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[Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board Sale
http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8066
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Author:  ymboc [ Sun Nov 21, 2010 10:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

valter033: Try building one yourself and after you factor time & effort + components you'll see the the price is rather reasonable for what's being offered.

These boards are not consumer electronics goods that are built in quantities of tens of thousands of units built using the latest in automation technology... these are individually built by hand. Your supposed $15 component cost is BS too btw. You're looking at $15 just for the board connector components, nevermind the PCB, VGA + PS2 Connectors and TTL Com-port chip.

If you don't like the price, everything you need to know to build one of these yourself has been posted in these forums. It's true you can probably buy the components for less than $30-50 (depending on your source and the shipping they'll charge), but tell me after you've built one what you think your time is worth to you and if in hindsight you would have rather just purchased a completed unit from cakalapati instead. I know I would have.

Disclosure: I painstakingly discovered the pin out & built the first VGA (only) Cable.

Author:  Comp1962 [ Sun Nov 21, 2010 1:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Hi valter033,

There is no argument by anyone that you can indeed build a debug board yourself for less and many have done so others like myself who could build one but chose not to simply purchased one for the convience factor. These work well and I have purchased 2.

If you carefully read the way cakalapati advertises the offering he is clear that if you simply do not want to deal with building one yourself that you can purchase one from him. For me I can build just about anything but for me it was just a convience to just purchase one already assembled.

Since you appear to be able to build one yourself then so be it do so and good luck with doing it and I mean no offense in this and there is a pin out guide in the forums to help you with building one. For others who are not comfortable or not experienced in building these devices this becomes a convience factor and one that has proven itself time and time again to work. So for some its a good value and they appreciate their availability for others like yourself its not a good value so you build your own and I too build many things because sometimes its fun to do so, sometimes it saves money other times it simply does not. In your case and in this example it will save you money to build your own debug cable and there I do agree with you but for others its more for convience and yes sometimes there is a cost involved but not everyone can build these things.

Author:  saxamo [ Fri Nov 26, 2010 5:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Hello kind sir,

This is saxamo and I just got your device in the mail. There is nothing wrong with it, installed perfectly and all seems to function. However, I do need to speak with you regarding the review I am doing and I have to ask you about a small issue I am seeing. Can you please contact me either here or through email as you should still have it some place maybe. I hope you had a great holiday!

Kind regards,
Saxamo

Author:  Comp1962 [ Sat Nov 27, 2010 2:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Hi saxamo,

Try sending cakalapati a private message here on this site. While I know he frequents this message thread a private message there to him will get his attention and your questions answered much quicker.

The debug cable is a very nice indeed isn't it....

Author:  yakuza [ Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Actually he prefers direct emails, the address is in the first post of this topic and you had to use it to play an order with him.

Author:  cakalapati [ Sat Nov 27, 2010 3:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Thanks for the update everyone. Actually, I monitor this forum thread regularly and saxamo and I have been in email contact already. He is working on a review of the debug board I sent him earlier. I haven't gotten to responding to this forum yet because I'm on break for the Thanksgiving holidays (as stated in the first posting).

Author:  CyberWitch [ Mon Dec 13, 2010 2:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Just received and installed my VGA cable (with included jumper :D for the "C" jumper pins).

Works quite well. I ran the cable for the board up the back beside the fans and stuck it just under the lid. Now when I need VGA I can just pop the top and plug in ready to go.

Author:  gobeilgeoffrey [ Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification. Delivery to the following recipients failed. cable_service@vovtech.com

Author:  yakuza [ Fri Dec 17, 2010 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Quote:
If you are interested, email me** at "mss_cable_service<at>vovtech<dot>com"

Author:  T-Bone [ Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

CyberWitch,

Can I see some pictures of the cable ran through the back of the server? Im really interested in a clean easy cable install.

Author:  majere [ Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Do we need vga with ps2? usb keyboard and mouse working on acer h340?

Author:  cakalapati [ Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

USB keyboards should work just fine for basic troubleshooting on the Acer H340 easyStore. I would not recommend the VGA-Only option if you ever plan to re-flash your BIOS. If you plan to use the debug board to put a new OS on your box with a boot-selector, and you plan on getting the VGA-Only option, make sure your bootloader supports a USB keyboard too. Otherwise, you won't be able to select which partition to boot.

Author:  majere [ Mon Jan 24, 2011 11:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Yes i was looking to install a new os and new raid card.

Thanks for you information.

Author:  Johnny5 [ Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

cakalapati I have sent you an email about placing an order. Please let me know. Thanks John

Author:  Triplefun [ Sat Feb 19, 2011 7:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: [Gen3] HP MediaSmart Server VGA/PS2/Serial Debug Board S

Please confirm if I need the VGA board, ps2 cable and ps2 keyboard if all I want to do is replace an EX490 Celeron CPU with a q8200s quad processor.

I have sent you an email asking the same but I would have thought this would have been a common enough issue to warrant a form response

And presumably having access to the BIOS will also let me manage the fan speed settings which will be useful

thanks for all the obvious great work

----------------------------

Just completed a little more googling and I think I found the answer I am looking for - the answer is NO although I do note he has a Gen3 debug board ???

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=6828&start=15

'You don't need to "tweak" anything in the BIOS to run an upgraded cpu and memory module. Just install them, power on the MSS, let it fully boot, then restart it one more time. After one or two restarts, it should recognize your new hardware just fine. Mine did it with one single restart, and has been running great ever since.

_________________
EX490 w/ a Q9300 processor and stock RAM
Stock Seagate System Drive
(3) 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3 7200rpm storage pool drives
Gen3 Debug Board (all connections)

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