[mkerdman]

How do I turn on/off/reboot my HTPC that's behind/inside my cabinet beyond reach?


I built a new HTPC with IR & RF remote keyboard and mouse control that I would prefer to place behind/inside my cabinet.


How do I turn on/off/reboot my HTPC in a wired mode of some sort from in front of the cabinet , or, wirelessly from my viewing position?


mk

 

[brohebus]

Several ways to do this. First the easy part:


To turn off (or send to Standby/Hibernate) - Girder can issue a system command.


To turn on, there are several ways. You could use Wake-On-LAN (WOL) whereby the computer will turn on when a special WOL packet is sent to it. NetRemote (search this forum) has such a capability, and there are simple scripts out there that can accomplish this. You could use a UIRT - it includes a WOL header and can be setup to trip the WOL when it recieves an IR command from a remote. Another method would be to connect a x10 momentary contact switch with leads to the power switch header on the mother board and control the x10 via IR. I have such switch to control my garage door, but it could be adapted for this purpose without a problem. I don't recommend using an X10 appliance controller due to voltage surges.


-Dave

 

[mkerdman]

Dave,



I am particulalry interested/concerned about rude rebooting from lockups and full cold boot resatarts as opposed to polite standby and hibernate.


I am not versed in Girder, and will check it out.


"Wake-On-LAN (WOL) whereby the computer will turn on when a special WOL packet is sent to it"


Sent how? over a LAN or by IR?



UIRT - it includes a WOL header and can be setup to trip the WOL when it recieves an IR command from a remote.


Sent how? over a LAN or by IR?


I agree that using an X10 appliance controller is out of the question due to voltage surges.


Murray Kerdman

 

[blipszyc]

If your motherboard supports Wake-by-keyboard, you can select a key sequence in the bios and send that with your remote.

 

[mkerdman]

"Wake-by-keyboard, you can select a key sequence in the bios and send that with your remote."



If the system is fully powered down, and I use an Airboard IR Remote keyboard by example, how will the signal be recieved without system power to the serial connected Airboard in the circumsatance of full power down and not standby/hibernate?


Murray Kerdman

 

[Eiffel]

Murray,


Even when a modern PC is off (via 'software' off), there is some power available for the Airboard IR receiver, the WOL connector (and thus the UIRT2), etc.


The solutions provided above should get you covered... but you may have to push the reset button once in a while if your computer stops responding to keyboard inputs

 

[mkerdman]

How would I go about wiring a remote lead to the reset button?


Murray Kerdman

 

[Ham1Am]

if you can/want to use another computer to do this.. you can both power down and power up via the network. If both systems have the same login/password, you can use microsoft's "ShutGUI.exe" to do either a shutdown, or a reboot. It will force a clean shutdown. You can find it on google. To turn it back on, there are a few programs out there for wake on lan "WOL". Any of the ideas shared with the others will work just as good too.

 

[monomer]

Sorry Murray I don't mean to hi-jack your thread but...

I am following this thread with great interest because I too would like to be able to power-up my computer by remote. I currently have an extra keyboard in my stereo cabinet just for the sole purpose of KBPO. I am using Girder with a pronto thru IRMAN to do everything else (including Power OFF). Though my MB has WOL capability, I'm not sure about wiring in a UIRT. The IRMAN is a simple finished product that you basically plug-n-play. However the UIRT seems to be a bit raw in its current offering... I'm not sure about wiring it into my MB (...OK, so I'm a novice). Now I use x10 for lighting control but where do you find an 'x10 momentary contact switch'? and how do you bridge the gap from RF to IR? (I'm looking to keep this simple and cheap.)

 

[brohebus]

Quote:

I am particulalry interested/concerned about rude rebooting from lockups and full cold boot resatarts as opposed to polite standby and hibernate.

In the case of a hard lockup/BSOD, Girder won't work since it is a software app.

Quote:

"Wake-On-LAN (WOL) whereby the computer will turn on when a special WOL packet is sent to it" Sent how? over a LAN or by IR?

Sent over the LAN.

Quote:

UIRT - it includes a WOL header and can be setup to trip the WOL when it recieves an IR command from a remote. Sent how? over a LAN or by IR?

The UIRT receives an IR signal and trips the WOL. You'll need a suitable WOL cable (3 wire, special WOL header) connected between the UIRT and the computer's WOL connector.


A remote reset switch - you'd need a momentary switch of some type, 2 lead wires, and a 2-pin DIP jumper.


-Dave

 

[Eiffel]

monomer,


The simplest way to remotely turn on the PC is probably to get an IR keyboard (IR receivers keep on working after a software power off)... If you teach your pronto the code for the space bar (or another wake up key which your bios accepts), this will work great (put the IR keyboard receiver next to your IR man receiver and store the keyboard away...


The UIRT2 is also a very good solution, but it requires a little bit of soldering/wiring

 

[mkerdman]

My Airboard does not have power after the computer is power off.


It connects to the keybaord/serial and mouse/serial connectors.


Am I missing something?


