No Corsair Link intregration with RGB fans

So I watched the full review and all I can say is wow. I cannot believe the LEDs on the fans cannot be software controlled.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the 90's. We will now have cables running outside of our cases again.

 

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Corsair wanted to sell their controller so bad so they could squeeze every cents/dime out of their customers.

Well, you would have to have a controller for integration with Corsair Link to begin with. I would say that is still their plan, but yes it should have happened at launch.

Well, you would have to have a controller for integration with Corsair Link to begin with. I would say that is still their plan, but yes it should have happened at launch.

 

Not really, we did not need a controller. What we needed was a cable that connected the RGB hub to the Commander Mini the same way the Lighting node is connected. But instead they decided to go with a manual controller, they did not even include the optional cable to connect it to the Commander Mini which means there is a strong possibility that it cannot connect to it at all.

 

As a test I would like someone with a commander Mini connect one of these fans to is RGB connection and see what happens in terms of colour control.

As a test I would like someone with a commander Mini connect one of these fans to is RGB connection and see what happens in terms of colour control.

 

Looking at http://www.corsair.com/en/hd120-rgb-led-high-performance-120mm-pwm-fan I can see these are PWM fans, so there must be at least a 4-pin cable, but to connect them to a CL Mini the LEDS will need to be 12 volt common anode and there will need to be another 3 control wires.

 

How many wires does each HD120 RGB LED fan have?

One thing bothers me I read the manual and there is no off function for the LED lights. SO CAN YOU TURN OFF THE LIGHTS ON THE FANS(SD AND HD)? There are allot off instances where I wish to have my lights turned off except the monitor.

Not really, we did not need a controller. What we needed was a cable that connected the RGB hub to the Commander Mini the same way the Lighting node is connected. But instead they decided to go with a manual controller, they did not even include the optional cable to connect it to the Commander Mini which means there is a strong possibility that it cannot connect to it at all.

 

As a test I would like someone with a commander Mini connect one of these fans to is RGB connection and see what happens in terms of colour control.

 

The Commander Mini is a controller though. That's what I meant.

Looking at http://www.corsair.com/en/hd120-rgb-led-high-performance-120mm-pwm-fan I can see these are PWM fans, so there must be at least a 4-pin cable, but to connect them to a CL Mini the LEDS will need to be 12 volt common anode and there will need to be another 3 control wires.

 

How many wires does each HD120 RGB LED fan have?

The video in the original post shows the connector. It looks exactly like the connector the LED strips use that connects to the commander mini. A 4 pin connector with a LED strip.

 

 

One thing bothers me I read the manual and there is no off function for the LED lights. SO CAN YOU TURN OFF THE LIGHTS ON THE FANS(SD AND HD)? There are allot off instances where I wish to have my lights turned off except the monitor.

 

That is correct, you cannot turn off the lights on the fans. If they were software controlled then customers could set 0,0,0 to turn off the LED similar to the lighting node or the commander mini, or even the AIO coolers.

The video in the original post shows the connector. It looks exactly like the connector the LED strips use that connects to the commander mini. A 4 pin connector with a LED strip.

 

It looks like it should fit, so I have to wonder why Corsair don't specify these fan LEDs can be controlled by a CL Mini or Lighting Node.

 

Maybe they are either not common anode or not +12 volts.

 

Corsair should publish the specification, but as usual they have failed to do this.

 

Corsair what is the connection specification for the HD120 RGB fans?

Well I have a commander mini and got all excited about the release of the HD fans. It has all fell flat on its face if I cannot connect these fans to the commander mini and control them using the link software.

 

I really want RGB in my chassis, Corsair. You missed the boat with the RGB mouse mat - I ended up buying a a Razer instead (the only Razer product I have I hasten to say).

 

I hope you get this sorted soon - you have really good gear IMHO but sometimes you just get it woefully wrong.

I think Corsair needs to take a look at NZXT Aer RGB fans to learn how to release a proper software controlled RBG fans.

 

NZXT won in software controlling RGB with the full spectrum of colours.

They also won by releasing a 140mm fan along side the 120mm version, unlike Corsair only providing 120mm and who knows when the 140 RGB fans are coming.

Checking NZXT out now :D

Checking NZXT out now :D

 

I would really like to stick with Corsair but have to admit I might check these out as well. If only we could get some official clarification on things it would help me decide.

It looks like it should fit, so I have to wonder why Corsair don't specify these fan LEDs can be controlled by a CL Mini or Lighting Node.

 

As the LED's on de HD120 can be controlled somewhat independently (Hence the cool looking rotation effects) and the LED's on the Link lighting node are always all the same colour I suspect the HD set has some bus-communication protocol and cannot be powered with just a 4 pin RGB- power cable. :mad::

As the LED's on de HD120 can be controlled somewhat independently (Hence the cool looking rotation effects) and the LED's on the Link lighting node are always all the same colour I suspect the HD set has some bus-communication protocol and cannot be powered with just a 4 pin RGB- power cable. :mad::

 

Yes, see http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165029.

 

The world has changed and now there is the CORSAIR Lighting Node PRO

That looks good, but maybe not £50 good.

Then again.

Looking at a Lighting Node Pro...

 

The 50 pound (60 USD) package gets you a controller and four 10-LED strips. It takes a full 2-USB header to a single Mini USB port on the node. The node can handle up to four strips per port, or one HD 120 RGB fan hub per port. It does not come with the hubs.

