Extend RM850i....or not...

Guys

 

Need some advice please re Link and a just-purchased RM850i.

 

The 850 works great with Link.... (last but one version...) and I want to connect an "old" Link kit I have - it has the seprate fan controller and RGB controler and 3.5" USB box.

 

Can I connect the Rm850i directly to the fan controller box? (and forget the RGB and 3.5" box).

 

It all says Link Digital... so I hope I can...

 

Thanks in advaice for your help.

 

David

"last but one version" how does this help? Quote a version number!

 

I suspect you are referring to a http://www.corsair.com/en-gb/corsair-link-cooling-kit and if so then no CL4 versions will report any device connected via this old commander.

 

Some 3rd party utilities might and I suspect mine might be able to also control the PSU fan.

Hi

 

Yes, CL4.... the current release of 4.8.0.82 nor its predecessor (which is what is on the website download page) did not detect all MB devices so went with 4.6.0.86, not that the specific version will matter I expect?

 

That is the kit - "Corsair Link Cooling Kit" - and I am not asking if the controller within that kit will work - I want to attach the fan controller to the RM850i as they both state "digital" - hence I am hoping they are compatible.

 

Thoughts?

I want to attach the fan controller to the RM850i as they both state "digital" - hence I am hoping they are compatible.

 

This will not work as the PSU is not a bridge.

This will not work as the PSU is not a bridge.

 

 

Ok - I understand.... what device can I buy that will act as a bridge?

 

I had assumed that as the PSU is a USB device in its own right it could control subordinate devices.

 

The whole Link product range seems so lacking in documentation.

 

 

David

The whole Link product range seems so lacking in documentation.

 

Yes, I know and I also feel the support provided by Corsair in this section of the forum is lacking.

 

It would be easier/possible to help you if you specified what issue you wish to address rather than proposing solutions. I also feel you should use http://forum.corsair.com/forums/profile.php?do=extra so you can easily know what your system is.

Thanks Ray - I will update the profile....:D:

Ray - is there any documentation as to the physical link-digital pinouts and protocol definitions on the interface anywhere?

 

As I see its a CoolIT product I would have expected someone to have disclosed/reverse engineered the interface and possibly protocol - as I dont expect it will be that complex (a simple logic analyser will show whats going on easily I expect). I guess the general interest in the product range is patchy given the lack of attention or focus Corsair seems to have given the products!

 

I trust from your comment re "bridge", they all work in a master/slave arrangement... or are they multi master on the "bridge"? Do you know what function the bridge performs? - I would of expected it to be more of a hub rather than a bridge as the protocls both sides "should" be the same?

 

I had hoped that the RM850i, connected via USB, would provide through its digital link a one port hub (effectivley) but as you say, no....

 

If I am to buy a Commander of some description, can I assume the link from the hub to the 850i is via the digital link and the PSU's own USB is removed?

 

Thanks for your time.

 

 

David

Ray - is there any documentation as to the physical link-digital pinouts and protocol definitions on the interface anywhere?

 

Again it would be easier/possible to help you if you specified what issue you wish to address.

 

To sensibly C-Link connect a PSU you would need a CLCC, but this has been replaced by the CLCP which does not have any C-Link ports, uses a different protocol, there is no thread that describes this this protocol, but I reverse engineered it and the registers are as below.

 

As for your questions how technical can I be?

 

• See http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=663107 for the Corsair Link protocol information

 

Hi Ray

 

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply.

 

So - even though the PSU I have is a current model, the Commander I need is the obsolete one?!?! - they really have a screwed product range if so!

 

If I "find" a CLCC, does the RM850i connect to the CLCC and the existing motherboard USB get disconnected or do both PSU and CLCC each connect to the motherboard USB independantly and then CL handles both USB devices?

 

In terms of "intention" - I was looking to see if I could develop my own controller, based on a PI or similar - hence wondering what the pin outs are and thus above that, the protocol on the wire. I guess that will be NDA unless someone has bothered to reverse engineer it.

 

Is the actual "link" physical interface (ie the physical link connectors) defined anywhere?

 

That link looks good - so big thank you for that, and sorry for not finding it!

