Problems with front USB ports on Antech case ...

[AluminumStudios]

I am building a system for a researcher at work who wanted dual CPUs on a very tight budget. I bought this Antec case and this Tyan dual socket 940 mobo.

The USB ports on the front of the case have a cable that goes to a connector that plugs into pins on the motherboard. The motherboard has a full set of pins (I can't remember how many) but the connector has 1 of the corner pins filled in solid! So I can't plug in the USB port? why is this? Am I missing something? Is that extra pin not needed (can I cut it off the mobo?

Also in what seems like a retarded design, the power light is a 3 pin wide connector with the middle pin not connected to anything. The power light connectgor on the motherboard is two pins right next to each other.

Don't motherboard and case manufacturers ever talk?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: AluminumStudios
Don't motherboard and case manufacturers ever talk?

No. If there's one thing the industry needs to agree on for cases, it's not BTX - it's a UNIVERSAL FRONT PANEL CONNECTOR.

- M4H

 

[SonicIce]

sounds funny hehe

 

[Dman877]

Is the mobo header 8 or 10 pin? The front panel connector is 9 pins right? I have never had a mobo/front panel incompatability problem before...

 

[AluminumStudios]

The motherboard connector has 10 pins, the connector coming off the case has one of the pins in the corner filled in (for 9.) Because one is filled in I can't plug it into the motherboard without breaking a pin off.

 

[SocrPlyr]

you might want to change the title so that you are complaining about Tyan seeing as how 99% of the mobos out there use 9pins for the USB ports....

just a quick look at the manual and it appears the 10th pin is just another ground. I don't know that you really need it. you might want to just send a quick email to Tyan to see if it can be snipped off.

Your other choice is to take a small drill and add the extra hole in the connector and just not worry about it actually being connected because it really shouldn't matter...

Josh

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: AluminumStudios
Don't motherboard and case manufacturers ever talk?

No. If there's one thing the industry needs to agree on for cases, it's not BTX - it's a UNIVERSAL FRONT PANEL CONNECTOR.

- M4H

No kidding. Almost every Case/Mobo that I've seen has some kind of incompatibility in this area. Often as much time is required to get these things working as assembly of the system itself. It's such a PITA.

Alu: Find a socket that will fit on your mobo, than cut the cases' socket off and wire the new socket in according to Tyans USB header specs.

 

[mechBgon]

Regarding the 3-pin/2-pin problem, lift the little leaf-spring thing on the connector and gently pull the metal contact out, then put it in the desired hole. photo for you Since LEDs are directional, if it does not light up even then, remove both wires and swap their positions, or flip the plug over if the empty hole won't cause an issue on the side.

 

[McMadman]

If you have a spare case you can pull one of those connectors for use to make a 2 pin power led (I used my old cases "turbo" led - anyone remember those )

Too many designs and no one conforms to the established specifications. IDE cables are a good example, #1 they're supposed to have a notch in the top middle for keying, and pin 20 is supposed to be keyed (no hole on cable)
Obviously the motherboards/hard drives themselves are supposed to conform, no pin where pin 20 would belong and the hole to let the notch through, this isn't always the case.

usb/front audio connectors can be annoying as well, especially if you have individual wires you need to play with to make sure they match up data/ground wise.

 

[CraigRT]

damn, nice mobo. I think the others have you covered with the case problem

 

[AluminumStudios]

I'm building this machine for a researcher at work how needed as much horspower as possible on a relatively tight buget . It's the only built machine around here (rest are Dell crap) so I can't canibalize header connectors from any other systems (I have a strict personal policy against using any of my own parts too.) I think I'll see if I can't remove the plastic plug from the one hole, if now I'll break off the extra pin

The case has several extra lights on front, I'll make one of the extras the power and not worry about it .... this person is getting a fast machine (dual Opteron 246 (2 ghz) and 2 gigs of RAM and 250 gig SATA drive) for $2500. If we had stuck with normal name brand channels a dualie would have been closer to $3500+ so they shouldn't complain much ...

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: AluminumStudios
Don't motherboard and case manufacturers ever talk?

No. If there's one thing the industry needs to agree on for cases, it's not BTX - it's a UNIVERSAL FRONT PANEL CONNECTOR.

- M4H

YES! I totally agree. Actually, Intel does have a spec for that, and for a standard front-panel audio connector pin layout as well.

 

[ViRGE]

All the motherboards I've seen properly respect having the 10th pin keyed, so obviously Tyan isn't doing something right here. That said, call Antec; it's highly likely they will send you a "proper" connector if you don't feel like messing with things.