Front panel audio header cable adapter/extender?

Reece · 11-27-09, 08:33 PM

It would be helpful if you could show a picture of the connector, is it a standard header with 1mm spacing, I assume the header is 2 rows of 5 with one blanked.

frau kaleun · 11-27-09, 08:53 PM

That sounds right, standard HD and/or AC'97 I guess. The one marked HD connects the front panel audio jacks to a motherboard pinout like the one here

and there's an identical connector that's split off to go to the same type of pinout on an audio card, but the cable on it isn't long enough to get there.

Arclight · 11-28-09, 03:43 AM

You could try contacting your case's manufacturer and see if you can arrange for a longer FP audio cable. Alternatively, you can modify a "USB 10-pin internal header extension cable", though it might be a bit finicky.

Reece · 11-28-09, 04:54 AM

The best way out would be to unsolder the wiring at the front panel sockets & extend them using heat shrink over the soldered wire joints, but I assume you don't have the soldering gear or the equipment and parts.

frau kaleun · 11-30-09, 01:22 PM

Just lengthening the cable from the front panel out won't help - the two connectors are placed less than two inches apart at the other end of it, so unless the sound card pinout is that close to the motherboard pinout I can only connect one of them at a time. My sound card is PCIe and the only PCIe slot on the motherboard is, you guessed it, as far away from the board's FP audio pinout as it possibly could be.

And you're right, I don't have the soldering gear anyway, lol. And I was really hoping to solve the issue by just extending the cable at the loose end since that would be the simplest and quickest solution *if* an extension option exists. I was setting up a brand new system (yay!) and I needed to get it up and running over the holiday weekend while I had the time to do the job and put back all the stuff I had to temporarily move/disconnect/etc. just to get the old machine out and the new one in. I really don't want to have to pull the new machine out and crack it open again and start pulling stuff out if I don't have to, especially for something that's not vital. It just bugs me to have a feature that *could* work but doesn't because of something as minor as a cable being a couple inches too short.

Now if I could move the first connector farther back on the cable, and lengthen the distance between it and the other one, it would help. There might be enough slack in the cable to do that and then see if it's something I can manage.

Is there a link on-line that someone can point me to about modifying the 10-pin USB cable? I'm not leery of trying it out as long as I have enough instructions to know what I'm doing.

I'll check out the manufacturer's site too and see if I can find any info there.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Arclight · 11-30-09, 02:09 PM

Wait, let me get this straight: you have a cable coming from the FP with 2 connectors at the end, and you want to connect both of them; 1 to the MB and 1 to the card.

I don't think that's possible. I think I have a similar cable, but 1 connector is for AC'97 and the other is for HD audio. As far as I know you either use one or the other.

Forgot the search term I used last time, but they said you could lift a plastic finger and then the pin would come out, for what it's worth.

Could you give the brand and model of the motherboard and the souncard?

Reece · 11-30-09, 08:03 PM

Problem with getting an extension cable is the wiring, although it maybe 1 for 1 some of them are shielded and you will induce noise, especially the mic in.

I have seen some bus extenders, not sure about PCIE, some are rigid some are flexible for mounting the card elsewhere in the box, that could be an option, though rather fiddly!!

Do you know any mates that are good with electronics?

11-27-09, 08:33 PM	#1
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,704 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	It would be helpful if you could show a picture of the connector, is it a standard header with 1mm spacing, I assume the header is 2 rows of 5 with one blanked. __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

11-28-09, 03:43 AM	#3
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	You could try contacting your case's manufacturer and see if you can arrange for a longer FP audio cable. Alternatively, you can modify a "USB 10-pin internal header extension cable", though it might be a bit finicky. __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

11-28-09, 04:54 AM	#4
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,704 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	The best way out would be to unsolder the wiring at the front panel sockets & extend them using heat shrink over the soldered wire joints, but I assume you don't have the soldering gear or the equipment and parts. __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

11-30-09, 02:09 PM	#6
Arclight Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Land of windmills, tulips, wooden shoes and cheese. Lots of cheese. Posts: 8,467 Downloads: 53 Uploads: 10	Wait, let me get this straight: you have a cable coming from the FP with 2 connectors at the end, and you want to connect both of them; 1 to the MB and 1 to the card. I don't think that's possible. I think I have a similar cable, but 1 connector is for AC'97 and the other is for HD audio. As far as I know you either use one or the other. Forgot the search term I used last time, but they said you could lift a plastic finger and then the pin would come out, for what it's worth. Could you give the brand and model of the motherboard and the souncard? __________________ Contritium praecedit superbia.

11-30-09, 08:03 PM	#7
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,704 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	Problem with getting an extension cable is the wiring, although it maybe 1 for 1 some of them are shielded and you will induce noise, especially the mic in. I have seen some bus extenders, not sure about PCIE, some are rigid some are flexible for mounting the card elsewhere in the box, that could be an option, though rather fiddly!! Do you know any mates that are good with electronics? __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

11-27-09, 08:53 PM	#2
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	That sounds right, standard HD and/or AC'97 I guess. The one marked HD connects the front panel audio jacks to a motherboard pinout like the one here and there's an identical connector that's split off to go to the same type of pinout on an audio card, but the cable on it isn't long enough to get there.

11-30-09, 01:22 PM	#5
frau kaleun Rear Admiral Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Skyri--oh who are we kidding, I'm probably at Lowe's. Again. Posts: 12,706 Downloads: 168 Uploads: 0	Just lengthening the cable from the front panel out won't help - the two connectors are placed less than two inches apart at the other end of it, so unless the sound card pinout is that close to the motherboard pinout I can only connect one of them at a time. My sound card is PCIe and the only PCIe slot on the motherboard is, you guessed it, as far away from the board's FP audio pinout as it possibly could be. And you're right, I don't have the soldering gear anyway, lol. And I was really hoping to solve the issue by just extending the cable at the loose end since that would be the simplest and quickest solution if an extension option exists. I was setting up a brand new system (yay!) and I needed to get it up and running over the holiday weekend while I had the time to do the job and put back all the stuff I had to temporarily move/disconnect/etc. just to get the old machine out and the new one in. I really don't want to have to pull the new machine out and crack it open again and start pulling stuff out if I don't have to, especially for something that's not vital. It just bugs me to have a feature that could work but doesn't because of something as minor as a cable being a couple inches too short. Now if I could move the first connector farther back on the cable, and lengthen the distance between it and the other one, it would help. There might be enough slack in the cable to do that and then see if it's something I can manage. Is there a link on-line that someone can point me to about modifying the 10-pin USB cable? I'm not leery of trying it out as long as I have enough instructions to know what I'm doing. I'll check out the manufacturer's site too and see if I can find any info there. Thanks for all the suggestions!