USB 2.0/1.1 P4 Mainboard Pin-Out Configuration Help?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rick
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Rick

My new DFI PS-83BL P4 Springdale chipset motherboard has the usual pin-out
jumpers for attaching additional USB connectors from the front of my case,
etc.

I've normally seen these as two row setups with 5 pins on the top and 4 pins
below like I've tried to graphically depict here below (while looking down
at the board from above). Is the assignment of the pins pretty standard
just like I've shown below. This graphic came from the manual of a another
DFI motherboard which looks like what I think is correct (I think my
PS-83BL manual is wrong):

Vcc -D +D G Key Pin
* * * * * USB 3

* * * * X USB 4
Vcc -D +D G No Pin



Vcc -D +D G Key Pin
* * * * * USB 5

* * * * X USB 6
Vcc -D +D G No Pin



Vcc -D +D G Key Pin
* * * * * USB 7

* * * * X USB 8
Vcc -D +D G No Pin

___________________________________________________
However, my PS-83BL manual shows the pin-out configuration like this below
which seems crazy to me:


-D G Vcc +D G
* * * * * USB 3 / 5 / 7

* * * * X USB 4 /6 / 8
Vcc +D Key -D Key


DFI even included an extra back plate with 2 ports and connector cable keyed
and wired to fit any of the top configurations (at either USB 3/4 or 5/6 or
7/8). It would smoke my USB devices if plugged in to a pin-out assignment
as shown in the DFI manual for my board. Since all their other manuals for
their other boards show what I've always believed to be the correct
assignments, my conclusion is that their manual is just plain wrong. Am I
reasonable in this assumption? I've written to their Tech Support ....
should be interesting if they even respond :-) Thanks!
 
Whereas On Sun, 05 Oct 2003 06:27:10 GMT, "Rick"
My new DFI PS-83BL P4 Springdale chipset motherboard has the usual pin-out
jumpers for attaching additional USB connectors from the front of my case,
etc.

I've normally seen these as two row setups with 5 pins on the top and 4 pins
below like I've tried to graphically depict here below (while looking down
at the board from above). Is the assignment of the pins pretty standard
just like I've shown below. This graphic came from the manual of a another
DFI motherboard which looks like what I think is correct (I think my
PS-83BL manual is wrong):

Vcc -D +D G Key Pin
* * * * * USB 3

* * * * X USB 4
Vcc -D +D G No Pin

___________________________________________________
However, my PS-83BL manual shows the pin-out configuration like this below
which seems crazy to me:


-D G Vcc +D G
* * * * * USB 3 / 5 / 7

* * * * X USB 4 /6 / 8
Vcc +D Key -D Key


DFI even included an extra back plate with 2 ports and connector cable keyed
and wired to fit any of the top configurations (at either USB 3/4 or 5/6 or
7/8). It would smoke my USB devices if plugged in to a pin-out assignment
as shown in the DFI manual for my board. Since all their other manuals for
their other boards show what I've always believed to be the correct
assignments, my conclusion is that their manual is just plain wrong. Am I
reasonable in this assumption? I've written to their Tech Support ....
should be interesting if they even respond :-) Thanks!
Click to expand...


I'd check to see what pins on the board go to where, namely power and
ground first, to determine if the are correct.
 
I think they are standard. The key on how to attach is the blank, ie, the
no pin hole slot. Some plugs are solid there so you can't put it in
backwards. Other's aren't keyed. I've plugged them in backwards by mistake
and all that happened was the port didn't work until I reversed them.

I just checked my manual for a A7V8X-X mobo, and pinouts are the same as
you posted.

Usually the plus wire is red and the ground wire is black. The plus wire
goes where you have labeled it Vcc, and the black goes where you have
labeled it G.

elf
 
So far, I have found two different mutually-incompatible
motherboard pin-layouts for USB external connectors.

The two layouts have different key-pin locations, so it is impossible
for the user to install the wrong external-connector assembly onto
the mismatched motherboard connector.

