Connect Front Panel Audio, IEEE 1394 FireWire And USB2.0

As usual, while working inside the computer, the computer should be turned off, the power switch on the back of the computer on the power supply should be in the off position, and everything that connects to the back of the computer should be disconnected.

Unlike the Antec KS-282 computer case I'm using with my EPoX 8RDA+ motherboard, the Antec Sonata computer I'm using with my MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard comes with front panel ports. The Antec Sonata case provides front ports for audio, IEEE 1394 Firewire and a pair of USB 2.0 ports. It's very handy to have these ports on the front of the computer like this, such as for using headphones or plugging in USB devices like digital cameras. To hook them up, there are connectors on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard for all of them.

The front panel ports on the Antec Sonata case are secreted away underneath the small, chrome finished roll-top cover on the front of the computer case. The cover is shown circled in yellow in the first picture.

Case with "secret" cover closed	Case with "secret" cover open

Hre's a close-up of the ports. The pair of USB 2.0 ports are underlined in blue, the firewire IEEE1394 port is underlined in yellow, the microphone audio port is underlined in red, and the headphone (sound) audio port is underlined in green.

Inside the Antec Sonata case are these three cable bundles of connectors for the front panel ports. As you can see, each connector is plainly labeled as to which port it connects, namely "Audio", "1394" and "USB". Notice how all three connectors - audio, IEEE 1394 and USB - each have one socket for one pin blocked with gray filler. The filled pin keys the connector to the corresponding header on the motherboard so the connector can only be connected one way. The audio connector in the first picture provides the ability to connect in two different ways, using either the 10-pin connector or using the individual pins. Many motherboards, like the MSI K8N Neo Platinum, support the Intel standard for the audio connector so the 10-pin audio connector can be used. But for those motherboards that don't, the audio pin connectors are also available individually.

Audio Connector for Microphone and Headphone	IEEE 1394 Firewire Connector	USB Connector

Connect The Front Panel Audio - Microphone And Sound/Headphone

No settings are needed in the BIOS for the front panel microphone and headphone (speaker) ports to be recognized.

The motherboard header for the front panel microphone and sound are located on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard as shown circled in green.

As shown in this closeup, the audio motherboard header contains two jumpers that must be removed. When these jumpers are in place, audio is directed to the audio ports on the back panel. Plus it's impossible to connect the connector with the jumpers in place. The motherboard audio header consists of a total of 10 pins, arranged in pairs, with two pairs each covered by a greenish jumper. Notice how a pin is missing on the pair of pins between the two jumpers. This missing pin corresponds to the filled in pin in the audio connector, to key the connection so it can only be made one way.

Remove the jumpers. They won't be needed from here on out, but you probably want to keep them with any other motherboard parts you aren't using so they don't get lost.

Here is the audio connector connected to the audio header. A nice thing about this connection is that the front speaker connection automatically overrides the rear speaker connection when the headphone plug is inserted into the sound socket. This means you can have speakers connected to the back, and headphones connected to the front. If you want to use the speakers then just unplug the headphones.

It's easy to test the microphone connection if you have a microphone. I used Plantronics Audio 90 headphones that include a microphone.

To test the microphone, click on Start -> Control Panel -> Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices.

Click on "Sounds and Audio Devices".	Click on the "Voice" tab.	Click on "Test hardware...".
The Sound Hardware Test Wizard starts. Click the "Next" button.	The wizard detects your audio.	First is the microphone test. A green bar should appear when you speak into it. Click the "Next" button when satisfied.
The next test adds the speakers. Both green bars should appear while you speak. Click the "Next" button when satisfied.	The tests are done. Click on the "Finish" button.

Connect The IEEE 1394 Firewire

For the connection to work, the feature needs to be enabled in the BIOS as shown on my MSI K8N Neo Platinum BIOS Settings page under the Integrated Peripherals sub-menu (look under "Onboard Device" for the setting "VIA OnBoard 1394").

The motherboard header for the front panel IEEE 1394 Firewire connector is located on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard as shown circled in yellow. If you click on the picture to see it enlarged, it's clear to see that there are actually two IEEE 1394 headers on the motherboard right next to each other.

Here is a close-up of the IEEE 1394 Firewire motherboard header. Notice that one corner pin on each IEEE 1394 Firewire motherboard header is missing, corresponding to the filled in pin in the firewire connector, to key the connection so it can only be made one way. It doesn't matter which IEEE 1394 motherboard header is used for the connector to the front panel. The other IEEE 1394 motherboard header will remain unused.

Here is the IEEE 1394 firewire connector connected into the motherboard header. Now be careful to plug in the IEEE 1394 firewire connector into the motherboard firewire header, and not the USB connector into the motherboard firewire header. The two connectors are keyed the same way and have the same number of pins in the same configuration, so it's possible to do and I've done it twice.

