Bitcoin Forum

As from the post I made in hardware, here:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=37451.0

A friend and myself are looking at creating a remote, network controlled power switch, for those of us with clusters located in other places, like all of the way downstairs. So far it looks like it connects to a computer via USB, wires to up to 14 (!) computer power switches, and supports a keep alive on the computer it is wired to via USB in case it locks up, and will reboot that one as well. Price ranges so far looking like it could be around $50 USD (Or about the same BTC) + shipping from here in Canada. Other possible options include custom cases for it, like mine will likely be in a grey skull so I can make bad jokes about "by the power of greyskull!" We are working out details and software right now, let me know if people are interested. 3D printers are awesome. Send me a PM if you have interest :p

if it connects by USB, what if the computer locks ups? don't you need a responsive computer to hit the power or reset button?

The current plan is to have something (cron on linux, some little app on windows), and it sends a "keepalive" every 5 minutes or so: If the box does not get one in 20 minutes (Margin for error to miss one or two), then it power cycles the computer it is connected to (Wired to the power switch just like every other machine). We looked into building ones that had their own ethernet and mini-web site on them for a controller, but it drives up the price a reasonable bit. Odds are we could price out those as well if people were more interested.

Look into the ENC28J60, its a very cheap SPI interfaced ethernet controller, leave out the USB parts, add it and a magjack, should come out within a few dollars of your current costs.

I will buy one when they are up!