 

I know its time to do this, but I like a challenge! - Plan B is ditch it all and build a PI solution from the ground up... or find a commercial temp/fan/management system to drop in - one that works and is available.

 

 

David

Corsair have been moving away from C-Link for some time and the sensible option for most would be to get a CLCP and USB connect the PSU + cooler to the 2 x USB headers it provides.

 

My AX1500i is connected via a CLCC and works, so should your RM850i.

 

I have seen a few CLCC on eBay from guys that I guess have updated to a CLCP, so you may find one there. What country are you in? I have 4 x CLCC that I use mainly to test SIV so need to keep them.

 

The C-Link bus is basically an I2C bus and that should be all you need to know. Thus far Corsair have never make specifications available to me even under NDA and I have had to reverse engineer things to add the CL support to SIV.

 

The CLCC is a HID device and you need to do overlapped IOs with a timeout of about 250ms otherwise once in a while your program will get stuck. Have you ever used overlapped IO before?

 

You should also interlock access using the Global\CorsairLinkReadWriteGuardMutex named mutex so multiple programs can report at the same time. Failing to do this typically causes issues such as in http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?p=911880.

 

I noted you have 48GB and an X58 system and I though the limit was 24GB. I guess that is a limit for Core i7 and Xeons support more. Am I correct, what is the upper limit for Xeons and do any Core i7s allow > 24GB (will my i7 980X?) please?

I did something similar, and got a NZXT internal USB hub and connected both my HX850i and H100i to it. Works fine. Also, had a big overhaul to my system in the profile, if you need any of it Ray, I'll send you logs.

if you need any of it Ray, I'll send you logs.

 

I can't even remember if I have SIV save files from your system, do I/what is it called? I find it interesting to see how different members configure their coolers and sometimes offer advise on a better setup so feel free to e-mail me or post new SIV save files to the SIV thread.

Hi

 

Yes, from the 4 x58 boards I have (ASUS and Gigabyte) they all support 8GB DIMMS so 48GB is possible, even though the boards spec says 24gb is the max.

 

I have hex core Xeons in them - but have read of others getting success with even a 920 where it states 24gb is the max - quite how that works I will never know - and as you know, Xeons all state they support way more RAM so never an issue at 48GB. I do believe your 980 will support more...sticking "i7 980 48gb ram" into Google finds many references that say it works...so I guess you will get a heap more life out of your 1366 board(s).

 

I guess 4GB DIMMS were the max around when the board was released thus its the max specified. I am just using Kingston Value RAM KVR1333D3N9/8G and their replacement KVR1333D3N9H/8G - not the fastest I guess but 100% rock solid for me - these run as Srv2012R2 hosts.

 

I am beside Edinburgh, so UK - and most of the CL devices I have seen are US...so far.

 

I am familiar with I2C - and likewise overlapped IOs - I have written code for a few home automation devices that are USB/HID so should be ok.

 

I am affraid I get sucked into trying to find out why a commercial product wont worl correctly - or why design directions have been taken - often with little concern for the poor punters who bought them.

 

I want software monitoring and control of fans in the above hosts - hence I want to slow things down and reduce power consumption and noise where I can.

 

I will set an alert on the bay for either of the controllers and see what appears in the next week or so.

 

Thanks for all your time and help.

 

David

Thank you for the X58 into. With hindsight I should have asked Google :o:. I mainly use my X58 to run the W10 RC3 builds, for this the 12GB it has is more then enough and suspect my next system will be a SKL-E Xeon with a lot of cores.

 

I am beside Edinburgh, so UK - and most of the CL devices I have seen are US...so far.

 

If you really want I2C then CLCCs do turn up in the UK and I recall there being one a couple of weeks ago in Bournemouth, but you may do better to get one of the new CLCPs. I have a couple one advantage is the fans can be stopped and they can also control WS2812B addressable 5050 RGB LEDs.

 

The CLCPs are also HID and in SIV I use the same I/O code as for CLCCs. The protocol is simpler, they have less firmware bugs, I had CLCP reporting + LED control working after and couple of days and full fan control a few days later.