how do i make hdd activity seporate per each drive. I can make it blink when ever one of the drives are thinking but i would like to know which one is thinking. any input on that?
and to add one thing. do you think it is possible for me to put a car deck into a computer case. if i made my own clear case and made one bay wide enought for it. I could set it up so I could have rca out on the back to go to my reciever it would be sweet ass.
There's no easy way to do it (unless you buy drives that have individual activity headers). But, pin 39 is the activity signal on the connector. I suppose you could monitor it (I've heard of it being done, but not seen it) but you'd need to be careful not to interfere with the data signal. A car stereo can draw a lot of current, I'd dedicate a PSU to it. You'll need to put some kind of load on the +5V rail, or the PSU won't regulate properly. Size shouldn't matter a lot since it's your custom case--you could put a Victrola in it if you wanted...
If you turn on a PSU with no load, get out your voltmeter, and measure the output of the +5V and +12V pins, you'll see values as much as 20% off. The voltage regulation scheme in a PSU relies on current being drawn through the +5V (usually) rail. Without some load on +5V drawing maybe an amp or so, your +12V will be out of whack severly as well (because most PSUs only use one rail for regulation). It may not be a problem with a car stereo, though. Electrical system voltage in a car varies as much as 15% so the stereo may be designed to deal with it.
I just don't want to plug it in then the damn thing dies because it is worth $700 cdn and well I don't want to buy another one
