Help with MAC Pro front panel pin out SATA cable

[macguy4u]

Hey All -I am trying to connect all the wires for the front panel to work on my Mac Pro mod
Now I have read and do have copies of which wires to attach to what but my question is this

Im confused about the SATA cable -What SATA is being used because I only have 4 white wires -I dont have the green wires.

Is there a different SATA cable I need to use.

Any advice would help

Matt

[aquamac]

On some Sata cables all the screened wires are white but they will still work OK. You will have to be extra careful when connecting them up thats all.

[macguy4u]

Hey Aqua

I do have that connection layout-thats what I was going by -So thanks for that -

Since I have all white cables --what about the grounds --the only other wires I have for grounds are tiny silver bare wires -
Are those the grounds???

Also -because I have all white wires -is it just because I have brand new Sata cables -if I got ahold of an older cable -would it maybe have the green wires in it??

thanks

Matt

[aquamac]

Actually many cables have twin white cables. As these are data cables, you will not damage anything if you connect them the wrong way round - it just will not work. Connect the outer cables as I have and the centre one as shown in the diagram also - sometimes there is just one. As your Sata cable is flat, it should be pretty easy to distinguish what the wires are. If one or both of the USB ports do not work, just reverse the data cables till they do.

[macguy4u]

Hey Aqua
I uploaded a pic of my USB Header -Its seems to me I have only 2 grounds (Black cables)

Any suggestions on this --I have the red wires which you dont speak of in your diagram.

Thanks again

Matt

Attachments:

[aquamac]

You do not want to connect the red wires at all. The power is already supplied to the front panel. If you look at my diagram it says "no connection". The + and - are supplied independently of the USB header. You could always find a donor cable that does have the main earth wire connected, failing that, connect the central grounds to the other 2 existing grounds respectively.

[macguy4u]

aggghhh Got ya --thanks a bunch for your help -
I got the idea now.

Matt

[novaris]

hey guys,

just want to ask something about the pinouts for the mac pros with sata port.

what is the 12v and 3.3v for ? i know the +5v is meant for the USB ports which is grounded via the sata-usb cable.

How about the audio port? where do I connect the wires?


for the 5v power source for USB, is it possible that I use the +5v from the motherboard header then connect it to the 8pin port at the top of the front panel?

How do I connect the 12v, 5v , 3.3v from the motherboard plug when it's plugged into the 24pin ATX ?



thanks all

[aquamac]

Hi,

3.3v is for firewire and 12v powers the various hubs onboard. You can either piggy back of the main motherboard plug with the appropriate connectors or scrape some of the insulator away solder and re-insulate or use shrink tubing over the solder joint. For the audio port there is probably a "USB" looking type connector on your motherboard which carries HD output. You will need to refer to your motherboard manual which will give you the pin layout. The red cables for USB are left unconnected as that voltage is supplied already.


piggy back connector sometimes used in automotive situations for audio - leaves the cables virtually undamaged.

Good Luck.

[novaris]

hi aquamac, just have a couple of questions after restarting the project recently.

am i right to say the 5v power required for the USB is supplied thru pin 4 at the 8pin connector at the top?

if so, I am planning to use a 9pin USB header cable and using the 2 wires labelled "no connection", join them together and connect it to pin 4. that should be ok right?

as for the 12v. where do i ground that wire? pin 1 of the 8pin connector? I've used a multimeter to test it but there seems to be no connection.

[aquamac]

Novaris,

The red connectors on the USB header are not used at all on the original Mac Pro front panel as the power is supplies directly from the power supply - see below:

[novaris]

I know what you mean but can I connect the red wires from the motherboard's usb connectors to power pin no.4 ? so that I dont have to piggyback a wire frm the motherboard's connector. actually any 12v source is fine right (molex)?

Does the front panel need to be powered by the 12v, 5v or 3.3v if i want to test out the audio port? if so, which is it? I've been trying the audio wiring but it doesnt work even though I've both possible combinations.