Pro/Forums - View Single Post

10-29-2001, 10:00 AM

I am currently in a position to possibly design and sell a software-based fan control solution.

Would anyone be interested in buying this? 'This' would be a fan control and monitoring board that would connect to SMBus (most motherboards have SMBus headers) and would allow 2-18 sets of speed controlled fan ports with RPM monitors and temperature sensors. Using software you could define which temperature sensors triggered which fans, and power ranges/start power for each fan. It would use large power regulators so fast 120mm fans would be supported. It would draw power from a single Molex or Floppy Drive power connector. It would be available with 2-18 sets of fan/temp connectors, and depending on number of connectors would probably cost $20-$70 or somewhere in that range. This would also include a Force switch that would mount on the outside of the case. When you push the switch all fans would come on at full and stay on until the switch was released.

The 'Option Pack' would turn this into a full DigitalDoc5 replacement. The unit would occupy a 5 1/4" drive bay, and would have an external 20x2 LCD panel, or a 20x4 LCD with 2 drive bays. VFD displays (black background, bright glow letters) would also be available, but for more $$. This would connect either to serial or also SMBus, and would be driven with a LCDriver plugin so you could use it for other things too.
The Option kits would start at around $120 and would include your choice of fan controller and display. The entire thing would mount in a free drive bay, and the Force switch would be integrated into the bay.

And so, before I embark in the wonder of PCB design, I was wondering, would anyone buy this?

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: IronHelix ]

10-29-2001, 10:00 AM	#1
IronHelix Guest Posts: n/a	Would you buy a DigiBus? I am currently in a position to possibly design and sell a software-based fan control solution. Would anyone be interested in buying this? 'This' would be a fan control and monitoring board that would connect to SMBus (most motherboards have SMBus headers) and would allow 2-18 sets of speed controlled fan ports with RPM monitors and temperature sensors. Using software you could define which temperature sensors triggered which fans, and power ranges/start power for each fan. It would use large power regulators so fast 120mm fans would be supported. It would draw power from a single Molex or Floppy Drive power connector. It would be available with 2-18 sets of fan/temp connectors, and depending on number of connectors would probably cost $20-$70 or somewhere in that range. This would also include a Force switch that would mount on the outside of the case. When you push the switch all fans would come on at full and stay on until the switch was released. The 'Option Pack' would turn this into a full DigitalDoc5 replacement. The unit would occupy a 5 1/4" drive bay, and would have an external 20x2 LCD panel, or a 20x4 LCD with 2 drive bays. VFD displays (black background, bright glow letters) would also be available, but for more $$. This would connect either to serial or also SMBus, and would be driven with a LCDriver plugin so you could use it for other things too. The Option kits would start at around $120 and would include your choice of fan controller and display. The entire thing would mount in a free drive bay, and the Force switch would be integrated into the bay. And so, before I embark in the wonder of PCB design, I was wondering, would anyone buy this? [ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: IronHelix ]