Dr. Power II is a relatively compact device measuring approximately 5 x 3 x 1 inches and weighing around 5 ounces.
The Dr. will support most 20- or 24-pin ATX power supplies and the voltages and other information are displayed on the LCD display measuring about 2 x 1.5 inches. In addition to high and low voltage diagnostics and alarms, this device can also detect an abnormal PG (Power-Good) signal. ATX power supplies provide a signal called the Power-Good signal to the motherboard (you can distinguish it by its gray color at the connector.) Its purpose is to tell the computer all is well with the power supply and that the computer can continue to operate normally. If the Power-Good signal is not present at startup, the CPU is held in reset state. If a Power-Good signal goes down during operation the CPU will shutdown. The Power-Good signal prevents the computer from attempting to operate on improper voltages and damaging itself. When a computer fails to start from a bad PSU, this is the most common issue.
The Dr. Power II has both visible and audio cues to abnormal operation, and operates is one of two modes, at the users discretion. We'll go over this feature in more detail later, but basically it allows for a manual or automatic test.
PRODUCT COMPOSITION
The retail box provides the potential customer with a peek at the display and also provides a relatively complete overview of what the gadget will do. Thermaltake protects the Dr. Power II with a 3-year warranty, and I've had good luck with them on the rare instance that I've had issues with their products.
The device comes out of the box in a plastic clamshell case and the shiny bits are further protected by extra plastic sheeting. The user guide is a glossy, single sheet affair with complete specifications and testing instructions, including a brief FAQ. There is no warranty card, but Thermaltake encourages the user to access their website for warranty stuff.