 

The outer case for the device is a clip-together, so spudgers worked wonders and nothing small and plastic broke (yay). Looking inside becomes interesting...

 

It feeds off both 5v and 3v from the SATA power connector (Not 5 and 12 like many things do, or 5 alone like a lot of better stuff)

 

The little hole in the top of the package leads down into a button of all things.

 

The manual is mostly-uninformative. <.<

 

The "Adapter cable" for connecting to a fan hub carries only signal and ground, so the 5V is decoupled from the rail on the hub. This is fine.

 

It takes 3v because it's running off an NXP ARM CortexM0, which operates at 3.3v, so they have a logic level shifter on board. Downside is that most "quick" drive PSU adapters run the 12 and 5V lines and not the 3V line, so I can't bench test this without grabbing an old full PSU. I need to see about finishing up my bench tools and getting the thing into working shape so I have an excuse to grumble when random stuff is set on it. Then I'll be able to clean it up and use it to test interesting things like this. ^.^

 

Anyway, that's what I know so far. Don't know what it's capable of in conjunction with CL4 yet. Might be full-featured, might not. My Arduino solution could potentially have more interesting things it can do and it's less costly, but it's definitely DIY hack and "Know code" thing at this time.

Well, I feel like a real tool. I fell for the Corsair LEDs first. They're ok, so I kept them. I then bought a set of SD120's. Not bad, but I wanted more Wow{probably going to sell them). Decided to buy the HD120's. Even with all the software, none of these seems fit to 'talk to' the others. I'm disappointed by this. A lot. My Razer keyboard, mouse and mouse pad all work together-- don't send me hate mail, I don't care if you don't like Razer. Oh, and I do see the Corsair Commander Pro, which does look as if it would integrate my fans and LEDs, but I'll eat my own fingernails before I spend another penny on Corsair stuff. When you spend over $70 on three fans, you should get a controller with all the features you could ask for, IMHO.

Well, I feel like a real tool. I fell for the Corsair LEDs first. They're ok, so I kept them. I then bought a set of SD120's. Not bad, but I wanted more Wow{probably going to sell them). Decided to buy the HD120's. Even with all the software, none of these seems fit to 'talk to' the others. I'm disappointed by this. A lot. My Razer keyboard, mouse and mouse pad all work together-- don't send me hate mail, I don't care if you don't like Razer. Oh, and I do see the Corsair Commander Pro, which does look as if it would integrate my fans and LEDs, but I'll eat my own fingernails before I spend another penny on Corsair stuff. When you spend over $70 on three fans, you should get a controller with all the features you could ask for, IMHO.

 

I use a Razer keyboard and mouse myself; no hate mail here.

 

On the HD's ... I've never used the push button lighting controller but I get where you are coming from. It would be nice to see an option where the HD fans come with a Lighting Node Pro (NoPro) ... that's really what you'd need to do what you are asking to do. Unfortunately, they don't sell them standalone, only with strips. The HD fans were released before the NoPro hit the market, which I think is why that's the case.

 

The Commander Pro (CoPro) does everything that the NoPro does ... plus fan control, USB ports and temperature sensors.

Looking at a Lighting Node Pro...

 

The 50 pound (60 USD) package gets you a controller and four 10-LED strips. It takes a full 2-USB header to a single Mini USB port on the node. The node can handle up to four strips per port, or one HD 120 RGB fan hub per port. It does not come with the hubs.

 

The outer case for the device is a clip-together, so spudgers worked wonders and nothing small and plastic broke (yay). Looking inside becomes interesting...

 

It feeds off both 5v and 3v from the SATA power connector (Not 5 and 12 like many things do, or 5 alone like a lot of better stuff)

 

The little hole in the top of the package leads down into a button of all things.

 

The manual is mostly-uninformative. <.<

 

The "Adapter cable" for connecting to a fan hub carries only signal and ground, so the 5V is decoupled from the rail on the hub. This is fine.

 

It takes 3v because it's running off an NXP ARM CortexM0, which operates at 3.3v, so they have a logic level shifter on board. Downside is that most "quick" drive PSU adapters run the 12 and 5V lines and not the 3V line, so I can't bench test this without grabbing an old full PSU. I need to see about finishing up my bench tools and getting the thing into working shape so I have an excuse to grumble when random stuff is set on it. Then I'll be able to clean it up and use it to test interesting things like this. ^.^

 

Anyway, that's what I know so far. Don't know what it's capable of in conjunction with CL4 yet. Might be full-featured, might not. My Arduino solution could potentially have more interesting things it can do and it's less costly, but it's definitely DIY hack and "Know code" thing at this time.

 

Actually, I've gotten the NoPro to work without the 3.3V rail present. I use this when testing fans externally. Perhaps it's getting power from the USB port?

So I watched the full review and all I can say is wow. I cannot believe the LEDs on the fans cannot be software controlled.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the 90's. We will now have cables running outside of our cases again.

 

 

 

researching for over a week with this fan I manage to create and link them to my motherboard which is pretty solid and cool, I will upload a tutorial and demo how I link them to my motherboard, using asus aura sync.

researching for over a week with this fan I manage to create and link them to my motherboard which is pretty solid and cool, I will upload a tutorial and demo how I link them to my motherboard, using asus aura sync.

 

Get the digital signal and ground from the mobo to the hub pins and it works. Not very exciting, but it'll make colors.