Murray Kerdman

 

[Eiffel]

Murray, this is a little bit surprising...


If you have a standard (PS2 wired) keyboard, can you wake your computer up after a normal shut down (via windows, Power off)?


If so, it means that your power supply powers the keyboard at all time (which is needed for the IR solution to work).


Good luck


If this is not the case, check your BIOS to see if there is an option to enable Wake-on-Keyboard (Some motherboard may have jumpers to adjust to do so as well).


One you get over this first hurdle, your Airboard should flash one of its LEDs each time an IR signal is detected, whether your PC is on or off (I have a Siltek 7100 airboard, with the mouse connector plugged into either the PS/2 or a serial connector... It should work well in both cases)


If this is the case, just make sure that the wake-on-kb key is set to space, or whatever you'll be teaching your pronto.

 

[monomer]

Eiffel... thanks for the good info on the airboard...

...strange though that an IR keyboard can do this but my RF keyboard cannot... it's a Logitech attached by USB. Is it because its USB?

Anyway I'm going to price an airboard. Is there only one? or are there several choices? Recommendations... anybody?

 

[JackLT]

Yes, USB keyboards wired or wireless do not allow 'wake on' to work. I have the same issue with a Intel Wireless USB setup. I just ran a long hidden PS2 cable and use the 'Space Bar' to power on.


I tried Wake on Lan but found when I set it on in the bios, the PC never fully shut down, the power supply fans kept running.

 

[mkerdman]

JackLT




"I just ran a long hidden PS2 cable and use the 'Space Bar' to power on.

I tried Wake on Lan but found when I set it on in the bios, the PC never fully shut down, the power supply fans kept running."


So, if not WOL, what are you triggering with a "space bar" keystroke to wake up a fully powered down computer?


Murray Kerdman

 

[monomer]

Murray.... If your MB has the KBPO (stands for KeyBoard Power On) feature, then you just turn it ON in your BIOS and select the key that will power on your system. However some MB (like mine) ALSO require you change a jumper as well. WOL (wake on LAN) is another feature altogether. Hope this explains it.

Personally I think I'm going to go the wireless IR keyboard route (I've found some for

 

[blipszyc]

I think the Keyboard Power-on will be your least expensive and easiest to use method for doing what you want. Any system since the original Pentium feeds power to the keyboard as long as the power supply is plugged in. The airboard is a PS/2 device and works the same way.


I've been using the airboard and my pronto for about a year now without any problems. I mainly use my HTPC for HDTV with a HiPix. Before the latest versions of the software I sent either a Hibernate or Shutdown command from my pronto and then a CTRL-ALT-ESC to turn it on. Now, Hipix will hibernate the machine for me, so all I need to do is send the CTRL-ALT-ESC when I want it back on. It works great. Some motherboards will let you set whatever keys you want to make it flexible for you.


USB keyboards will not work because I don't think power is run to them, and they don't actually get loaded until after the BIOS loads. Regular keyboards really don't need to be "loaded."


WOL (Wake-on-lan) would be the next best option if you have another machine sitting around or a Ipaq and a wireless network. There are quite a few WOL tools if you search on Google that will let you send the WOL packet.


Good Luck!

 

[brohebus]

Quote:

Now I use x10 for lighting control but where do you find an 'x10 momentary contact switch'? and how do you bridge the gap from RF to IR? (I'm looking to keep this simple and cheap.)

The look for the x10Pro PUM01. It is an x10 momentary switch relay. Check here:

http://www.homeautomationnet.com/X10...-receivers.asp


Just hook the leads from the PUM01 to the power switch header on your motherboard.


Not sure if I understand the RF>IR part. RF from what - an X10 RF remote? 802.11? Why is this even needed here?


The setup I used to use is a Pronto (IR) to an IR543 IR-to-x10 receiver. The IR543 plugs into the wall and takes the IR signals from the Pronto and transmits them as x10 signals on the powerline. Once you program the Pronto with the necessary X10 IR codes, you're set.


I am now using a Pocket PC with 802.11 WiFi connected to Girder on my PC through an app called NetRemote. Through Girder, I can also send IR through a UIRT IR transceiver plugged into the serial port.


For an x10 RF remote, get a Rf-to-X10 receiver like the RR501. Plug it into the wall and it will take signals from the RF remote and send them on down the powerline for you.


Do any of these scenarios solve your problem?


-Dave

 

[danjb]

You can very easily run a NO momentary switch in parallel with your existing reset / power-on switch leads (requires splicing into those leads). There's an article on a web site called Hometoys documenting how I did this with a PC I use for Home Automation: Homeseer watchdog timer using Ocelot . Most of that article is dedicated to the software side of the question (how to have an automation controller called an "Ocelot" reset a PC), but it briefly describes how you can splice into the reset switch (I assume the same thing applies to the power switch).


Since all that is needed is a momentary circuit closure for this, presumably you could run the wires for as long as you need. This kind of reset is just like hitting the reset button, so works even if your machine is hung or in some weird state.