BETA RELEASE OF V1.8.0 firmware & PSUmoni2140 (3/30/07)

[mikeh]

We are releasing V1.8.3 P2140 firmware and PSUmoni2140 application software for those of you who would like to experiment with USB startup/shutdown control of your PC/laptop. The new firmware lets you use the USB port on your PC/laptop for communicating the startup & shutdown commands from the P2140 regulator to your PC instead of having to use a hardware-based ACPI connection. For laptop users this means that you don't have to open your laptop and solder wires onto the power button! The code has been successfully tested on an IBM Thinkpad T43, however we are interested in feedback from other users with different machines. We are specifically interested in any problems with enabling wake from standby using USB.

P2140 Firmware V1.8.3
PSUmoni2140 Applcation Software V1.8.3
Release Notes V1.8.3

The updates also include several new features as well as hooks for an upcoming Application Program Interface (API) for software developers who want to write their own applications for communicating directly with the P2140 instead of using the PSUmoni2140 application.

V1.8.3 fixes a bug in the Deadman Timer and changes the seven-segment LED displays to high contrast yellow on black (4/17/07)

Please post all questions & comments regarding this relase in this thread.

Enjoy!

[balster]

Hi Mike,

A first reply, my Mini is not put to sleep by the P2140. It does however wake the Mini when I manually put it to sleep.

One thing; with no ACPI connection, how do I power on the Mini when there is no power? Without using the power button?

[mikeh]

my Mini is not put to sleep by the P2140.

Well, small problem I forgot to mention. The USB control depends upon the PSUmoni2140 application to be running on the machine being controlled. If you are not running PSUmoni2140, this USB shutdown won't work.

CAN YOU TRY THIS WITH PARALLELS (if you are running an Intel mini)?

I'm anxious to hear from Intel mini owners running parallels.

It does however wake the Mini when I manually put it to sleep.

Well, this is good news. As you may have guessed by now, the USB wake-up is not OS dependent.

with no ACPI connection, how do I power on the Mini when there is no power? Without using the power button?

As you noted, you can "wake" the sleeping Mac, but you will need to be running PSUmoni2140 to put it to sleep. Hopefully we'll get some feedback soon on whether this actually works with Parallels.

[balster]

Hi Mike,

I mean the usb connection can't power on the machine when it is not sleeping but just plain shut down or can it?

[mikeh]

I mean the usb connection can't power on the machine when it is not sleeping but just plain shut down or can it?

Sorry, I'm not following your question....

[Ruffy]

Will be testing. Good to see my query on the API for roadrunner integration is being worked on. Carnetix rox. Will be testing soon.

[balster]

when the machine is OFF the usb connection cannot start the machine.

[mikeh]

One thing; with no ACPI connection, how do I power on the Mini when there is no power? Without using the power button?

Oh, I think I understand what you are asking....

The current firmware only works for Standby/Sleep where power is still applied to the computer. In future version (for PCs) we hope to have a solution that will wake the computer from Hibernation. We are still working on the latter.

[pilavdzic]

Hi,
I'm a little confused by the questions people are asking.

I thought that if I got the 'mac pac' cable kit it serves to turn on the mini as if you pushed the power button. So when I hook everything up and turn on or off the ignition, the mac will do the default behaviour it would normally do if the power button was pushed (ie. power on if off... power off if on... etc).

Or is it not so simple?

I understand things are much more complex for hibernation, sleep, standby, and other advanced features, but I thought the basics would have nothing to do with ACPI.

What am I missing?

Thanks.

[mikeh]

I thought that if I got the 'mac pac' cable kit it serves to turn on the mini as if you pushed the power button. So when I hook everything up and turn on or off the ignition, the mac will do the default behaviour it would normally do if the power button was pushed (ie. power on if off... power off if on... etc).

Or is it not so simple?

This is exactly correct. Most of what is being discussed is for a PC-based system, not Mac. If you have a Mac mini and you connect to the P2140 using a MacPac power cable kit your system will work exactly as you describe above. This whole USB-ACPI thing is really more for PC laptop users who must crack open their laptop to get to their power button.