Guide DigiBus - Software Fan/Lights Controller Guide

hmmm... This sounds very cool and simple. I just might use it, instead of my external baybus thing... And I have mbm 5 already installed, so it should work nice.
Good work so far as it looks like.
I shall download the program when I get home tonight (hopefully) and try it out. And mabye offer a few suggestions, if I find anything that is. Considering I haven't made the circuit yet.

Also, have you done anymore work on how to make it so that the fans are powered even if the computer hangs at all?

 

Done some work, but wont be a while until i publish anything, as the speed increases the probability that the fan will stop if there is a system crash decreases (by 1 fifth each step).

If you want a safety net, solder a switch across the COLLECTOR and EMITTER of the transistor, when on this will over-ride the system and switch the fan on full-whack.

 

a massive thank you :] i just finished soldering but there is one problem.My fan max rpm is 2000 and it's only starting to spin then the speed is on 3 dot

P.S sorry for my english

 

ok.. I'll wait for the new version in that case.
I was kinda hoping for something automatic, seeing as how I leave my PC on all the time. (I need to access it at work sometimes.)

I would suggest using another fan to see if it does the same thing. Also, hook up a multimeter to it to see if it is putting out the correct voltage. And maybe check the solder connections.
I am not sure though. These are the most likely probs from what I can tell. Only looked at the schematic, and haven't checked out the progy yet.

 

Well, because the fan is constantly switching on and off really, really fast you can't actaully get an accurate RPM reading. It's one of the disadvantages of PWM. However the fan will run a tiny bit slower at full speed because of the voltage drop across the transistor. In reality the fan will run around 11/12ths the speed at max, so it's not much of a difference really.

If it only starts up on three dots its because the fan doesn't like being PWM controlled so it is stalling at low duty cycles, you could try another fan (as Pygobombe said) or (now this can be risky) reduce the value of the resistor, maybe try 3/4ths or 1/2 the resistor size, be careful though don't use too low of a value as you could damage the port

Let me know how you get on.

 

ok i think that i will tray at old my pc

 

Good plan

 

maybe that would be awesome if this device will show temp too . I don't know is it difficult to make it but that would be amazing

 

That's on the way for the next version, using a program called Motherboard Monitor 5, the program will be able to monitor your case/cpu/hdd temperatures and then change fan speeds automatically depending on them.

 

damn but if people use old motherbords like me :] dfi nb71-bc the mbm don't see anything except hdd temp i think that something with thermodiodes will be much better :] so you can put everywhere you want

 

I'll see what i can do for future versions but don't expect it too soon. Why not email the nice people that make MBM and see if they will add your motherboard in the mean time?

 

heh good idea

 

Just to let you know I'm not dead, and more is on the way....



Latest version is well underway, including automation features (a temp or a system load to a fan speed, or wave volume to fan speed), and much more control and tweaking of the PWM engine itself, such as methods, resolutions, intervals, etc. It plugs into MBM 5 to get temperatures, but the program will still run and work fine without MBM 5, it just thinks the temps are 0^oC (i wish! ).

Any comments, ideas, suggestions, etc you'd like to see implimented for the next version?

 

How about the capability of having it go into the system tray? And when you right click on it, it allows you to change the level of each channel right there? Also, have the icon a graph of each channel. Like 2 pixels a channel or something. I played around with a free ocx control that allowed you to do this. I think I also played around with a system call that allowes you to do this as well. Can not remember were I got it from. Well, any more accurate than google that is.
Tried out the latest one you posted on this thread, and seems to work pretty good. I like the look of the new one though. The rainbow colours look pretty

Good job so far
I shall have to go out and get me some TIP120s now. I have about 10 fans to control, but grouped together in pairs.

 

It already minimises to the system tray, but you can't control it or view fan status without brining the main window up again, so i'll work on that in the mean time.

 

is it me or does the temp picture look like a phallus

 

It's your sick mind

I looked at it as though it were a short thermometer.
never thought it looked like that. esp. since it only has one bulge at the bottom

hehe, usually I am the one with the sick mind. Well, to fulfill the tradition, what happens when the thermometer fills up? Does it explode?

/runs away from the clean police.

 

erm, i thought it would be size, rather than shape thats the question.

Anyway before i take this too offtopic.

How about rounding the corners of the window?

API calls.
CreateRoundRectRgn
GetWindowRect
SetWindowRgn
SetWindowPos

Might suite the curvy look.

 

Another good idea would be to have the option of having it display the rpms right next to it on the control panel of the program. You could have that linked with mbm5 also...Just a thought, looking good though.

ps, what about a strobe effect? for cold cathodes...

 

I always thought that PWM/Rapid Switching damaged CCFL, well thats what i was taught by our alouge electronics lecturer, but then again, he did always refer to logic devices as witch craft.