Lighting...

Dawelio

Active member
Hey guys,

I think I may have done a previous thread regarding this, but can not find it though so making this one.

I've come to sort of an issue here, I have an Corsair H100i, Corsair HX750i and Corsair Commander Mini. As well as RGB LED strips for the Commander Mini.

My ASUS Gryphon Z97 Armor Edition only has 2 USB 2.0 headers, which means I need to connect my fans to the motherboards fan headers and use something else for lightning.

I've used BitFenix Alchemy LED strips in the past, but I don't want them to be that bright all the time, my "dream" would be to able to actually adjust the brightness of the light, as when it's idle, maybe have it completely shut off and then when on, they are... well... on.

I know that with the Commander Mini and the RGB LED strips for it, I could have controlled the colours of the LED strips, through Corsair Link.

But due to the motherboards only 2 USB headers, I am returning the RGB LED strips for the Commander Mini, as I won't use the Commander anymore.

And now for the purpose of this thread... anyone know anything that could be a good idea in terms of lightning?... also, I'm after white one, as that will enhance everything in my PC, and also "warm white" if possible?...

Hope you all understood all of this and what I'm after/asking for :mellow:...

EDIT, just for show... this underglow thingy going on, that is just the sex in my opinion!

murderbox-04.jpg

Thanks,
Chrazey
 
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Ikea do sell adjustable LED light strips that come with a handy dandy remote, maybe you can implement that into your system nicely. I think they're around €20 a kit?

Alternative, use a molex > 3 pin adaptor to hook your fans up. My system fan runs on a Molex > 3x3pin 5v adaptor by Bitfenix. Dead quiet and for me still plenty of cooling, even if my fan is a lot bigger and closer to the components than in your µATX case.

Found this one on the UK site, but pretty sure they were also cheaper in the store over here (Netherlands) when I saw them:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00202324/
 
I'm gonna go right ahead and assume you mean, lighting not lightning (I'll edit your thread title)
 
Keep the Corsair Commander because it does do EXACTLY what you want it to do. You can map different colours or shades to different temperatures and profiles, you can make them a warm white if desired because of the RGB LED. To make it dimmer you just do a lower percentage of each colour and you end up with a grey on-screen which translates into a dimmer white.

You do in actual fact have 4 USB headers, also consider that you can get USB3.0 back to USB2.0 adapters and you have literally hundreds of options to fit everything you have simultaneously so do whatever looks best. How do you even use that many USB headers anyway :eek: oh well, i'll stfu before my OCD hurts.


Each USB header has two channels (9-pins) and an individual USB channel only needs 5-pins, well actually 4. The 5th is just for shielding. So you can either find a 9-pin to two 5-pin splitter or wire your USB cables into one block. So many options and they are all pretty amateur level mods.

JR
 
Ikea do sell adjustable LED light strips that come with a handy dandy remote, maybe you can implement that into your system nicely. I think they're around €20 a kit?

Alternative, use a molex > 3 pin adaptor to hook your fans up. My system fan runs on a Molex > 3x3pin 5v adaptor by Bitfenix. Dead quiet and for me still plenty of cooling, even if my fan is a lot bigger and closer to the components than in your µATX case.

Found this one on the UK site, but pretty sure they were also cheaper in the store over here (Netherlands) when I saw them:
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00202324/

Haha, I acutally have something similar to these... I just have no idea on how to wire them up to work. As they use a wallet adapter to power them?...

I'm gonna go right ahead and assume you mean, lighting not lightning (I'll edit your thread title)

Haha, yeah... thanks for that! Worked since 22:00 last night and it's 12:18 here, haven't slept yet, so that's why :p...

Keep the Corsair Commander because it does do EXACTLY what you want it to do. You can map different colours or shades to different temperatures and profiles, you can make them a warm white if desired because of the RGB LED. To make it dimmer you just do a lower percentage of each colour and you end up with a grey on-screen which translates into a dimmer white.

You do in actual fact have 4 USB headers, also consider that you can get USB3.0 back to USB2.0 adapters and you have literally hundreds of options to fit everything you have simultaneously so do whatever looks best. How do you even use that many USB headers anyway :eek: oh well, i'll stfu before my OCD hurts.

Each USB header has two channels (9-pins) and an individual USB channel only needs 5-pins, well actually 4. The 5th is just for shielding. So you can either find a 9-pin to two 5-pin splitter or wire your USB cables into one block. So many options and they are all pretty amateur level mods.