The first layout you show is an industry-standard layout. This
is the layout used by Abit.


The second layout is *completely* wrong. It is similar to the
second standard layout I've seen, but the locations of the
keypins are wrong and and G is missing on the lower row.
I would not trust the data source for this layout at all.


The following are details on how to switch the external connector's
header-pin arrangement from one layout to the other when you
have access to valid data for the motherboard header pin layout.

To change the layout, the first thing you have to check is whether
you have a modifiable plastic header block on the external
connector assembly.

Some header blocks have the key pin blocking-hole molded into
the plastic header block permanently. These are unsuitable for
manual changeover. You will either have to find another external
connector assembly or a replacement plastic header block that
can be exchanged for the one on your current external connector
assembly.

A Modifiable header block has a plastic blocking pin inserted
into the key-pin hole on the plastic header block. This can be
pushed out from the back using a straightened paper clip. Keep
the blocking pin, you will need to re-insert it into the proper
key-pin hole once you have changed the wiring connections to
the proper layout.


Move the wires into the proper layout as follows:

1. The layout of the VCC, Ground, Data1 and Data2 pins inside
the USB connector itself is standard.

2. Cut a standard USB cable and bare the 4 internal conductor
wires. Trace back the wires inside the cable down to the
connector using an ohm meter to verify which colour the
external cable uses for the Vcc, G, D1 and D2 lines.

3. Plug your USB test cable into the external connector and
trace the 4 wires from the external cable down to the wires
on the external cable's header connector. Please note there
is no enforcement of the standard for the colours. They
*may* vary from what's used inside USB cable.

4. If things match up as expected with the published layout in
the motherboard manual, plug in and you're set to go.

5. If the layout found in item 3 doesn't match your motherboard
layout, you can use an x-acto knife to *carefully* pry up the
locking-tabs on each of the pins in the plastic header-block
socket on the end of the external connector and remove the
wires with their associated gold sockets. Pry up about 1mm,
no more. The locking tab has to spring back down into its
original position once you remove the gold socket.

Note: Watch the orientation of the gold socket in the plastic
header block. The socket must go back in the *same*
way it came out. There is a hole on the side of the
socket that the tip of the locking-tab goes into when
you insert the socket into the header block. This must
match when you reinsert each socket.

6. Now reinstall the gold sockets in each hole of the plastic
header-block, making sure you've got the right socket in
the right hole in the header block. (Remember, you're
putting the stuff in the header-block from the back. The
layout will be reversed from what you see on the front.)

7. Verify your work with the ohm-meter again once you are
done reinstalling the sockets in the plastic header-block.

8. Reinstall the plastic locking pin into the keypin hole on the
plastic header block.


You've now modified your external USB connector assembly
to make it compatible with your particular motherboard.



Best I can do for now. <tm>


Bill
 
Whereas On Sun, 5 Oct 2003 10:28:37 -0400, "`Elf"
I think they are standard. The key on how to attach is the blank, ie, the
no pin hole slot. Some plugs are solid there so you can't put it in
backwards. Other's aren't keyed. I've plugged them in backwards by mistake
and all that happened was the port didn't work until I reversed them.

I just checked my manual for a A7V8X-X mobo, and pinouts are the same as
you posted.

Usually the plus wire is red and the ground wire is black. The plus wire
goes where you have labeled it Vcc, and the black goes where you have
labeled it G.

elf
Click to expand...

Thenk doesn't guarantee nothing will get smoked by an incorrect
connection.
 
Looks like I have to check the pin out voltage of the Vcc and G connectors
with my digital voltmeter before connecting a USB device, just to be safe.
If the the Vcc and G are what they typically are supposed to be, odds are
the -D and +D would be built correctly and thus the manual was a misprint
.... which is pretty obvious anyway considering all the other DFI motherboard
manuals I checked on their website show a standard pin-out configuration as
one might expect.
 
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