Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: Boingo on November 16, 2009, 01:40:40 pm

Title: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: Boingo on November 16, 2009, 01:40:40 pm

I am currently building a set of minicabs to give away at Christmas.  For these cabs I am using small television sets as monitors.

Is it possible to rig the switch on a TV so that it will stay on permanently?

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: Rickn on November 16, 2009, 04:50:14 pm

Depends on the TV, more often than not.... yes.

Some TV's have settings using the remote control "last memory" setting may set it to the last input and power. other times you need to find the main power relay and the relay driver transistor.

Sometimes you have to ground the base, sometimes tie it high to force the relay on.

Good Luck

Rick

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: MonMotha on November 16, 2009, 05:55:58 pm

If the TV has a momentary power button for the front panel, you can sometimes stick a capacitor across it to make the TV think the power button is pushed right when power is applied.  Usually takes some experimentation with the value of the cap as the pull-up strength on the button will vary, and it won't work on TVs that matrix their panel buttons.

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: gatordad on November 17, 2009, 04:12:53 pm

Toothpicks in the switch. :)
low tech but effective

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: Kevin Mullins on November 17, 2009, 04:27:46 pm

Doesn't work on ALL tv's though.

Quick way to tell is to plug your tv in, push the power button and HOLD it in, unplug the tv and then plug it back in while holding the button the whole time.
If the tv does NOT come back on then the toothpick trick will not work, you will have to try a capacitor or relay mod.

There is no ONE best solution for every TV, as it directly depends on the particular tv what method you use.
So experimenting with the power button, plugging and unplugging and checking for any OSD type settings is needed before deciding on a solution.

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: DJ_Izumi on November 17, 2009, 06:08:52 pm

Wouldn't it be easier and simpler to right he PC in the cab with an IR Blaster and just have it send out the power on code for your TV as part of it's startup sequence?  I mean, maybe it won't turn on till you get to the operating system but that shouldn't be a big deal.

Title: Re: Can you rig a TV to stay on?
Post by: Boingo on November 17, 2009, 09:27:01 pm

So far, so good.

Keeping the on off button depressed indeed appears to make one of the TVs turn on automatically when unplugged then plugged back in.

If this works for all of them, then I will really be in business.