Custom PCI-board?

[myselfolli]

Hello everybody!

 

So I have kind of an oddball idea, hear me out (TLDR below):

My PC is currently under my desk (three 27" monitors plus my case just wouldn't fit on my desk), but I am tired of reaching under my desk to start my PC.

 

I've been looking around, and external power buttons are available everywhere, but I like having stuff be clean and visible wires on my desk just doesn't really fit that bill. So I've been thinking about getting myself a power button, which I can then sink into my desk and hide the cables under my desk plate, which shouldn't be too difficult. After all, starting a PC would just require shorting the correct two pins on my motherboard. But here's where my imagination kind of got the better of me:

 

Since I occasionally take my PC to LAN parties, i don't want to connect my wires permanently. A kind of PCI card for example, which allows me to plug in a cable in the back and then lead them on inside to the correct motherboard pins would be perfect. But since we're there, can't I use the PCI card for other things as well? I'm thinking a 2.4 GHz reciever for example, which could sip power off of the PCI connection and allow me to start my PC remotely with the correct emitter?

 

So basically I have two questions (READ HERE FOR TLDR):

Can I make a custom PCI board anywhere, preferrably one that can draw power from the connector?

Can PCI cards draw power while the PC is powered down?

 

Thank you for all the replies in advance, I'll keep everybody updated if I find anything.

 

[PositiveRaisin2]

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=770&tno=8&tb=55&area=en

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=714&tno=8&tb=55&area=en

[myselfolli]

9 minutes ago, PositiveRaisin2 said:

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=770&tno=8&tb=55&area=en

https://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=714&tno=8&tb=55&area=en

Thank you for the reply!

 

I found those as well, but I'm really into the idea. Plus I want to be able to turn my PC on or off with the remote (or app?) etc. or the physical button in my desk. I know it's very much out of the ordinary, but like I said, I'm into the idea ^^

[WereCatf]

2 hours ago, myselfolli said:

Can I make a custom PCI board anywhere, preferrably one that can draw power from the connector?

I'll just be blunt: if you have to ask, you don't have the required expertise. I mean, have you ever made any custom PCBs to begin with? There are a lot of PCB-design tools out there, but you'd need to design the circuitry and the PCB-layout yourself.

 

A far easier solution would be to just get yourself any of the myriad ESP8266- or ESP32-based DIY-boards out there, learn some Arduino, connect a GPIO-pin from the ESP to your mobo's power-button and then use the +5V standby-power from your PSU to keep the ESP powered-on even when the PC is off.

[myselfolli]

7 hours ago, WereCatf said:

I'll just be blunt: if you have to ask, you don't have the required expertise. I mean, have you ever made any custom PCBs to begin with? There are a lot of PCB-design tools out there, but you'd need to design the circuitry and the PCB-layout yourself.

 

A far easier solution would be to just get yourself any of the myriad ESP8266- or ESP32-based DIY-boards out there, learn some Arduino, connect a GPIO-pin from the ESP to your mobo's power-button and then use the +5V standby-power from your PSU to keep the ESP powered-on even when the PC is off.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

While I haven't designed a custom PCB yet, I can't imagine it'll be all that difficult.

 

I'd just need to be able to plug in a wire from the button in my table, power for my reciever (which I'd be able to draw through the PCIe connection, the pin layouts aren't hard to find) and an OR-Gate to connect the two plus wires leading to the correct motherboard pins.

 

My main problem is finding some place where I can specifically design a PCIe PCB. From what I've read, I can't specify that I want the PCIe interface to be plated differently in the required gerber files, which makes the whole process a lot more difficult (and potentially expencive).

 

Can you recommend a PCB designing service? I'm planning to contact a few to find out if they can plate the connections properly. Asking never hurt anybody

[WereCatf]

8 minutes ago, myselfolli said:

From what I've read, I can't specify that I want the PCIe interface to be plated differently in the required gerber files

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but you can just designate them as gold-fingers. All the ones I know can do gold-fingers just fine.

[myselfolli]

2 hours ago, WereCatf said:

I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but you can just designate them as gold-fingers. All the ones I know can do gold-fingers just fine.

Yeah, gold fingers is what I meant. English isn't my first language, so I didn't know how to describe it.

 

Thank you for your help!

[cachethrash]

If your motherboard has a PS/2 port, it might still support "Power on by keyboard," where you can set up a key on a keyboard to act as the power button. I haven't used it in years though. Also most motherboards support "Wake on LAN" which might be useful.

[Hazem El Samad]

You only need to connect the 2 wires from the power button you install in your desk to the power 2pins for the front I/O on your motherboard and it's done. You will not be able to turn your PC from the power button on ur case but u will never need to use it again since u have one installed in ur desk. And if u need to remotely turn it on/off from ur mobile look on the internet for an mcu esp86 module Wich have a wireless chip and use the blynk app to control from ur phone .  u may need to make a small pcb . Check this link "https://techreport.com/review/31438/building-a-pc-remote-starter-from-scratch/"

 

I already built this pcb and it's working very good.