Do-It-Yourself Solar-Powered PC: Hardware

By Tom's Hardware News Team
published

Energy-saving Motherboard: Gigabyte With HDMI And DVI, Continued

This Gigabyte motherboard also features a Realtek ALC 889 High-Definition 7.1 surround sound audio chip, and the motherboard includes an optical output as well. The network adapter is also built around a Realtek chip, the RTL8110SC, but this interface is connected via the PCI bus. Our chosen motherboard also includes a Firewire chip from Texas Instruments: the TSB43AB3.

Internal Firewire header on the motherboard

Audio and network controller chips

The Southbridge offers connectors for up to four SATA and two IDE drives.

SATA hard drive connectors

Tom's Hardware News Team
Tom's Hardware News Team

Tom's Hardware's dedicated news crew consists of both freelancers and staff with decades of experience reporting on the latest developments in CPUs, GPUs, super computing, Raspberry Pis and more.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • Raigedas
    i bought this M2-ATX PSU (actually to of them). but i was unable to start it.

    1. first quick question: is it possible to start (for testing purposes) the PSU without connecting it to the computer? is it enough to short circuit J8 only to start?

    2. docummentation is unclear about 10 (J6). it looks like J6 is purely for controlling stereo amplifier. but other place of the manual says "if J6 is cnnected to the motherboard". where to motherboard?

    3. how should PSU be connected?
    for testing i have taken 12V 7Ah lead acid battery fully charged.
    connected battery "-" to J4.
    battery "+" to J1.
    J3: tried to leave not connected and tried to connect battery "+".
    disconnected power switch cable from motherboard and connected it to J9.
    connected J8 with motheboard (using little cable included in the package) where power switch was originally connected.
    left J6 not connected.
    J10 not connected (P0 mode). also tried P1 mode.
    connected ATX and P4 (J2).
    pressed power on my pc but nothing happened and no voltage on MOLEX cable.

    could authors of the article (or maybe other owner of the PSU) describe how did they start the PSU?
    Reply