RFID Power ON

M

MrPatate

Gawd
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
1,021
Hi,

I just had an idea, instead of a power button, i would replace it with a RFID card/key chain reader... But the only things i found were either for commercial use($$$$) or this http://www.canakit.net/Default.asp?...//www.canakit.net/Contents/Items/RFID-101.asp ).

Key Chain RFID http://www.canakit.net/Default.asp?...ww.canakit.net/Contents/Items/RFID-KEYFOB.asp

Is it possible to do it(nothing is impossible i know... is it "easily" makable)?
Do you know where I could get a reader for only 1 card (i suppose it will for at least five, but i guess it will be cheaper than 42 :confused:)?
Will i need to "program" it or i can simply set it like this?

rfidvr8.jpg

Everything is to scale of course:rolleyes: Admit you are jealous of my drawing skills.....:p

thanks!
 
Such a thing DOES exist already. It consists of a small USB dongle, and a necklace. Get the necklace close enough, and the computer works. Move it too far away, and the computer requires a password.

Thinkgeek and a few other places carry them. They're green if I recall.
 
I know those things exist.. except i dont want it as a locking device... i want litterally to replace the power button, passing the card next to the receiver starts the computer, passing it again shut it down....

but thanks for your input
 
Gotcha. Sorry, but thats gonna be hella-expensive. You'd need a way to differentiate between RFID cards.

I could, theoretically, get an RFID out of a CD jewel case from Wal-Mart to turn on your computer. Unless you WANT it to power on/off with ANY RFID card.
 
well i dont really care about that(that any card will boot my computer), its not for security that i want this, i just like the idea that no one will know how to boot my comp hehe
 
A numeric keypad like the one from an alarm system would be cool too, they need to know the code to power up =) I know it's not RFID but it's another idea.
 
if you want to go that route, why not just use a magnetic switch
/
/
|`___|
" "

(leet ascii art skills)

its the same kind of switch they ues for case intrusion, i beleave its actually calleds a dual pole single throw pressure switch (some one will surely chime in with the type im talking about)

the way you would do this would be to mount the switch so that the lever is in the open position, lets assume the drawing i made is 180° out of where it needs to be, the lever would hang with the termainals on top, mount it right aginst the top inside of your pc case

------------
---------
|"____"|
\'
\
(something like that)

on the end that is hanging put a refrigerator magnet (the cheap light weight flexable self stick kind. you can get at crafts stores) so that when you pass a seconed magnet over the top of the case it pulls the switch shut which makes the pc turn on

/edit you need to use a light weight magnet that is small enought that once pulled closed it dosent have enought 'power' to stick the switch closed when it gets pulled closer to the case metal, i would say yse a largish hunk of metal instead, but it might be to heavy and want to pull the switch off the case, the magnet you use on the outside will have to be strong enought to pull on the mag switch/metal hunk.
there you go, one buttonless pc
 
The idea of the magnetic switch sounds really easy to do. You can get the switches themselves very cheaply and all you need is a small magnet to trigger it. Here is an enclosed reed switch that would be easy to mount.

Or if you're dead set on using RF cards, why not use a non-commercial one such as this star wars toy, and then setup a relay or threshold switch to fire off the speaker outputs.
 
thore said:
if you want to go that route, why not just use a magnetic switch
/
/
|`___|
" "

(leet ascii art skills)

its the same kind of switch they ues for case intrusion, i beleave its actually calleds a dual pole single throw pressure switch (some one will surely chime in with the type im talking about)

the way you would do this would be to mount the switch so that the lever is in the open position, lets assume the drawing i made is 180° out of where it needs to be, the lever would hang with the termainals on top, mount it right aginst the top inside of your pc case

------------
---------
|"____"|
\'
\
(something like that)

on the end that is hanging put a refrigerator magnet (the cheap light weight flexable self stick kind. you can get at crafts stores) so that when you pass a seconed magnet over the top of the case it pulls the switch shut which makes the pc turn on

/edit you need to use a light weight magnet that is small enought that once pulled closed it dosent have enought 'power' to stick the switch closed when it gets pulled closer to the case metal, i would say yse a largish hunk of metal instead, but it might be to heavy and want to pull the switch off the case, the magnet you use on the outside will have to be strong enought to pull on the mag switch/metal hunk.
there you go, one buttonless pc
Click to expand...

Go idea! I'll think about that.... But one thing, like every one i've always been told to never put magnet near HDDs(which i always thought it was weird since a HDD is actually build with powerful magnets in it..) is there a risk for my computer parts?

MjrStryker said:
The idea of the magnetic switch sounds really easy to do. You can get the switches themselves very cheaply and all you need is a small magnet to trigger it. Here is an enclosed reed switch that would be easy to mount.

Or if you're dead set on using RF cards, why not use a non-commercial one such as this star wars toy, and then setup a relay or threshold switch to fire off the speaker outputs.
Click to expand...
i'm not sure what i should do with those... and i dont want queen amidala saying "hi" every time i boot(which is every 6months or so lol)
 
MrPatate said:
Go idea! I'll think about that.... But one thing, like every one i've always been told to never put magnet near HDDs(which i always thought it was weird since a HDD is actually build with powerful magnets in it..) is there a risk for my computer parts?
Click to expand...

this was more from back in the day with the old real to real where it could acctually do damage, and the very early HD systems, modern HD's (like you said) use very powerfull magnets in them as it is, haveing dropped one of these super magnets on my 200 gig seagate and expierenced no ill effects, i would say its reasonably safe. if your really paranoid, then only use the largest magnet that will allow you to get the job done. even some of the most powerfull magents money can buy have a gauss stream that only extends about 6", common refrig magnets only extend about1.5 -2.5in. if your HD is at the bottom of the case i can pretty much garrentee you will have no issues.
 
