The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Monitor/Video Forum => Topic started by: 8BitMonk on December 07, 2014, 10:26:23 pm

Title: Will either of these harm my arcade monitor?
Post by: 8BitMonk on December 07, 2014, 10:26:23 pm

I've recently incorporated some things into my cab setup and want to make sure they won't harm my arcade monitor. The monitor is a 27" Betson Imperial digital trisync.

#1. - A wireless remote power switch, link below. Since the monitor can't sleep and I don't want to have to reboot each time I play I've been using this. It's really handy and I'm careful not to turn it on/off quickly as I know that's not good for an arcade monitor. Any risk otherwise in  using something like this?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-Outdoor-Wireless-Remote-Receiver-Kit-RFK306LC/202562992 (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-Outdoor-Wireless-Remote-Receiver-Kit-RFK306LC/202562992)

#2. - I've recently begun using groovymame and at boot my monitor flashes that the resolution is out of range a couple times until it gets past the bios. There is expiremental software to remedy this though I'm not convinced I want to go through the hassle if it's not an issue. Since it's alerting and not actually trying to display the range it seems like it's fine. Also with the switch I don't end up rebooting a lot anyway.

Need some expert feedback to ease my concern that either of these will harm the monitor or limit it's life.

Thanks for any info.

Title: Re: Will either of these harm my arcade monitor?
Post by: MonMotha on December 08, 2014, 07:34:00 am

What monitor do you have?  In general, any monitor capable of giving an "out of range" message is not going to be damaged by such signals.

Title: Re: Will either of these harm my arcade monitor?
Post by: 8BitMonk on December 08, 2014, 11:07:23 am

It's a 27" Betson Imperial, model is 2914, it's a digital trisync monitor. My thought is the same, if it's flashing an 'out of range' message it's not damaging the monitor.

Any thoughts on the wireless power button? I've read that fluxuations in power can cause damage and so some people avoid things like smart power strips with arcade monitors. I've always used one and haven't had an issue. A button like this doesn't seem like it'd be an issue unless you powered it on/off quickly and repeatedly.

Title: Re: Will either of these harm my arcade monitor?
Post by: MonMotha on December 11, 2014, 10:00:50 am

Rapidly power cycling this particular monitor (and others, too) is known to cause premature failure.  Simply turning it on and off under remote control shouldn't be nay worse than the normal approach of turning it on and off with cabinet power.

Anything that causes the AC input voltage to droop significantly can upset the SMPS on them and cause failures, so make sure your wireless switch doesn't have any kind of "soft" on/off feature or dimming capabilities designed for use with incandescent lamps.