I'm working on building a custom Linux box (it will NOT have any form of MS software on it, so I can't use solutions that depend on MS code or functions for any reason) To meet one of my design requirements of silent operation I am looking for a fan controller that will automatically adjust my fans to run at the slowest possible speed consistent with acceptable temperatures. I am primarly interested in controlling my fan speeds, followed by monitoring temperatures and RPM's; I have little or no interest in displaying other information.
I may be missing something, but I've found the main M.O. website really unhelpful
there does not seem to be an easy way to identify what units had what features, or translate part numbers into feature sets, so I've been having a really difficult time figuring out whether or not M.O. offers me a product that meets my needs. I would suggest some charts or selection guides that detail what features each display offers, and allow easy comparison between them. Additionally, it appears to me that there are several displays that have the same feature set, differing only in color or other cosmetic features. Currently these seem to be treated as individual models, which adds to the confusion. It might be better to show model 'families' based on feature set only, and then give the cosmetic options after this.
That said, I *THINK* what I'm looking for is a VX-202-24-USB, or possibly one of the MX series (but which one???
) but it isn't a real good match to my needs if I'm reading the specs properly - perhaps there's a better unit???As a point of comparison, I've also been looking at the C**********z CF-633 (I happenned to find it first...) The CF unit appears to be similiar to the M-O unit in many respects, so I'm needing to figure out which might meet my requirements better (it appears that neither is a perfect match?)
1. The CF-633 has one DOW sensor header that supports up to 32 devices in a daisy chain, the M-O unit seems to have 4 headers, but does it have the same 32 device capability? Also the CF unit mentions some support for all of the DOW devices, does the M-O unit support anything besides the temp sensors?
2. The CF unit has 4 PWM fan outputs, the M-O unit has 3, but appears to have more additional low power outputs. This is a big issue for me, as I need to control 4 fans. Can the other outputs on the M-O unit be used to give PWM (or analog) control over additional fans? Or is there a different M-O display that has 4 (or more) PWM fan outputs?
3. While my ideal controller would be able to control the fans with NO further input from the motherboard (once configured) it appears to me that both the M-O and CF units require a continuously running driver program on the mobo to operate the fans. Is this correct? If so, what does the M-O unit do to protect the system against system hangs or problems with the driver program? (The CF unit has a watchdog that kicks all the fans to maximum if not periodically reset, does the M-O unit do something similiar?)
Thanks,
Gooserider