the matching triple?? (hope this makes sense)

What harm can I do if I connect incorrectly, and try by trial and error?
 
With my first case I got it wrong first time, and it didn't do any harm. I assume that it doesn't matter, but you can check by the top of the cable where you can see the colour of it. On my old case, which I looked at to describe it, I had a single black cable with the red, white and green, and a black and blue wire going into the same pin on the other set.
 
Completed the USB, very simple and quick (5 mins), both now working.

Unfortunately the audio is not so simple to connect, I am unable to complete for several reasons.
1. there are two jumpers on pins, 10-9 and 6-5
2. there are 6 single connectors, and only 5 free pins
3. naming on connectors as described in initial post, isn't close to that in pic from manual shown above
 
it shouldnt be that hard to do, because even the cheap dell computers have front usb and audio, and they're $350...

i might need to try this, as i only have front usb, and have empty audio and firewire slots...:(
 
smurph said:
Found this re connectinmg audio, shows all types of naming for pins/connectors, will try soon and let you know.....

http://www.frontx.com/cpx110.html

This link is incredibly helpful, especially with the nomenclature, although colouring of cables was not the same as mine.
I was able to get my front audio ports (or jacks) working, but when they function the other speakers coming from the rear of the PC also still work......happy for now as I aim to use it to transmit wirelessly to other remote speakers, leaving existing speakers on, not ideal but will suffice.

But I would like to know how to resolve, as I intend get a splitter for the rear to connect these wireless auxiliary speakers.

I only had 2 cables for the L & R line-out pins 10,9,6 & 5, but each had two single connectors with some cable separating them, so I assumed and installed both the L connectors on pins 9 & 10, and both R connectors on pins 5 & 6.
If anybody understands, is this correct?
How may I get main speakers to be made redundant upon connection of jack in front audio port?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom