Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: bigbuffs on July 30, 2012, 04:09:56 pm
-
So here is what I am trying to accomplish. I want my monitor to automatically turn on when I turn on my arcade cabinet. I have tapped into the power switch on the TV and wired up a separate power button that I can access externally but, I really just want it to turn on with the arcade. My arcade has a power saving power strip hooked up to it so it will turn on power to the other outlets once it senses that whatever is plugged into the master outlet is turned on.
This is where I need help. I thought maybe a relay could be used here but I'm really not sure. Basically the TV power button works like a momentary switch. There are 2 wires that when turn the tv on and also turn the tv off. I thought that i might be able to hook up a relay that would get powered when the arcade cabinet is turned on and it would allow a temporary connection of the 2 tv power wires to also turn that on. Does any one know if this can be done or how to do it?
I should say that I considered just wiring the TV power button to the arcade power button so they would just turn on and off together. The reason that I dont want to do this however is mostly because of the energy saving power strip. When I turn off the arcade the power strip will then turn off power to all other outlets thus shutting off the TV for me. Plus there is a delay from when you press the power button to when the computer actually shuts off so I want the monitor to stay on so that I can see the computer has powered off.
-
This is what I am using, works like a charm: Belkin Smart Power Strip (http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Conserve-Socket-Energy-Saving/dp/B003P2UMQ2)
Wire your PC to a button and plug it into the green "smart" plug. When you hit the power button on the PC it will turn on everything else. This does hinge on the fact that your TV will save it's on state and come back on without having to press its power button again. As I am typing this, I am starting to realize that is what you meant, and that you are trying to get around it not having to press the tv power button as well. Is that right? If you turn on your TV, unplug it, then plug it back in, does it come back on?
-
If you solder, and are frugal ...
I figured out how to make one for like $7 :
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,103905.msg1291152.html#msg1291152 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,103905.msg1291152.html#msg1291152)
-
A DPST pushbutton will allow you to power on the TV and computer at the same time.
Only down side is that when you press the button to power down, the monitor will shut off before you can visually confirm that the computer shuts down properly.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=118776.0;attach=184913;image)
Scott
-
This is what I am using, works like a charm: Belkin Smart Power Strip (http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Conserve-Socket-Energy-Saving/dp/B003P2UMQ2)
I am starting to realize that is what you meant, and that you are trying to get around it not having to press the tv power button as well. Is that right? If you turn on your TV, unplug it, then plug it back in, does it come back on?
Nope tv stays off and doesnt resume power so that is why i am trying to wire it up so it will turn on
-
how about if you hold down the power button and plug it in, will it turn on?
-
bigbuffs,
i just added a tv also that won't power back up when it gets power. can you try something? hold in the power button on the tv then plug it in. keep holding the button. unplug the tv. while still holding the button, plug it back in. does it come on?
mine did. a simple solder point later and now the tv powers on thru the smart strip
-
LOL, I just did this the other day.
If the TV "turns on" when the power button is "jammed" and you plug it in, you are in business. You can solder an on/off switch to the power button's 2 solder points.
Here are some pics of my most recent TV surgery :
http://postimage.org/gallery/2t2dqiac/ (http://postimage.org/gallery/2t2dqiac/)
When the on/off switch is "on", the button acts jammed. When it is "off", the TV acts normally.
-----------
If the TV does not "turn on" when the power button is "jammed" and you plug it in, you need to have 2 power buttons. Some TV's simply can't work for a "one button power solution".
-----------
I've used some LCD monitors that turn on automatically when AC power is present. This saves a step :)
-
i had to throw a toggle switch onto a 42" LCD...when the switch is on, the tv comes on with the power, but it also locks out the rest of the buttons (which is okay to keep from people changing the inputs and whatnot.) but i can still turn it off and do my adjustments.
-
I use these relays a lot on building systems like fire alarm and access control:
http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062 (http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062)
you can use a 12volt plug in transformer from your smart strip and hit the trigger on this relay. the relay can be configured to just activate for a certain amount of seconds so the relay contact would hit the tv power up and then the relay would shut back off.
-
Well the TV doesnt turn on when i plug it in and hold the power button. Im not sure if everyone is understanding what i am trying to do. I have already tapped into the existing power switch and added another switch to it. So i can manually turn the TV on and off with the switch i wired up, but what i really want to do is make it so i dont have to press a switch manually. I am just looking for a way to wire something up so that when the computer is turned on it will turn the TV on also.
-
You could have a momentary switch running from the front of the cab to the computer, to power on the computer and hacked power strip (like powered speakers and lights all come on). Then another momentary button right next to it that turns on the TV (the button wired to the TV's power button's solder points)
It's a 2 button affair, but that's not too bad. At least it's all outside of the cab and not hard to reach.
--------
I wonder if a single momentary button can do double duty ?
For example, one button on the front of the cab wired right to the TV's PCB. But it's also wired to the computer's mainboard. So one button press turns on the TV and the PC, the PC being on activates the hacked power strip which turns on the speakers and lights.
Hey that might work :)
-
I use these relays a lot on building systems like fire alarm and access control:
http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062 (http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062)
you can use a 12volt plug in transformer from your smart strip and hit the trigger on this relay. the relay can be configured to just activate for a certain amount of seconds so the relay contact would hit the tv power up and then the relay would shut back off.
I think this might be exactly what i am looking for
-
I wonder if a single momentary button can do double duty ?
For example, one button on the front of the cab wired right to the TV's PCB. But it's also wired to the computer's mainboard. So one button press turns on the TV and the PC, the PC being on activates the hacked power strip which turns on the speakers and lights.
Hey that might work :)
This was actually my origional plan once i found out my TV wouldnt turn on. The problem with this though is that when you power off the pc via the button the tv will turn off right away but the pc will delay in shutting down and i want the tv to stay on until the pc has powered off completely
-
I use these relays a lot on building systems like fire alarm and access control:
http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062 (http://www.altronix.com/products/product.php?name=6062)
you can use a 12volt plug in transformer from your smart strip and hit the trigger on this relay. the relay can be configured to just activate for a certain amount of seconds so the relay contact would hit the tv power up and then the relay would shut back off.
I think this might be exactly what i am looking for
Yeah that should work for you. you may need to be creative with it. that relay can be set up to so the timer kicks in once the trigger is hit or after. worst case scenerio, you may need to use 2 of them or one and another relay in order to work it out.
-
Post back when you work it out, the current TV I have for my project has the same issue and I'm eager to see different approaches to solving it.
-
Assuming that the monitor comes on and stays on when you press and hold the power button, you can wire a 12v delay relay to the computer power supply 12v that will "press" the power button for as long as the computer is on.
If you plug the monitor into one of the slave outlets of the smart strip and use a delay relay, the power strip will apply power to the monitor outlet as soon as the computer turns on and the delay relay will press the power button after the programmed delay.
The monitor will stay on until the computer powers down which causes the smart strip to remove power from the slave outlets.
Rablack97 used a time delay relay to power on his monitor in this thread (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,119435.msg1284622.html#msg1284622).
If you use the relay and base that rablack97 used, wire it like this.
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=121741.0;attach=226014;image)
Scott