Add a power switch to my power cord?

[borman]

Hi.
I want to turn my monitor off at night to save power, prolong the life of the backlight, and to darken the room. The built-in power button has began to wear out. It seems to "stick" in the monitor's frame. This isn't so bad, except for when I can't get it to turn on. Using the power saving function (windows xp) seems to work some of the time. Actually it's been working less and less lately. Not sure if it's my mouse, or something updating on screen. That's a whole separate issue.

What I want is to get a power cord with a physical switch in line. Is this something I'm going to have to do myself, or do they make such a thing? I really don't want to have to cut my monitor cord to install a switch from a hardware store if I don't have to.
Thank you.

 

[MauveCloud]

I'm not sure about a switch on a single-outlet extension cord, but most surge protectors/power strips have switches. However, it seems like that would give you more trouble with the power button, because I doubt your monitor can be configured to power on automatically when you switch the power strip back on. If the power button is that worn out, you might think about replacing the monitor.

 

[borman]

I don't need it to automatically come back on. I guess I could use a power strip for just my monitor, but I was trying to be a little more elegant than that.

Also, the monitor isn't that old, or cheap for that matter. It's a Dell 2407wfp that I paid over $600 for when I got it new. It started having the power button problem in the first year or two of use.

 

[MauveCloud]

That's strange. I would have expected a Dell to do better than that with the power button. I've got a Comrex CR-6500 TV that was built in June 1982 sitting next to me (used as a monitor for an Apple II+) that still turns on and off just fine. You might ask and find out whether your issues with the power button are covered by the warranty, though.

As far a separate power strip for your monitor not being elegant, I found the following items you could consider:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3130544
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3896269

 

[ssddx]

normally when a lcd monitor loses power (power switch off) it will not restart automatically upon receiving power (power switch on) until you press the lcd monitor's power button.

the best way to solve your issue is to either:

fix, or have someone fix, the power switch inside your lcd monitor.

or

(IF YOU LEAVE YOUR SYSTEM ON)check your power save settings from within windows to have the monitor sleep and wake. keep in mind you can set what devices are able to wake the monitor from sleep mode. for instance, you could disable everything except the mouse so that only you physically moving the mouse will wake the system.

(IF YOU SHUTDOWN YOUR SYSTEM)check your power save settings on your monitor. there may be an option that puts the monitor into sleepmode upon loss of signal. usually this will restart the monitor once the sytem boots up (though sometimes it skips the bios screens on some monitors :/ )

 

[borman]

I do leave my system on normally, but somehow it ignores the setting to sleep after 15 minutes of inactivity. that actually worked for quite a while and I have no idea why it changed. I had considered having somebody fix the button in the monitor, but I know of no such services anywhere near here. plus that'd be a big pain.

the good news: I found an elegant and inexpensive way of solving the problem: http://www.amazon.com/Woods-32555-Weatherproof-Outdoor-Converter/dp/B001Q9EFUK

I bought a wireless power outlet. paid about $16 at my local hardware store, and now I have a clicker thing that I turn my monitor on and off with. bonus - it also turns off my speakers (which get power from the monitor) and my backlit keyboard (which also gets power and USB connection from the monitor).

hurray, gadgets. what's even better is that even if I want to stop using this solution for my monitor, it's going to be useful for many other applications. it'll even work outside.

Thanks for the input you guys.