13 Apr
2002
13 Apr
'02
6:36 a.m.
Ok, I know this is a bit off-topic, but I was looking for any ideas as to
make a 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay LED array for my SCSI that I have running.
Something that will allow for both SCSI controller LED's and then 3 or 4
LED's for HDD activity. Also, wondering if anyone knew how to make an LED
that shows Ethernet connectivity and activity to interact with a standard
ATX board and an old AMD PCNet II PCI Ethernet card.
The whole reason I am interested in doing this is that now that I am
running more than one machine tucked under my desk, I'd like to be able to
see if something is wrong without having to open the damned thing or going
desk diving for a failed NIC. Yes, it sounds lazy, but the idea of a front
panel diagnostic isn't so bad and could also be used for other machines,
correct? Besides, lots of blinky lights always impress company when people
or clientele come over, grin. So again, any ideas?
-John Boffemmyer IV
----------------------------------------
Founder, Lead Writer, Tech Analyst
and Web Designer Boff-Net Technologies
http://boff-net.dhs.org/index.html
---------------------------------------
13 Apr
13 Apr
7:07 a.m.
If, perchance, you have proper ASUS motherboards, you can use the ASUS iPanel.
Do a google search for "ASUS iPanel". As an example, see
http://www.tweakmax.com/html/ipanel/ipanel-1.cfm
If you don't have ASUS motherboards, the iPanel at least might give you some ideas.
Dave
John Boffemmyer IV wrote:
Ok, I know this is a bit off-topic, but I was looking for any ideas as to
make a 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay LED array for my SCSI that I have running.
Something that will allow for both SCSI controller LED's and then 3 or 4
LED's for HDD activity. Also, wondering if anyone knew how to make an LED
that shows Ethernet connectivity and activity to interact with a standard
ATX board and an old AMD PCNet II PCI Ethernet card.
The whole reason I am interested in doing this is that now that I am
running more than one machine tucked under my desk, I'd like to be able to
see if something is wrong without having to open the damned thing or going
desk diving for a failed NIC. Yes, it sounds lazy, but the idea of a front
panel diagnostic isn't so bad and could also be used for other machines,
correct? Besides, lots of blinky lights always impress company when people
or clientele come over, grin. So again, any ideas?
-John Boffemmyer IV
----------------------------------------
Founder, Lead Writer, Tech Analyst
and Web Designer Boff-Net Technologies
http://boff-net.dhs.org/index.html
---------------------------------------
--
David C. Jenner
djenner(a)earthlink.net
7:20 a.m.
On Sat, 13 Apr 2002, John Boffemmyer IV wrote:
Ok, I know this is a bit off-topic, but I was looking
for any ideas as to
make a 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay LED array for my SCSI that I have running.
Something that will allow for both SCSI controller LED's and then 3 or 4
LED's for HDD activity. Also, wondering if anyone knew how to make an LED
that shows Ethernet connectivity and activity to interact with a standard
ATX board and an old AMD PCNet II PCI Ethernet card.
You've got way too much spare time. ;^)
Actually, it's a nifty idea. I've never tried running a long (more
than about 6") lead to drive LEDs, but that part should be very easy.
Your SCSI adapter has a header for a bus activity LED, and AFAIK, every
SCSI drive I own still has a pair of pins for an external LED. Just a
matter of tracking the jumper diagrams and mounting the LEDs If you've
ever watched inside the box while it boots, you already know that you
can have individual drive activity LEDs (on the drive by default) _and_
the bus LED.
The ethernet indicators are even easier. Put the switch/hub where you
can see it. ;)
Or, I don't have a PCNet card, but I just looked through my box. On
all the NICs I have, assuming you're handy with desoldering tools, it
looks like it should be fairly easy to hijack the entire LED housing and
just "extend the pins" by a couple of feet.
Again, I don't know if the power to the NIC's LEDs will support a
longer run, but I can't see that you could hurt much by trying.
Doc
4:50 p.m.
I'd think there would be a demand for a blinkenlights box
like this that allowed you to clip a sensor on the hardware's
LED and that relayed it to a remote LED on a panel. You could
stick them on the hard disk lights, on Ethernet cards, on
modems or hubs, or whatever.
- John
14 Apr
14 Apr
9:13 a.m.
