Monitor Power Delay

[Visitor Q]

What is the most full proof way to delay power to a monitor prior to getting into windows?

Honeslty the only thing I can come up with is a switch box with two monitors.

If I use a timer delay and the bios would hang, I run the chance of switching on the monitor during boot.

Sorry I sorta of multiple posted this question...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=88126.0

[HaRuMaN]

Any particular reason why you want to do this?

[Visitor Q]

I see a lot of screen switching on boot, flashing on my PC monitor and I don't want to run a risk of damage when using this monitor. I was instructed to run the monitor at 60Hz 800X600 and nothing else. My last monitor was damaged during shipment and I am trying to take extra precautions as a "just in case".

I am not sure if you read my other posts that sorta talk about this issue but this is the monitor I am using.

http://www.happcontrols.com/monitors/49271700.htm

My PC does not have AGP so I don't think I can do the second graphics card trick, I only have PCI and PCI Express.

[SirPeale]

BIOS and initial startup screens are usually @ 640x480.   I can see higher res being a problem, but this slightly lower res I wouldn't think would be.

That said, I would ask them first.

[Visitor Q]

I just I will have to call Happs.

[Visitor Q]

Ya know I just thought of a real simple solution to all this. Put the monitor on a separate power strip and when I hear my sound card login into windows, kick the power strip on for the monitor and done.

Very simple solution for now.

[qrz]

a circuit using a 555 timer ic could be designed to drive a relay ( pwr to monitor ).

set the desired delay time ( rc constant ) and it should do its thing....

[Visitor Q]

a circuit using a 555 timer ic could be designed to drive a relay ( pwr to monitor ).

set the desired delay time ( rc constant ) and it should do its thing....

What if the boot process fails, get hung during boot up and the monitor turns on at the wrong time?

I am not sure what we are trying to prevent here? I am trying to prevent the monitor not turning on until it is in windows at 800X600 at 60Hz. My fear is that whatever the bios displays the boot process at will damage the monitor or the switching that it does.

Does a bios display any higher that 640X480 at 60Hz? I don't think there is any way for me to dictate this...

[MonMotha]

Every PC BIOS I've ever seen outputs either VGA (648x480 @ 60Hz) or the also somewhat standard high-refresh text mode which is similar but less lines at higher vrefresh (so similar fh).  Never seen one that would do anything higher, but some brand name machines with graphical startups might.  The XP and 2k startup screen (I think Vista, too) is also VGA.

Most digital monitors will shut down when presented with an out of range signal to avoid any chance of damage.  The only thing to consider is mode switching, and once per bootup is not really of concern.

[Visitor Q]

When you say mode switching are you talking about that during boot or in windows?

I guess I am trying to understand why people delay the monitor from turning on? Is it not because of res. booting but more of the flicking of the screen?

[HaRuMaN]

I guess I am trying to understand why people delay the monitor from turning on?

Who does that?  You are the first person I've heard of trying to do that...

Unless people want to delay the monitor so all you see is the front end in a MAME cab or something...   

[Visitor Q]

I guess I am trying to understand why people delay the monitor from turning on?

Who does that?  You are the first person I've heard of trying to do that...

Unless people want to delay the monitor so all you see is the front end in a MAME cab or something...   

I believe you are correct here after speaking with Happs technical support, all my question regard this have been answered. It seems I am looking into this too much and this is not a technical issue like I originally have thought...

My Bad.

Thanks Guys.

[johnnybleu]

My understanding for turning on the monitor AFTER windows has booted up is to avoid any unfavorable signals....

Standard resolution arcade monitors need 15khz, but a standard PC vga card pumps out 60khz- which I've been told will ruin the monitor. Thus, people get software like Soft-15Khz and ArcadeOS to make their PC send out a 15Khz signal, but it will only kick in once Windows has booted up. The Bios and boot up screen are still at the normal 60Khz.

However, I'm no expert, and this has neither been confirmed or denied. I'm just sharing what I've learned from many hours of reading and searching.

Oh, and to answer your initial question, I just have the PC and monitor on separate circuits, so I just turn on the monitor once I hear windows is done booting up. Not as fancy as a "one button" start, but it works...

[Visitor Q]

The monitor I bought does not even support 15Hz so this is not even an issue for me.

[Ginsu Victim]

I guess I am trying to understand why people delay the monitor from turning on?

Who does that?  You are the first person I've heard of trying to do that...

I think my own misconceptions about arcade monitors led him to believe that. I made sure to state before everything, "Now, I know nothing about arcade monitors..."

[Jack Burton]

I guess I am trying to understand why people delay the monitor from turning on?

Who does that?  You are the first person I've heard of trying to do that...

Unless people want to delay the monitor so all you see is the front end in a MAME cab or something...   

Everybody who is running  Soft15khz on a 15khz only monitor will do that.  Old monitors don't have anything to protect them from being damaged by too high refresh rates.

Also, yes some people want to hide all traces of windows.

Mostly everybody just waits for windows to load up and the switches on their monitor.  If you hear a loud high pitched whine then that means your monitor is trying to display too high of a resolution and you should immediately turn it off.  I don't think it will hurt you monitor if you only occasionally mess up and let this happen.

[richms]

When I boot my desktop it is in 1024x768 for the menu to choose the windows boot options etc, so no, its not perfectly safe to just ignore it if you cannot exceed 800x600...

[Visitor Q]

The monitor I will be using supports 1024X768 at 60Hz; there is also an option in at least Vista that will only display Hz that the monitor supports. Happ told be that newer monitors are very smart, basically have computer boards on them. I noticed when I had my PC sat to a Hz that only my TV could display not my current PC monitor that when I hooked it up to my PC monitor it automatically changed it to an acceptable res..

[johnnybleu]

Then you should have nothing to worry about.
No reason for you to delay powering on the monitor. That is, unless you want to hide windows.

[Visitor Q]

Then you should have nothing to worry about.
No reason for you to delay powering on the monitor. That is, unless you want to hide windows.

I more or less figure this much but just wanted to confirm with a few different people.