USB expansion card..... with internal 2x5 header?

I recently purchased an internal media card reader. In hindsight, I probably should have picked up one of the external units that double as a card reader and a hub, but I thought that an internal would help me keep the clutter off my desk......

So anyway, I get it home and find out that most internal card readers connect via a 2x5 header, which most people have on their motherboard (so most people don't have an issue installing these).

Well, I have an older Dell mobo, so it does *not* have the 2x5 header/pinout.

I have found a couple of USB cards that will work, but I've found that they're incredibly hard to search for.

Most of the time when a PCI card says "4+2 USB 2.0" (for example), both the external and internal USB ports are of the USB "A" variety.

It seems like you have to search for the card itself, first, and then hope it has a good, high-quality picture so you can identify whether it has the 2x5 header pins the old fashioned way...... with your eyes..... because rarely is it ever mentioned in the product description (which eliminates being able to find it in an actual text search).

So here's what I'm looking for:

USB 2.0 PCI expansion card, with:

• anywhere between 2 and infinity external USB ("A") ports
• anywhere between 0 and infinity internal USB ("A") ports
• at least one 2x5 internal header/pinout

​

Does anyone here have any recommendations?

 

I know this doesn't solve your problem the way you want it solved, but can't you just return the internal reader, and buy an external reader? Even if you can't return it, I'm sure that you can find a friend who needs it. Donate it to them and buy an external. They're less than $25 at just about any PC shop. They're even less on line.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820609205 < < < Here's a prime example. I have used this exact same reader and never had any trouble. It's really inexpensive at NewEgg; even after shipping it's only about $13.00... In a PC store it would retail for about $15.00 There are higher quality readers, but even the higher end units are really VERY affordable; almost all of 'em are less than $30 on line (search NewEgg for external media reader)
Alternatively, if you're handy with wires, a soldering iron, reading basic schematics, and using heat-shrink tubing, you can use a USB printer cable and attack it with some scissors and a wire stripper. Check a standard USB cable's pinout (available on line with some simple Googling), then splice in the wires from the internal reader. Attack it again with the soldering iron and cover the solder joints with heat-shrink tubing, and you're golden.

 

Not sure why I can't edit my original post to add this info, but this is what I'm talking about that I need on the internal side of the card:

http://pinouts.ru/Motherboard/usb_internal_pinout.shtml

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/90
(the 2nd and 3rd pics here show what I'm talking about)



Here are a few cards that I've found with the internal headers/pinouts:

$25....http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3264905&CatId=511 ($31 after s&h)

$17....http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124002 ($23 after s&h)

$n/a..... http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16815201206 (deactivated/discontinued)

$38..... http://www.pcpartscollection.com/3pousb203usb.html (currently out-of-stock)

$04......http://iwin2win.stores.yahoo.net/32wusb20pcic.html

$06.... http://www.outletpc.com/c5510.html

<just found these last two this morning>


ETA: Thanks, dlb. If I can't score the $4 or $6 card for less than $10 (after shipping), I'll probably just bite the bullet and do that. Before this darned internal reader becomes my white whale......

 

I've used theses cables in situations like yours
http://www.frontx.com/cpx508.html
It goes from a USB plug to the pins.

More @
http://www.frontx.com/store/order_a.html

Fine products there!

 

Nice work Foogoo! That's the same thing I was talking about, but I didn't know where to buy a pre-made one. I was suggesting that the OP build his own, but your solution is much cleaner

 

Thanks for all the help, guys.

Picked up the $6 expansion card from OutletPC (as well as a few other assorted odds and ends).