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15 Apr
15 Apr
3:43 a.m.
At 07:13 PM 4/14/2002 +0100, you wrote:
However, how is it better than desoldering the LED on
the card, soldering
a connector in its place, and running a couple of wires to the LED on the
front panel?
Uhm, "better"? On this side of the pond, we usually go
for "easy" or "well-marketed". :-)
Or "cool". How about strands of unclad optical fiber to lead to
the phototransistor that drives a second LED? We could sell a
few tens-of-thousands to the overclocking case-mod crowd.
- John
13 Apr
13 Apr
7:24 a.m.
Ah, yes, blinkenlights ...
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Boffemmyer IV" <john_boffemmyer_iv(a)boff-net.dhs.org>
To: "Classic Comp" <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2002 9:36 AM
Subject: looking for ideas...
Ok, I know this is a bit off-topic, but I was looking
for any ideas as to
make a 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay LED array for my SCSI that I have running.
Do you mean activity indicators for each drive? There's normally a tap on the
drive that will drive an indicator LED.
Something that will allow for both SCSI controller
LED's and then 3 or 4
LED's for HDD activity. Also, wondering if anyone knew how to make an LED
that shows Ethernet connectivity and activity to interact with a standard
ATX board and an old AMD PCNet II PCI Ethernet card.
Doesn't your hub have an activity indicator? If you want all the activity
indicators at a single location, i.e. on a panel, you simply put a
phototransistor against each one, using some temporary adhesive to hold it in
place, and route the emitter to ground, and the collector to the cathode of
the LED on your panel, with the anode connected to a resistor to Vcc. Where
you get the Vcc is up to you, of course. Each time one of the activity LED's
anywhere lights up, it turns on the photo transistor, which turns on the LED
on your panel. You'll have lots of fun routing the wires, but once it's in
place, it should do what you want. If you drill a panel for your LED's, paint
it white, then print your legends on a piece of mylar, you can generate a nice
panel by contact printing the mylar onto a sheet of film, which you then
develop. Now you have a black film with clear lettering over a white
background, which shows your LED's and the accompanying legends quite nicely,
and looks VERY professional if you are neat and clean about your work.
The whole reason I am interested in doing this is that
now that I am
running more than one machine tucked under my desk, I'd like to be able to
see if something is wrong without having to open the damned thing or going
desk diving for a failed NIC. Yes, it sounds lazy, but the idea of a front
Why would you think you've got a failed NIC? How would the "heartbeat"
help
determine that? I've had only one fail in about 20 years. They're not that
fragile. If you want blinkenlights, you certainly should have them, but I
doubt it will provide much value in detecting a failed NIC.
panel diagnostic isn't so bad and could also be
used for other machines,
correct? Besides, lots of blinky lights always impress company when people
or clientele come over, grin. So again, any ideas?
-John Boffemmyer IV
----------------------------------------
Founder, Lead Writer, Tech Analyst
and Web Designer Boff-Net Technologies
http://boff-net.dhs.org/index.html
---------------------------------------
7:25 a.m.
New subject: RA90 parts
As a result of an unloading infelicity, we could use about 7 RA90 plastic
front panels. Would anyone have any floating about?
7:31 p.m.
New subject: RA90 parts
Merle K. Peirce wrote:
As a result of an unloading infelicity, we could use
about 7 RA90 plastic
front panels. Would anyone have any floating about?
Oh, oh, I can imagine what rack that was :-) PS: Merle, I have been
having some trouble with my RA90s and it's getting worse with some.
So, may be you want to watch out for whole replacements. Dave McGuire
has some in the DC/MA area.
regards
-Gunther
--
Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D. gschadow(a)regenstrief.org
Medical Information Scientist Regenstrief Institute for Health Care
Adjunct Assistant Professor Indiana University School of Medicine
tel:1(317)630-7960 http://aurora.regenstrief.org
14 Apr
14 Apr
4:20 a.m.
New subject: RA90 parts
Yes, it chased me down a ramp and then flopped over. I think it doesn't
like me. We picked up a VaxServer 4000/300 and a MV 3400 on Friday. I
think we have 3 or 4 more DEC donations waiting for us.
On Sat, 13 Apr 2002, Gunther Schadow wrote:
Merle K. Peirce wrote:
M. K. Peirce
Rhode Island Computer Museum, Inc.
