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I just set up myHTPC on a spare machine I had, and first off I love it. Heres my thing, now I want my computer to have the ability to be turned on with a remote like the rest of my HomeTheater equipment. I do have a wireless keyboard/mouse for it. Is there anyway to do this? I'm thinking maybe a ceiling fan remote, wired to the power wires, but I'm not sure of the voltage of either, and wanted to ask first. Anyone done this? Or know of a resource? I can't find anything...
no offence but i know lotta people who will get off their butt, run around the whole frikkin room to find the remote WHEN all they had to do was change the channel :D
The absolute simplest solution would be to use a motherboard whose BIOS supports keyboard power-on. Press a button on your IR keyboard and your system would power up. And if you have a "learning" remote control, you can capture that power-up key to program into your remote control.
If you've got some electronics aptitude, if you can just get a remote to trigger a momentary switch or relay, you can wire that switch in parallel to the power switch on the front panel of the computer. In theory, something like this:
An easy alternative would be to use a garage door opener transmitter & receiver. Program them to the same code, install the receiver on or inside your computer's case, and wire its output leads in parallel with your power switch. (First use a multimeter to make sure those output leads are a normally open contact, closed momentarily when activated, and NO voltage is applied by the receiver! Otherwise, you'll need to use a relay or some type of solid state switch.)Code:. .
. |-------x
____|-----------|_____ | . Connect
__|__ | | . \ / . "x" leads
--> \ / | Receiver/ | . / / . in parallel
--> \ / | Decoder | . \ / . with power
----- |(Momentary |_____/ | . switch.
|____| Output) | . |-------x
|-----------| . .
|- RELAY -|
If you're interested in this idea, you can use a SkyLink UR-100 receiver which you can buy directly from them for $19.95 and one of their remotes that sell for around $30 (or $25 from aaaremotes.com).
With an ATX power supply and some basic electronics knowledge, you should be able to make your own remote setup.
Consider these:
http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic/RemoteControl.htm
And in particular:
http://www.rentron.com/remote_control/IR-D14.htm
http://www.rentron.com/3-bit-infrared.htm
Use the ATX connector on the motherboard to power the reciever circuitry and then connect the ATX power switch to one of the data out pins.
I think Frys sells a remote for the computer.:)
What about those stupid BIOS settings like wake on LAN?. Not really sure about how that would work without using the ethernet though. You could try using the remote ceiling fan, but make sure that the PC is wired to the primary lead of the relay (if that is what it uses). And make sure the BIOS is set to turn on when power is restored.
Personally I would wire a relay to the power switch, atleast a momentary relay, that way you don't have to worry about the amperage for the PSU and it is less likely to harm anything.
Hey, why not just leave it up all the time?
I dnt have anything to add about using a remote, but make sure you check out the HTPC section on avsforum.com.