You can test this connection using a firewire device. I use an external hard drive enclosure which contains a standard IDE hard drive. The enclosure includes both IEEE 1394 firewire and USB 2.0 connections, so it's handy for testing as well as giving me an external hard drive that I can use with different computers. The product shown below is the enclosure and does not come with the IDE hard drive. Also, just so you know, it does not support the maximum USB 2.0 data speed. I discuss the different USB 2.0 data speeds in the next section.

Connect The USB 2.0

For the connection to work, the feature needs to be enabled in the BIOS as shown on my MSI K8N Neo Platinum BIOS Settings page under the Integrated Peripherals sub-menu (look under "Onboard Device" for the setting "OnChip USB").

The motherboard header for the front panel USB 2.0 connector is located on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard as shown circled in blue. If you click on the picture to see it enlarged, it's clear to see that there are actually two USB 2.0 headers on the motherboard right next to each other.

Here is a close-up of the USB motherboard header. Notice that one pin on each USB motherboard header is missing, corresponding to the filled in pin in the USB connector, to key the connection so it can only be made one way. It doesn't matter which USB motherboard header is used for the connector to the front panel. The other USB 2.0 motherboard connector can be used with the D-Bracket that comes with the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard to provide two additional rear panel USB 2.0 ports. If this is done then this will make a total of four rear panel USB 2.0 ports since there are already two USB 2.0 ports included in the rear I/O (input/output) panel.

Something seems odd about the USB connection between the case to the motherboard. Here's a closer look at the USB connector, looking at it from the back side. You see how one pin is blocked out with gray filler to key the connector. There is no wire on this blocked out pin. However, there is a wire on the pin next to it, namely the brown wire (the left-most wire looking at the picture).

This single USB connector supports two USB ports. The USB connector has 10-pins. There are 5 pins for each port. The pins are in two rows of five pins each like this on the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard (not all motherboards have the pins in the same configuration):

PIN	SIGNAL		PIN	SIGNAL
1	VCC		2	VCC
3	USB0-		4	USB1-
5	USB0+		6	USB1+
7	GND		8	GND
9	Key		10	USBOC

The USBOC stands for USB Open Connection. Since pin 10 is designated as an open connection, there should be no connection for that pin, not even ground. Yet the USB connector provided by the computer case has a wire for it and the USB motherboard header has a pin for it. When I connected this connector with the wire in place, the front panel USB ports did not work. Even worse, additional problems can be introduced, such as the PC will hang (freeze or lock-up, or not boot). What's the solution? I'll tell you how I fixed it, but it's not a solution I recommend and it's not a solution that I suggest you do yourself. I simply cut the wire. Here is how mine looks after I cut the wire with scissors.

If, before cutting anything, you make your USB connections and they don't work then it might be because of pin 10. But it also might be for lots of other reasons. Don't go willy-nilly cutting wires in your computer unless you're an expert and know what you're doing. Bear in mind I'm using the Antec Sonata case and the MSI K8N Neo Platinum motherboard. I can't speak for how common this problem is with other hardware. In addition, later revisions of my own hardware may not be affected the same way by cutting this wire.

If, before cutting anything, you make your USB connections and they don't work then this is something to keep in mind. One suggestion I can make is that you contact the technical support for the computer case and motherboard for solutions to the non-working USB connections. Their technical support should be aware of the other reasons that the USB front panel ports are not working and can make sure these possibilities are considered. If changes are ultimately needed to the hardware then they should provide an official repair procedure or kit. Another suggestion I can make is to have a professional PC repair shop look at the problem.

Antec provides this page showing how to reconfigure the USB connector pins without cutting any wires. The Antec Sonata FAQ page includes a question regarding the USB pin-outs, with one recommendation being to clip the wire when the configuration is such as mine.

Here is the USB connector connected into the motherboard header.

There are actually three modes in USB 2.0. A USB 2.0 device need not support all three modes. The three modes are different maximum speeds. The three modes are Low Speed which is a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps, Full Speed which is a maximum speed of 12 Mbps, and High Speed (Hi-Speed) which is a maximum speed of 480 Mbps. Mbps is Megabits per second.

By the way, Firewire has a maximum speed of 400 Mbps. USB 1.1 supports two modes, Low Speed with a maximum speed of 1.5 Mbps and Full Speed with a maximum speed of 12 Mbps. USB 2.0 devices and ports can be mixed-and-matched with USB 1.1 devices and ports. The device will work at whichever speed is slower, the device or the port.

