Family Life

Front Panel Overview: How to connect the front panel of a computer...

It's probably the best place to see standards in action.Not only are the boards governed by form factor spec, they are also populated with all sorts of ports, slots, and connectors that subscribe to one standard or another.The motherboards are still one standard short.

The pins on the front panel are used to power the internal speaker, power and hard drive activity lights, and reset buttons.There are 12 pins in total, but only three more than the number of pins used for internalUSB and Firewire connections.The front panel pins are not arranged according to a common standard.Instead of being able to connect all 12 pins with a single cable and jumper block, separate wires and connections must be used for each function.With one speaker, two lights, and two buttons, you can do five things.

This is not the most pressing problem facing the modern PC.It seems ridiculous that there isn't a standard pin pattern for front panel connectors that would allow five annoying little connections to be replaced with a single cable and jumper block.One pin pattern is not going to be superior to another.Simple wiring for a couple of buttons and LEDs is a far cry from high-speed signaling for I/O.There is a lot of blame to go around for the lack of front panel connector standardization.Asus deserves some credit for trying to make the situation better.The company has a handy front panel jumper extension that can be used to consolidate the wiring into a single block.You still have to make five individual connections, but it is much easier to do them on a jumper block.Although it is more of an effort than what we have seen from others, the jumper block from Asus is not a real step in the right direction.That there isn't a standard for front panel connections may not hold the PC back, but it's still annoying and a little embarrassing.

This isn't the most pressing problem of the modern PC.It seems ridiculous that there isn't a standard pin pattern for front panel connectors that would allow five annoying little connections to be replaced with a single cable and jumper block.

One pin pattern is not going to be superior to another.Simple wiring for a couple of buttons and LEDs is a far cry from high-speed signaling for I/O.

There is a lot of blame to go around for the lack of front panel connector standardization.Asus deserves some credit for trying to make the situation better.The company has a handy front panel jumper extension that can be used to consolidate the wiring into a single block.You still have to make five individual connections, but it is much easier to do them on a jumper block.Although it is more of an effort than what we have seen from others, the jumper block from Asus is not a real step in the right direction.That there isn't a standard for front panel connections may not hold the PC back, but it's still annoying and a little embarrassing.

Although it is more of an effort than what we have seen from others, the jumper block from Asus is not a real step in the right direction.That there isn't a standard for front panel connections may not hold the PC back, but it's still annoying and a little embarrassing.

I only use my power and reset buttons, and flash little lights when they don't flash.If the cables came in one block, I would tear them out.If I couldn't remove the wires, I might cut the pins off the board.

Do you know what plugs you use to fit on the front panel pins?The current Power LEDs, HD LEDs and Power switch wires all go into a small block that does not fit onto the new board, which is why I changed it recently.

I know which wires go where but am looking for a neater way to connect them rather than cutting the current block off and soldering them on.

I actually prefer the way it is now, even though it looks like I am in the minority.I can connect and disengage what I don't like.It's not much of a big deal.At least to me.

I used to have a fan controller that was connected to the HD Activity front panel on the MB, so I could use the display.How would such things be possible if there was only a single block connection?Without rewiring, it wouldn't.

This is a solution that the manufacturers use.The case of my old DELL was cracked to the point that it was a steal.I put everything in a standard ATX case after removing the DELL case.Everything went well until the front panel was connected.Every combination was tried.Couldn't get it to power on.I had to remove the cable and power button from the old DELL case rig so I could power it on.

There's my story.Is there a coalition for the unity of case/mobo pins?:D

Our knowledge will not count if everything is easy.I think it's necessary to further complicate front panel connections, as well as sata, usb, firewire, and all power connections.Our job should be more in-disposable.

I have an antec p 160 and aMSI K8N Neo and I never did hook up the front audio and firewire.

I feel your pain.I deal with it all the time.The worst connections of the WORST are the FP Audio connections.

