Modular Case to Motherboard plug.

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daglesj

Supreme [H]ardness
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May 7, 2005
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I mentioned this in another post re modular motherboards.

Its been a bugbear of mine for years. I see motherboards nowadays come with highly advanced power regulation, efficient cooling, the lastest and greatest storage controllers, HD audio and video etc. etc.

But what actually hooks this up to actually make it all work in the real world?

Some crappy jumper pin on the end of two wires of any colour they found laying around in the case manufacturers workshop.

For gods sake isnt it about time that motherboard makes and case makers decided on a standardised plug for connecting the two together?

What do we need as standard?

On/Off Switch
Reset Switch
HDD activity LED
Power On LED

So some form of 8 pin plug arrangement? I dont think I've ever needed more than that.

Couldnt we start a campaign to get this last vestigal throwback to the 20th Century removed and brought into the 21st?

Has anyone ever asked a motherboard or case manufacturer why this has never been done?

I'm sure some form of adapter could be used till all platforms move over to the plug system. Could argue does it have to be a plug?
 
I think I saw a recent case that had something like this. It was an adapter that you plugged the case connectors into, and then it plugged into the mobo as a uniform like 8 or 10 pin plug.
 
A few manufacturers have taken a bit of an initiative in this area, such as Asus with their Q-Connector. It helps, but a standard plug would be golden. Probably too late to get it included into the ATX standard, we just have to hope the next thing decides to include it.
 
MisterSparkle said:
A few manufacturers have taken a bit of an initiative in this area, such as Asus with their Q-Connector. It helps, but a standard plug would be golden. Probably too late to get it included into the ATX standard, we just have to hope the next thing decides to include it.
Click to expand...

Asus Q-Connector, that's probably what I was thinking of. Picture:

iadmbaacf.jpg
 
Yeah not really a step in the right direction as it just makes it slightly less fiddly.

Plus it doesnt address the pot luck situation with a new cases and what random choice of wires and plugs they decided to fit it with.

Now if the connectors on all MBs were standardised and all the cases wires were fitted into that connector as a solid plug....

Even just properly showing which was +/- on each connector or jumper would help.

I know for most of us veteran builders its not too much of a hardship but in this day and age it looks rather amateur and Heath Robinson.

I've tried several combinations of orientation with my DFI MB and Coolermaster case for the HDD LED but nope..aint happening.
 
My favorite part of all this is how some power led's are 2 pin and some are 3 pin. A lot of mobos have connectors for both, but some, like my stupid Asrock AliveNF6P-VSTA, don't. My case only has a 2 pin. My mobo only has a 3 pin. Square peg, meet round hole.
 
True that. A fair number of cases it's required to shift the positive pin down a notch on the connector to get it to mate with the 2-pin motherboard header.
 
Yea what is the deal with the power LED plug? Why make two standards for it?
 
MisterSparkle said:
True that. A fair number of cases it's required to shift the positive pin down a notch on the connector to get it to mate with the 2-pin motherboard header.
Click to expand...

I think I figured out the animosity in this thread. Some people don't know how to repin those little connectors, like with a jeweler's screwdriver. I guess because I've always known how to do that I missed out on what the big deal was...
 
I always get one of the LEDs wired backwards. Then I figure out the right way, and forget it the next time I have to reconnect it.
 
PHiZ said:
I think I figured out the animosity in this thread. Some people don't know how to repin those little connectors, like with a jeweler's screwdriver. I guess because I've always known how to do that I missed out on what the big deal was...
Click to expand...

Well its just amazing that the great minds that create all the superb advanced hardware on a motherboard then expect folks to get it working properly bodging with a screwdriver.:rolleyes:

Mmmmm classy!
 
Switching to this new standard would be painful. You'd have a transitional period where you'd have cases/mobos made for the new standard, and cases/mobos made for the old non-standard. Once everything got switched over it would be very nice, but there would be a lot of mobo and case returns until everything hit that point.

You could probably have something like a reverse Q-Connector to adapt the new standard plug in cases to old mobos, but that's extra cost you're adding also.

Using an old case with "just a bunch of pins" on a mobo utilizing the new standard shouldn't be a problem, assuming it's still a standard spaced/sized bunch of pins. You'd just have to hook all the separate wires up to the right pins as you do now.

Personally, I've never had to do more than shifting a pin in a 3-way connector to make it a 2-way, so I also don't see the big fuss about this. Tip: White is negative, (varying color) is positive. All the mobos I can remember buying have had the polarity and label silkscreened right on the board. It's a bit annoying to have to plug in all the little wires separately, but that's about the most it's bothered me. Since I generally only do this once (or maybe a few times if I'm testing things out) per PC, I'd rather have them focus on improving other aspects.
 
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