So the dirty-little-secret about USB 2.0 devices is not all of them support speeds any faster than USB 1.1. If the USB 2.0 device states it is a High Speed device or sports the USB 2.0 Hi-Speed logo (which states "Hi-Speed" on it) then it supports the maximum speed of 480 Mbps. Otherwise, it probably does not support the highest speed mode and probably supports a maximum speed of Full Speed at 12 Mbps.

You can test this connection using a USB device. As with the IEEE 1394 Firewire port, I use the external hard drive enclosure which contains a standard IDE hard drive since the enclosure also supports a USB 2.0 connection.

Since the hard drive enclosure I have does support USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, the fastest data transfer mode, I tested the port again with this San Disk USB Flash Drive (Thumbdrive) which does support USB 2.0 Hi-Speed.

Here's a close-up of the usb flash drive itself. It plugs directly into the USB port. It's recognized as a mass media device and behaves like a hard drive.

You can tell by the transfer rate whether or not the USB 2.0 device is using the Hi-Speed mode or not. If the USB port is using the fastest, Hi-Speed mode then it only takes a few seconds to transfer a 30MB (megabyte) file. If the USB port is using Full Speed mode then the same 30MB file takes about 30 seconds, or roughly 1MB per second.

How Can I Tell If My Computer Supports Hi-Speed USB 2.0?

You can tell if your computer supports Hi-Speed USB 2.0 mode or not by looking at the Device Manager. Under the Device Manager, expand the entry for Universal Serial Bus Controllers, probably at the bottom. The image on the left below shows how this entry might look on a computer that does not support Hi-Speed USB 2.0 mode. The image on the right shows how this entry might look on a computer that does support Hi-Speed USB 2.0 mode. The entry on the right includes a sub-entry named "Standard Enhanced PCI to USB Host Controller". If this sub-entry is there then the computer supports Hi-Speed USB 2.0 mode.

This computer does not support Hi-Speed USB 2.0.			This one does.

Next: Computer Assembly - Install Rear Panel Ports For Firewire and USB 2.0

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How To Build A Computer. Step By Step Instructions To Assemble. Skip To Any Assembly Step.

	Parts List [go]
	Tools [go]
	Antistatic Wrist Strap [go]
	Computer Case and Power Supply [go]
	Motherboard [go]
	Processor, CPU Cooler and Thermal Compound [go]
	RAM - System Memory [go]
	Video Card [go]
	Monitor [go]
	Keyboard and Mouse [go]
	Floppy Drive [go]
	Hard Drive [go]
	CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD RW [go]
	Sound Card and Speakers [go]
	Modem [go]
	Install the Processor onto the Motherboard [go]
	Install the CPU Cooler [go]
	Install the RAM - System Memory [go]
	Install the Motherboard into the Computer Case [go]
	Install the Video Card [go]
	Connect the Power Supply to the Motherboard [20-pin Connector  or  24-pin Connector]
	Connect the PN1 and PN2 Indicators to the Motherboard [KS-282 to EPoX 8RDA+  or  Sonata to MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Ready the Monitor [go]
	Ready the Keyboard and Mouse [go]
	First Boot [go]
	First Boot Common Problems [go]
	Install the CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD RW Drives [go]
	Install the Hard Drive and Floppy Drive [PATA Hard Drive  or  SATA Hard Drive]
	Connect the Speakers (if using built-in sound) [go]
	Second Boot [PATA  or  SATA]
	Configure the BIOS Parameter Settings [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Test The Hard Drive [PATA  or  SATA]
	Install a Second SATA Hard Drive For RAID (optional) [go]
	Install the Operating System - Windows XP [on PATA hard drive  or  on SATA hard drive]
	Driver Installation [go]
	How To Copy Big Files From Another Computer Using Just a Floppy Drive [go]
	Install the Modem [go]
	Install the Motherboard Chipset Drivers [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Install the Monitor Driver [go]
	Install the Video Card Drivers [EPoX 8RDA+  or  MSI K8N Neo Platinum]
	Install the Sound Card and Speakers [go]
	Install System Information Utility - EVEREST [go]
	Diagnostic Test - DirectX [go]
	Speed Test - System Memory (RAM) Performance [go]
	Speed Test - Hard Drive Performance [PATA and SATA results]
	Speed Test - CD Performance [go]
	Speed Test - Total System Performance [go]
	Stress/Torture Tests [go]
	Connect Front Panel Ports For Audio, Firewire and USB 2.0 [go]
	Install Rear Panel Ports For Firewire And USB 2.0 [go]
	Install The Computer Case Fans [go]
	Post Assembly Needs [go]
	Graduation [go]
	Video Card Driver Settings [go]
	BIOS Flash Update [go]
	BIOS Settings [go]

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