Shady Lea, Rhode Island
"Casta est quam nemo rogavit."
- Ovid
As a result of an unloading infelicity, we could
use about 7 RA90 plastic
front panels. Would anyone have any floating about?
Oh, oh, I can imagine what rack that was :-) PS: Merle, I have been
having some trouble with my RA90s and it's getting worse with some.
So, may be you want to watch out for whole replacements. Dave McGuire
has some in the DC/MA area.
regards
-Gunther
--
Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D. gschadow(a)regenstrief.org
Medical Information Scientist Regenstrief Institute for Health Care
Adjunct Assistant Professor Indiana University School of Medicine
tel:1(317)630-7960 http://aurora.regenstrief.org
10:02 a.m.
New subject: RA90 parts
Merle K. Peirce wrote:
Yes, it chased me down a ramp and then flopped over. I
think it doesn't
like me. We picked up a VaxServer 4000/300 and a MV 3400 on Friday. I
think we have 3 or 4 more DEC donations waiting for us.
Oh my goodness. That was one big bump! Didn't the cabinet explode
or leave a huge pot-hole in the driveway?
-Gunther
--
Gunther Schadow, M.D., Ph.D. gschadow(a)regenstrief.org
Medical Information Scientist Regenstrief Institute for Health Care
Adjunct Assistant Professor Indiana University School of Medicine
tel:1(317)630-7960 http://aurora.regenstrief.org
13 Apr
13 Apr
10:04 a.m.
I'm not sure if this is what you need but in my case with my old IBM PC
Server 320, that only had one LED connection, and I wanted to see activity
from both controllers ont he same LED, so I made a Y
cable of the straight
rhu, but I put in diodes to prevent current flow from (say)
controller 1
activity to the LED and pins of controller2. I only wanted flow one way, to
the led. I then removed that and went to a multi-color, multi-input LED that
blinked green for controller 1 and yellow for 2.
=> -----Original Message-----
=> From: owner-classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org
=> [mailto:owner-classiccmp@classiccmp.org]On Behalf Of John Boffemmyer IV
=> Sent: Saturday, April 13, 2002 10:37 AM
=> To: Classic Comp
=> Subject: looking for ideas...
=>
=>
=> Ok, I know this is a bit off-topic, but I was looking for any
=> ideas as to
=> make a 3.5" or 5.25" drive bay LED array for my SCSI that I have
=> running.
=> Something that will allow for both SCSI controller LED's and then 3 or 4
=> LED's for HDD activity. Also, wondering if anyone knew how to
=> make an LED
=> that shows Ethernet connectivity and activity to interact with a
=> standard
=> ATX board and an old AMD PCNet II PCI Ethernet card.
=> The whole reason I am interested in doing this is that now that I am
=> running more than one machine tucked under my desk, I'd like to
=> be able to
=> see if something is wrong without having to open the damned
=> thing or going
=> desk diving for a failed NIC. Yes, it sounds lazy, but the idea
=> of a front
=> panel diagnostic isn't so bad and could also be used for other machines,
=> correct? Besides, lots of blinky lights always impress company
=> when people
=> or clientele come over, grin. So again, any ideas?
=> -John Boffemmyer IV
=>
=> ----------------------------------------
=> Founder, Lead Writer, Tech Analyst
=> and Web Designer Boff-Net Technologies
=> http://boff-net.dhs.org/index.html
=> ---------------------------------------
=>
=>
=>
3:27 p.m.
the idea of a front panel diagnostic isn't so bad
and could
also be used for other machines, correct? Besides, lots of
blinky lights always impress company.
Sounds like a fun project.
Somewhere between a logic analyzer.and a protocol analyzer
I have no idea if IDE, 10BT, or other interfacing signals could be
tapped off to drive LED's without disrupting the actual comms
taking place. Just takes some electronics skills.
I stop at resistors and TIP120's, this might take more than that.
John A.
8130
days inactive
8132
days old
12 comments
10 participants
participants (10)
-
allain＠panix.com -
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
at258＠osfn.org -
djenner＠earthlink.net -
doc＠mdrconsult.com -
edick＠idcomm.com -
gunther＠aurora.regenstrief.org -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
john_boffemmyer_iv＠boff-net.dhs.org -
rhb57＠vol.com