Robhalfordfan wrote on 2023-07-08, 13:50:Hello all […]
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Hello all
i Have an Asus P5A-B Motherboard and noticed it can use Asus usb/mir breakout card
i can find this card (with usb only) online quite easily
i was wondering is it difficult to add ps/2 port and irda port on the card itself (voltages, resisters etc) and make or alter a ribbon cable for it as i can't seem to find one with everything on it and the ribbon cable needed to connect to mobo
At a glance, it looks like the missing capacitors and inductances would constitute low pass filters for signal conditioning. Don't take my word for it since I only have photos as reference - double check connections etc yourself - but I'd bet you would get away with simply bridging the solder pads for the inductances L2 and L3, leaving the pads for the caps (C*) open. If the low speed PS/2 interface actually is sensitive to EMI and the filters are vital, it's easy enough to reverse. As for the IRDA interface, you probably just need the connector, and can omit the decoupling caps.
Mini DIN connectors can be sourced on Ebay, Aliexpress, etc, or with some luck, your local electronics store. Make sure to get connectors for the card's hole pattern, there might be variants.
Pressing IDC connectors is easy, no special tools needed. I've done it numerous times in a regular vise with perfect results. It would probably work to carefully tap the connector together with a hammer too.
18 way IDC connectors and ribbon cable can be sourced from Ebay etc. aswell. You could butcher an old IDE or FDD cable if you want to save a few bucks on the ribbon cable.
Edit: Indeed, those USB only cards are easy to find. Ordered one for my P5A-B mobo that's missing it, should be here within a week or two. I'll test my theory on it and revert here once it's done, if I remember to 😀