The problem is that there is no money to be made by this; no one making the little jumper connectors, or any of the case manufacturers stand to gain by standardization (though you would think it would improve their output on assembly lines).

Money will be made if front-panel connector standardization improves production yields or efficiency.Not much, but more than zero.

I would pay a lot of money for an aftermarket solution that was similar to the one up there.I can see buying a small plastic block that holds front-panel pins in a given configuration so you can place them in whatever configuration the board needs, even if it is not an adaptor like that.I don't think it's difficult, and I'm sure lots of people would pay for something to make it easier.

This is the most difficult part of building a new rig.The front panel is a mess.The case maker labels the wires something other than one thing.

Maybe it is a conspiracy by Dell, HP and the like.They would be out of business if anyone could assemble a pc.That's right.

I usually plug and pray when connecting.I am good if I get the power switch right.The speaker is unplugged and all the rest are bonus points.

Front pannel connectors are the most annoying part of a computer.I don't like those things.

It is odd that I was just going over this two days ago.

I came up with a cable that was similar to a data cable but more robust.You are set if you put a couple extra pins on.If the slk1650 uses more device LED's then you can either make the standard connector able to handle a large amount of connections or just switch back to using headers for them.

The case makers can do whatever they want on their end of the cable, split it off to solder points or jumper blocks of their own or whatever the case requires, but at least have the one end standardized.

I have seen one-block front panel connections.I think Dell machines are a hundred times easier to deal with than the front panel pinouts on most motherboards.

Why is this so hard?I don't want to have to use a flashlight and jeweler's tweezers to hook up a computer.At the very least, case manufacturers could make their hookups one block instead of individual pins, and they are still taking the bastard's way out!

My HP case has that.When I decided to use the case for my new build, it was so cumbersome that I didn't have to redo the whole thing.

At least you have labels.There were no labels on the board regarding what the pins do.I downloaded the manual.All it had was an arrow and a quote.I had to figure it out myself with a little luck.After two hours of trial an error, I wasn't laughing because my speaker was blasting static in sync with hardrive accesses.I agree with the request for a standard.A manual that was poorly translated was useless.

On my e4300 install which I put together recently, I probably wasted 10 minutes on my knees fiddling to get the case connectors onto the right pins, and any time I take out the board, it will probably take me another 5 minutes just for the pins.

The only thing left for me to look in the manual is when I mess with the wires.Matching pins to wires can be better.

The archaic method of connecting front panel wires is a nod to the old school computer builders who didn't have any markings at all in the beginning.I acknowledge that the system is old.Almost everything is very convenient and doesn't require more than one quick simple step, but not the front panel wires!It is a glaring omission.

The most annoying part of putting together a new computer is attaching the front panel.I just got a new board and the power LEDs have two pins.My case has a power plug for three pins.The middle part of the plug had to be cut out.That is the kind of thing that makes me angry.

I find it very annoying that I have to open the user's manual when I assemble a PC.

Half the time the case's wiring and pins don't match.I have wires in 6 pins.There are 2 pins on the board.Why are the pins on the board arranged in a certain way?How am I supposed to connect that?

Because the "g man" always posts stuff, then either through regret or whatever reason, completely edits his posts out.His forum posts are similar.

He has edited out every single one of his posts.Is it possible to eliminate the e-paper trail?

Caching usually owns that department.The whole thing was saved by Inkling in another post.

There is a script that can permanently cache any posts.It would provide a lot of comedy.

I never had a problem with front panel connections.You are good to go if you find pin-1.

It was a lot more fun to make a board.You have to setup the jumpers for the right things.In order to fit into their slots, you had to angle FPM/EDO SimMs.

If you have small hands, you can orient the small pin in the slot, and see the writing on the pin with ease.Your other cables were shoved out of the way with the MB screwed in.

It is not that difficult to organize and route internal cabling.It requires a lot of planning.

EDO SIMMS?Go back another generation or two, and manually insert the chips into the sockets for the ram.The clock batteries were on the I/O board.