Need help - how to turn flatscreen TV on without remote?

[flatuswalrus]

Hello, firstly I apologize if this has already come up somewhere but I can't find any information or think of a way to do this so thought I would ask.

I have a 26" LED LCD TEAC TV LEDV26U83HDR, and here is my arcade cabinet: http://nintendoagemedia.com/users/3724/photobucket/68A021A0-B53B-927A-83CE9E28574D2F5F.png

To turn the TV on there is a power switch at the back which is no problem as that can always be left on, but then you have to press the power button on the remote control or on the television panel (front bottom left corner). Problem is this is hidden behind the wood bezel on the front of the cabinet. I can do this by opening up the cab at the rear and pulling the TV back enough to slide my hand in there, but that is a pain in the butt and no one would want to do that every time. I don't have the skills to pull apart the TV and do any modification work so has anyone ever done anything to work around this?

I know the simple answer would be to not have a thick wood bezel around the TV, but that's the way the cab came. It's a perfect fit and looks great but unfortunately this problem is a result of that. I was thinking of using a Smart Power Strip, but when power would be reintroduced to the TV via the PC being turned on I think it would still require the front to be turned on with the remote or front television panel.

Any ideas? Maybe there is a simple solution but if there is one I do not know about it.

[Sjaak]

Most modern tv's have a hotel mode /service mode which allows you to change some settings. Stuff like max volume, default input source and sometimes switch on when connected to power.

Try if this works (very old information!)

Enable Hotel mode
This can be set by Hotel Technician to customise mode as requires.
1. While the TV was on, press "Menu, 5, 3, 7, 0" one by one
2. The toggle down and highlight “HOTEL LOCK” to then
3. Toggle right to enter “Hotel Mode”

[degenatrons]

I've had success on several TV's by jamming the power button down.  Push the button in (on your TV panel) and then use a wedge or small screw to keep it down. 

[flatuswalrus]

Most modern tv's have a hotel mode /service mode which allows you to change some settings.

Have never even heard of this mode before, interesting. I guess it would just be a matter of finding that particular code for my TV (if it has one). I cannot find it for my particular TV on the net and the other ones for the other TEAC TV's unfortunately do not work. I will ring TEAC tomorrow and see if I get anywhere, but I doubt I would as it doesn't seem like something they would give out generally, especially if the TV was not purchased brand new. Other than that I guess I might have to do something a little more rough like jam the power button in, but would rather not do that unless I have exhausted all other avenues. Thanks for those few suggestions and I will get back if I have any success.

[05SRT4]

I went to the site you provided and read through the manual but didn't see any other options.

The only option I see since your uncomfortable extending the power button on the TV is maybe buying and hacking a cheap universal remote. Then you can put a button outside the cab and just extend the 2 wires to the remote. I have a cheap universal at home that I am not using I can try it on that and see if it works on my Vizio.

If that still seems out of your skill range then I'm not sure what else to do but have the remote handy at all times.

[flatuswalrus]

The only option I see since your uncomfortable extending the power button on the TV is maybe buying and hacking a cheap universal remote. Then you can put a button outside the cab and just extend the 2 wires to the remote.

Yeah I have never opened up a telly before and played around with anything like that. I am sure I could do it if I had good instructions on how to do so but would rather not if I didn't have to. Although I know in the end I may have to "do something" as there is no super easy way to go about it or I would have done it already.

I have a cheap universal at home that I am not using I can try it on that and see if it works on my Vizio.

I wouldn't want you to spend your time doing that just for my benefit as I would rather try other things first before I had to play with wires. It sucks having no experience with any of this, but everything we do at once stage was done for a first time.

If that still seems out of your skill range then I'm not sure what else to do but have the remote handy at all times.

If it were only a matter of using the remote it would be fine but like I said I have to open the back of the cabinet and pull the TV back from it's mount to aim down through the glass on the front of the TV to get to the remote's signal receiver on the front of the TV which is behind a good centimeter and a half of wood.

I am going to call TEAC tomorrow and see how I go, I really appreciate the ideas and replies, thanks.

[churkus]

I may be reading the OP wrong, but this is done quite easily on my lcd at least. Plug tv into power outlet, switch power on. Switch on TV from its power on button. Now whilst the TV is on, switch it off by switching off the power at the power outlet. Now when you switch it on at the power outlet, the TV will turn on, at least it does on the 2 lcds and 1 plasma in my house.

So with your TV that has its own on/off switch at the back, leave that on ON, switch TV on, now turn TV off by switching off power at the power outlet. When you switch on at the power outlet TV should turn on.

[flatuswalrus]

I may be reading the OP wrong, but this is done quite easily on my lcd at least. Plug tv into power outlet, switch power on. Switch on TV from its power on button. Now whilst the TV is on, switch it off by switching off the power at the power outlet. Now when you switch it on at the power outlet, the TV will turn on, at least it does on the 2 lcds and 1 plasma in my house.

Unfortunately that does not work with this TV. Each time the power outlet is turned on regardless of the position of the power switch on the TV it still requires the remote to be used to turn the TV on. I am still waiting to hear back from TEAC (if they ever get back to me).

[JDFan]

A couple options I see :

1.) drill a hole in the front of the system where the eye for the remote receiver is located (bottom left side of TV) so that you can use the remote to turn the TV on\off -- doesn't have to be very large just so the eye on the TV can get a line of sight to the remote.

2.) Remove the TV and open the case - find the wires running to the on\off switch and tap into them to add a couple wires to run to a switch ( arcade button would work) and install that button into the side of the arcade - Should be fairly easy to do as it is just 2 wires going to the switch that would need to be run to the button and then pressing the button would work just like pulling the tv back and pressing the switch.

3. Rig up something that extends to the outside of the side of the arcade that when pressed manually presses the on\off switch on the side of the TV (much more difficult than opening the case and extending the 2 wires but could be an option depending on where exactly the switch is located on the tv)

[Malenko]

1.) drill a hole in the front of the system where the eye for the remote receiver is located (bottom left side of TV) so that you can use the remote to turn the TV on\off -- doesn't have to be very large just so the eye on the TV can get a line of sight to the remote.

This is what I was going to post. The hole can be pretty small, like 1/64" if you center it perfectly.

[flatuswalrus]

1.) drill a hole in the front of the system where the eye for the remote receiver is located (bottom left side of TV) so that you can use the remote to turn the TV on\off -- doesn't have to be very large just so the eye on the TV can get a line of sight to the remote.

This is a good idea indeed, only thing that would stop me from doing so is if the TV goes and I have to get another one the hole probably would not be in the correct place. I know there is no "perfect" solution though with having little to no electrical skills. I am still waiting to hear back from TEAC the ---daisies---, I will try them again in a few days.

[JDFan]

1.) drill a hole in the front of the system where the eye for the remote receiver is located (bottom left side of TV) so that you can use the remote to turn the TV on\off -- doesn't have to be very large just so the eye on the TV can get a line of sight to the remote.

This is a good idea indeed, only thing that would stop me from doing so is if the TV goes and I have to get another one the hole probably would not be in the correct place. I know there is no "perfect" solution though with having little to no electrical skills. I am still waiting to hear back from TEAC the ---daisies---, I will try them again in a few days.

True but at that point you'd probably also have to deal with the screen size\casing being different so would probably have to make a new bezel anyway at which point you either no longer need the eyelet or you just move it into the correct location for the new screen when creating the new bezel. (and figure if the new screen is the same dimensions so you can reuse the bezel the old hole is small enough a small bit of wood putty and a touch of black paint and you'd never see it )