No way, you could drop a HD magnet right over the platters without killing them :)

Big misconception.
 
thore said:
this was more from back in the day with the old real to real where it could acctually do damage, and the very early HD systems, modern HD's (like you said) use very powerfull magnets in them as it is, haveing dropped one of these super magnets on my 200 gig seagate and expierenced no ill effects, i would say its reasonably safe. if your really paranoid, then only use the largest magnet that will allow you to get the job done. even some of the most powerfull magents money can buy have a gauss stream that only extends about 6", common refrig magnets only extend about1.5 -2.5in. if your HD is at the bottom of the case i can pretty much garrentee you will have no issues.
Click to expand...

Arcygenical said:
No way, you could drop a HD magnet right over the platters without killing them :)

Big misconception.
Click to expand...

Thanks you both, i thought so but i wanted to be sure, you know before loosing all that porn lol:p

kidding aside, so for the RFID idea nothing i could use that's less pricy and without scripting?
If so.... it's hammer time! ..:eek:.. magnet... magnet time!
 
MrPatate said:
Go idea! I'll think about that.... But one thing, like every one i've always been told to never put magnet near HDDs(which i always thought it was weird since a HDD is actually build with powerful magnets in it..) is there a risk for my computer parts?


i'm not sure what i should do with those... and i dont want queen amidala saying "hi" every time i boot(which is every 6months or so lol)
Click to expand...

Essentially the reed switch is a casing that's metal on the outside with a small flexible reed of metal on the inside. You treat it just like your case Power Switch. In fact, you'd hook it up the same way too. Just run both ends to the Power Switch headers on your motherboard. When you place a magnet close to the switch, it pulls the flexible reed on the inside and makes it contact the metal casing which bridges the circuit.

As far as the toy is concerned, you'd disconnect the speaker and have to find/build a circuit that would take the oscillating voltages that would normally go to the speaker and use them to trigger a relay instead that would act as your switch. In other words, there would no longer be a speaker in the circuit so no way for Queen Amidala's obnoxious voice to be played.

Out of the two options, the Reed Switch is by far the easiest and cheapest. Few cents for a switch that directly replaces your power switch with no additional circuits involved.
 
The reed switch idea works great, I've been using one in my case mod for almost 3 years. I bought a kit at a local electronics store, it was for an alarm system and it cost me about 10bucks for 3 switches and 3 magnets.
 
If the front of your case is plastic you can glue the reed switch behind it so it is hidden (assuming your magnet is strong enough).

Then for a 1337 case mod you could remove the other power switch
 
Something else to note is that the reed switch does not require additional power to operate.

Now if your goal is to provide security to your computer, then you could take several reed switches and create a coded magnetic card. It would take a bit more effort, but would be cheap and I think it would be pretty cool since not just any magnet would turn on your computer. Here's the idea:

You can get reed switches in the NO and NC variety which gives you two options to create a closed circuit.....either a magnet is there or it isn't. Let's say you take 6 of these switches and arrange them in a row inside your case, in the following order. NO, NO, NO, NC, NC, NO. Then you wire them up in series. If you place a long magnet accross all 6, the computer will not start because the NC switches will become open, keeping the circuit broken. If you place your special magnetic strip across it, with magnets only covering the NO switches, then the NC switches will remain closed and the NO switches will close, thus making a complete circuit and powering up your computer.

The size of the card required to perform this all depends on the # of switches, sensitivity of the switches, and strength of the magnets, but with a little trial and error it doesn't seem like it would be difficult.
 
Frank4d said:
Then for a 1337 case mod you could remove the other power switch
Click to expand...

That's the plan ;) except my case is a Lian li.. all Aluminum so i have to find a way to fill the hole and still keep the good looks

MjrStryker said:
Something else to note is that the reed switch does not require additional power to operate.

Now if your goal is to provide security to your computer, then you could take several reed switches and create a coded magnetic card. It would take a bit more effort, but would be cheap and I think it would be pretty cool since not just any magnet would turn on your computer. Here's the idea:

You can get reed switches in the NO and NC variety which gives you two options to create a closed circuit.....either a magnet is there or it isn't. Let's say you take 6 of these switches and arrange them in a row inside your case, in the following order. NO, NO, NO, NC, NC, NO. Then you wire them up in series. If you place a long magnet accross all 6, the computer will not start because the NC switches will become open, keeping the circuit broken. If you place your special magnetic strip across it, with magnets only covering the NO switches, then the NC switches will remain closed and the NO switches will close, thus making a complete circuit and powering up your computer.

The size of the card required to perform this all depends on the # of switches, sensitivity of the switches, and strength of the magnets, but with a little trial and error it doesn't seem like it would be difficult.
Click to expand...

thanks! Could make a puzzle... and after two times be annoyed and remove the puzzle and leave only one hehe
 
Thats a great idea! Go to parallax.com and get a basic stamp kit and rfid kit. It should do the trick!
 
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