Fan controllers

[Modelworks]

I just got the engineering journal from Maxim and in it they have quite a few new chips for fan control, so I'm thinking of building a fan controller but I wanted to get some input from others. If you could have a feature on a fan controller, what would you add ?

Maybe we can put together an unoffical AT fan controller. Sell them as kits at cost or something.


Here is what I have so far:
____________________________
Voltage monitoring of 12V, 3.3V, 5V via wires attached to the PS wires, no onboard stuff here.
6 fans controlled at 1.5A each with RPM readout
Temp monitor for 4 locations
Settings saved to devices memory so no loss of settings on power off.
USB interface

Considered doing a lcd readout as well but that brings up questions of how to mount it/ where to display it. I was really thinking of a device that could be installed inside the case without need for mounting in the front for controls.

 

[Phew]

Being able to automatically control fans based off motherboard-reported core/system temperatures would be a welcome feature. Most fan controllers require that you use some external temperature sensor, but it's nearly impossible to get an accurate CPU temperature with this method.

The mCubed bigNG claims to offer this feature, but it requires that you work through speedfan or motherboard monitor, and the implementation is really confusing and I haven't gotten it to work on my system yet.

 

[rarebear]

What I would like is to set speeds of PWM fans off CPU and GPU Temps

Like a Hi, Med and Low set Temps or even pre set temps that are read off Bios or MoBo PWM Fan Connector

Set it and forget it..
No Knobs, No Lights, maybe just a Temp Display in Drive Bay

 

[The Boston Dangler]

pwm and voltage input, processing and readout, pwm and voltage output

 

[LOUISSSSS]

sleeved cables + high quality connection parts so they don't break off like the sunbeam rheobus's 4-pin connector.

 

[Modelworks]

PWM for fans is already done by the controller, so that isn't a problem.
Preset temps for how fast the fans run is easily done as well and totally controlled by the hardware so no software has to be running.
High quality connector are easily doable, Molex products would be good, I guess sunbeam went cheap on that area.

I think the biggest problem is going to be how to get cpu and gpu temps. Can be done easily with temp probes that the user attaches, but we all know that isn't going to be accurate. It could be done using something like a small background app that would send the data out over usb. I really want to try to keep the software side of this low though so people don't have to have an application running and that we also don't get too far into having it be OS specific other than the USB port part. So that once set up it doesn't matter what OS you are using.

If someone has some ideas please post them !

 

[Modelworks]

Also want to know how important cost is to people. Obviously the cheaper the better, but I need to know so I can figure out which micro-controller is best suited as well as how robust to make things.
I'm thinking at most $50.

 

[rarebear]

Any way to use a free Fan Control app to get temps and just add a hi, Med. and Low setting temp?

Seems my mobo only kicks fan to hi when its really hi temps

 

[Gillbot]

i'll stick with my cheap-o sunbeam.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: rarebear
Any way to use a free Fan Control app to get temps and just add a hi, Med. and Low setting temp?

Seems my mobo only kicks fan to hi when its really hi temps

Getting the cpu temps from the pc can be done using the libraries already in the public domain. I was just trying to figure out some way of getting the temps that would not require someone to have software constantly running on the pc. It would also make using other OS easier . But it looks like the only way to get a constant cpu temp is going to be by running a program on the users pc that updates the controllers hardware.

I already started working out the way the fan can be controlled . You can set Hi / Low temps and adjust the curve between them in a graph so that it scales linear or if you want can make it stay low all the way up to a hi temp then jump to full speed. All of that is controlled by the hardware so the users pc really isn't doing much but sending it cpu/gpu temps and displaying the voltage, etc to the user. So the program on the pc is going to be really small and not use next to any resources.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
i'll stick with my cheap-o sunbeam.

We are talking about something much more than what the sunbeam can do .

 

[AmberClad]

This sounds quite a bit like the Sunbeam Theta card.

(By cheapo, I don't know if Gillbot was referring to the Theta, which goes for around $28, or the much cheaper Sunbeam Rheobus.)

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
This sounds quite a bit like the Sunbeam Theta card.

(By cheapo, I don't know if Gillbot was referring to the Theta, which goes for around $28, or the much cheaper Sunbeam Rheobus.)

Yeah I looked at the design of the Theta and it has several major issues.
One is that it is very software reliant. Without the software running the card is essentially DOA. The card has next to no onboard processing. I plan to correct that by having the controller use a dedicated micro-processor that can run things without software .

It also doesn't offer voltage monitoring via probes the user places. So people can measure off drive connectors or off the vcore of the board itself if they can find a place to tap it on their motherboard. The controller also will not require the user keep the settings in software as the controller will keep the settings within itself permanently unless changed by the user.

My biggest problem right now is how to get the cpu and gpu temps without software. That is the only thing keeping this controller software dependent. I know of a way to do it without software for the cpu , but the gpu is a problem. If that could be solved the device could be installed and forgotten about. Install whatever OS you wanted and use.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: AmberClad
This sounds quite a bit like the Sunbeam Theta card.

(By cheapo, I don't know if Gillbot was referring to the Theta, which goes for around $28, or the much cheaper Sunbeam Rheobus.)

Rheobus, it's $12 and controls my fans. I have no problems reaching up and turning a knob. To me, all these "features" would be nice but at what cost? No thanks.

 

[videogames101]

Originally posted by: Modelworks

Originally posted by: AmberClad
This sounds quite a bit like the Sunbeam Theta card.

(By cheapo, I don't know if Gillbot was referring to the Theta, which goes for around $28, or the much cheaper Sunbeam Rheobus.)

Yeah I looked at the design of the Theta and it has several major issues.
One is that it is very software reliant. Without the software running the card is essentially DOA. The card has next to no onboard processing. I plan to correct that by having the controller use a dedicated micro-processor that can run things without software .

It also doesn't offer voltage monitoring via probes the user places. So people can measure off drive connectors or off the vcore of the board itself if they can find a place to tap it on their motherboard. The controller also will not require the user keep the settings in software as the controller will keep the settings within itself permanently unless changed by the user.

My biggest problem right now is how to get the cpu and gpu temps without software. That is the only thing keeping this controller software dependent. I know of a way to do it without software for the cpu , but the gpu is a problem. If that could be solved the device could be installed and forgotten about. Install whatever OS you wanted and use.

I might have found some info on reading gpu temp sensors, idk if it'll be useful, pm'd.