Smart Monitoring PC Hardware Launched By NVIDIA

MojoKid writes "NVIDIA has just introduced a new open-industry standard for real-time monitoring and control of PC power supplies, chassis, and water cooling systems. Dubbed ESA, which stands for Enthusiast System Architecture, the company hopes the standard will be adopted across the industry. A new wave of ESA compliant hardware that can be monitored and controlled via a standard interface could ensue, like smart health-monitoring power supplies and other components, that would increase system stability and reliability. 'The ESA standard is built around the USB HID (Human Interface Device) specification and has been submitted to the USB-if HID subcommittee for discussion and approval. ESA is essentially a hardware and software interface that takes data collected by analog sensors and converts it to digital information that can accessed via software. Below are a handful of slides taken from an NVIDIA-produced presentation on ESA.'"

Isn't this what SMBUS / I2C is for?

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't this what SMBUS / I2C is for?

I've wanted something like this for a long time

[MonorailCat]

I currently have to use several programs and a manual fan controller to for half the capability this system offers. To read temps I have to use different programs for motherboard, case, and GPU, and several fans aren't even controllable, in hardware or software. I have little understanding of the temperature distribution in my case. Getting all this information and more into one integrated hardware/software package is a feature I'd gladly pay more for.

USB port usage...

[Ptur]

So you'll need a usb port for each item that you want to monitor (PSU, case, cooling,...).
Apart from usb port shortage, this also means more wires inside the case will be restricting the airflow.

Is it interactive?

[ircmaxell]

This would be cool if it allowed real time interactivity with the devices rather than just monitoring. Think about it, being able to monitor and control devices remotely... It can be done now, but it's highly device dependant... With an open protocol, lmsensors would become much easier to install...

If it works....god bless em

[Danathar]

All I can say is getting LINUX to recognize sensors on various motherboards is a pain in the Ass. Any standardization in this area would be great.

Ummm....SMB?

[Mateorabi]

Isn't this what the System Management Bus (SMBus) is for? SMB also has the advantage of not requiring hubs to provide multiple ports since its a true multi-slave two wire bus. (Multi master, too.) Why not just provide a breakout connector on the motherboard to chain more devices? It is 100-400kbps but most of the peripherals don't need to report more than a few bits per second of diagnostic info anyway.

Re:Why not just link to nvidia's page?

[Anonymous Coward]

...and when someone does link to the original source document for something like this, people say that the editors are just shilling for the manufacturer. Seriously, they can't win. Say what you will about the quality of a particular article (which, from what I can tell, is poor), but it's very acceptable to link to a new article which reports the contents of a different site, so as to give analysis, compilation of additional primary sources, etc.

Why not SNMP?

[smackenzie]

Why don't they fold more video monitors (and enthusiast monitors like water temperature of water coolers) into SNMP or SNMP2? (Or have they already?) Why do we need another standard?

SNMP is an industry standard, well-supported, flexible with multiple attractive interfaces... pretty sure it can be realtime and has the added bonuses of being networkable by default.

Re:On the other side of the world....

[tcolberg]

And yet on the otherside of the world, the administration's wide definition of wiretapping means that the "components inside your computer monitor YOU" TOO!

Re:USB port usage...

[LWATCDR]

The problem with SPI for this application is that you need a CS line per device. That could be a lot of lines and or wires. Length of run shouldn't be a problem for the sensors in a PC case. The limit is depends on the clock speed but you can easily get a few meters. So with a 6 to 12 foot limit one has to wonder just how big your case is!
Motherboards already use the SMBus to monitor temps and fans. So why go with USB?