JR

Umm... yes I know it does, hence why I got it.

But I have in fact 4 USB headers?... last time I checked and also in the motherboard manual, I have 2 x USB 2.0 headers and 1 x USB 3.0 header.

The USB 3.0 will be hooked up to the front case USB 3.0 outputs. The bottom 2 x USB 2.0 headers will be for the Corsair H100i and for either the HX750i or Commander Mini.
IF I actually had one more USB header, then I would be off to the races.

But... JR, does the S36 from Fractal Design use USB header?, as I saw you had the S28 I believe in your JR2.0?... as correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the USB header on the H100i just for Corsair Link?...
 
JR[/QUOTE]

Read it again.

JR

Ohh, you mean this...

Each USB header has two channels (9-pins) and an individual USB channel only needs 5-pins, well actually 4. The 5th is just for shielding. So you can either find a 9-pin to two 5-pin splitter or wire your USB cables into one block. So many options and they are all pretty amateur level mods.

So either a 9pin -> dual 5pin splitter or wire my USB cables into one block, like what kind of a block are you thinking about/referring to exactly?...

EDIT, guessing you mean something like this?: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pin-USB-AC97-HD-Audio-Internal-Header-Y-Splitter-Cable-5cm-/321718757837
 
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(that product you quoted is not the right thing for the job at all) You could do it with a bunch of these, or just buy some 5-pin female blocks and mod your wires.

31C8XJGEdjL._SY300_.jpg


Each USB connection needs 4-pins, red, white, green and black. Then an extra black pin which is used to shield the cable.

Consequently each header has the capability of running two connections, or two separate ports. So you can connect 4 things in total to your two headers.

Generally most devices use a 9-pin block for no reason. Simply replace them all with 5-pin blocks and boom 4 connections! It's easy to take them apart and replace the block just lift up the little tabs and pull out the wire. Put them in the new block in the same order and just remember to keep the shielding pin on the same side as the missing pin. I think hardware manufacturers use 9-pin blocks purely so you can't plug them in upside down.

Fractal Pumps do not have any USB connector. They just use a single fan connector and that's it.

H100i's and Corsair PSU's do not require a USB connection to function, they are just to access the extra Corsair link features. If you don't want to fiddle with anything at all then you could do it with internal USB extensions or splitters. Alternatively just don't plug in the PSU.

JR
 
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(that product you quoted is not the right thing for the job at all)

31C8XJGEdjL._SY300_.jpg


Each USB connection needs 4-pins, red, white, green and black. Then an extra black pin which is used to shield the cable.

Consequently each header has the capability of running two connections, or two separate ports. So you can connect 4 things in total to your two headers.

Generally most devices use a 9-pin block for no reason. Simply replace them all with 5-pin blocks and boom 4 connections! It's easy to take them apart and replace the block just lift up the little tabs and pull out the wire. Put them in the new block in the same order and just remember to keep the shielding pin on the same side as the missing pin. I think hardware manufacturers use 9-pin blocks purely so you can't plug them in upside down.

Fractal Pumps do not have any USB connector. They just use a single fan connector and that's it.

H100i's and Corsair PSU's do not require a USB connection to function, they are just to access the extra Corsair link features. If you don't want to fiddle with anything at all then you could do it with internal USB extensions or splitters. Alternatively just don't plug in the PSU.

JR

The bolded part I did not quite get :huh:... and that is basically why I got the Commander Mini, to control the lighting and fans through Corsair Link, as I already have H100i and the PSU.

But might not use the H100i though, might go for the S36.

So basically, the picture you attached is like a "standard" usb connector, but in half.
It's the same width, just not as thick. Not sure what the difference between yours and the one I posted are though :p

But thanks for the tip though!... just gotta find where to buy your thingy...
 
A Corsair USB cable from your H100i to your motherboard will only use 5-pins but it will still have a 9-pin USB block. 4-pins will be unused. Manufacturers use 9-pin blocks so you can't insert them into a motherboard header upside down.

If you aren't totally stupid and can just look which way around a connector should be before inserting it then you could use a 5-pin block for the end of the cable from the H100i.

SO if you put a 5-pin block on the end of each cable you could connect 4 USB devices.



If you want to change to an S36 for performance reasons fair enough. If you want to do it just so you don't have to plug in the USB cable from the H100i then that is retarded. You may as well just use the H100i without the USB cable. It will still be a pump. It will still light up. It will still report its RPM to the motherboard. You just won't be able to change the colour of the light from Corsair link.

JR
 
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