As i havent got time to write up a full article for macroman, i'll just post here and see what feedback I get. If its enough, i will set aside some time to do a proper document with diagrams etc. Anyhow, Here is a wireless powerbutton mod that has been running on my PC for a few months now. You can be walking up the street and press the keyfob and when you sit down the machine is ready and logged in. You can also use it to 'one-touch' shutdown the PC at night rather than 'START, SHUTDOWN, CONFIRM" or reaching under the desk. So far i think im the first to do this. as i have never seen it before on any of my travels round the many mod sites. Mat Image shows Keyfob Image Shows Radio inside Case
Range is about 50ft (more if your batteries are new and the aerial is more exposed) Cost, well i got the bits free but you can buy this sort of thing from places like RS or maplins or i bet you can get a replacement door locking kit from somewhere like halfords or another car repair place (Unipart maybe?)
Definately interested even thought I rarely turn my machine off. Wonder if similar parts are avilable in US.
I'm trying to learn a bit about RF comms. http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7258 Can ya give me some pointers cheers, ride
That's a pretty nifty idea, although I hardly turn ever turn my pc off either, and almost never reboot... except when i need to poke around inside (connecting my LCD up was the last time i needed to). But being able to switch it on and off from a completely different location is rather fun.
Integrate that into a remote for your computer (that serves as a wireless mouse & winamp controll/DVD control) and you've got yourself the best Entertainment center EVER!
i wouldn't really need a remote for turning on or off my computer... but standby mode... now that'd be nifty
Hmm, just set it up as normal.. then tell Windoze to go into Standby when you press the power button... sorted
Dude you have too do an article on it. Even a short one this is a very original not to mention cool mod. ride
No interference. As its a CAR LOCKING radio. they wouldnt be much good as locks if they opened from interference. As stated. you can wire it up for standby, or even reset if you wanted to. I have 5 machines, the server is ALWAYS on but this is my main 3D workstation so it does get powered down at night. If your PC is what you do everything on (net, games, hobbies etc.) then i can understand why it never goes off (i was the same till i built the others) The output from the radio was a TTL level which i fed into a relay and back EMF diode. the relay then just shorts the two power button wires together as the button on the case would. The whole system is isolated from the PC electrically! I did think about going a stage further and running the PSU for the radio off the mains side of the PC PSU that way you only need 1 power lead but the radio is always on even when the PC is powered down. You must be able to buy car parts in the US or anywhere else. There are 200Mhz radio kits in RS but they are real pricey this just seemed like a cheaper alternative. I suppose a visit to the scrapyard might turn up what you need. Failing that, im sure somewhere like Unipart or Sureparts just stock some generic radio systems. You could even rip apart things like those radio controlled FART machines that retail for about 9.99 same keyfob, same system (less secure i image) but should do the job (just have to make sure the PC doesnt blow a raspberry every time you power up!) As for turning it into a full keyboard and mouse, its only a single channel system so that would be tricky, plus whats the point. you cant see what you are pointing at!
would be cool for aesthetics if u had a better looking controller yeah? would it work if it was enclosed within an alum box?
well if you are talking about the reciever, its already in my case (which is sealed normally) so i see no reason why it would not work in an aluminium case. If you are talking about the transmitter keyfob then i think it would be affected by a metal box surrounding it. and who cares about the look of the keyfob, its in the pocket most of the time.
Metal box would create a Faraday cage (check your science books!). These are used in applications such as mobile phones to stop RF interfering with certain components. It would basically shield the transmiter and stop it working. I might work if the box was wired as the antenna, (I said might!) ride
