Newbe, control with/without PC on

adz2006 · Post by **adz2006** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:43 am

Hi,
I am in the process of planning my next PC mod project and want to use a VFD for controlling and monitoring a pc. As I am new to all this, i was wondering if it is possible to program the VFD so it can be used when the pc is of, for example, say if i wanted to display a clock or control the lights in my PC or be able to keep the fans running for a couple of minutes after the pc switches of. Of course I want the VFD to do alot more with the PC on, like report temps, disk sizes ect but I know this can be done. I kinda need an always on VFD? Does that make sense?? Is it do-able?

Thanks

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 9:05 am

Hi adz2006,

Welcome to the forums!

It would be possible to have the display always on, as long as you had a secondary power source to the display that was always on. Because your power supply will turn off, when your computer turns off, there would be no power to the display. However, I am unsure as to wether you could have the clock go unless you also had another source to continue to update the display with the necessary information.

Perhaps someone from technical support could confirm this.

Regards,

Jon · Post by **Jon** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:53 am

Hi Nick,

Yeah you've got it right, you'd need a second controller to display something like a clock on the display when the computer is turned off.

What might be your best bet would be to connect an external 5V DC power adapter to the display. (you can see the pinout of the power connector in the display manual). This way the fans will continue to operate at the last known setting after the computer is turned off.

Without having a seperate controller the display will only have the last thing displayed on it on the screen.