Need help on monitor power

adrian.k · Dec 22, 2020, 9:05 AM

Hi!
I have used a multiple outlet power strip that is hidden inside my mirror. Im also using a TP-link smartplug to control the power strip, so its automatically turns on my RP4 and monitor.

This works fantastic, as I am only using my monitor in the morning and in the evening after work. I have made a schedule to turn on/off the mirror for each day in the app.

ashishtank · Dec 22, 2020, 9:47 AM

@shalumov Powering off the raspberry pi directly from power strip is not recommended as it might corrupt the SD card. Your monitor is not switching on after powering on but stays in stand by can be solved using Raspberry pi itself. check Remote-control or other modules/scripts in this forum who supports it. If you monitor support CEC or other standard then it is doable with raspberry pi and you do not need to use Monitor/TV remote or button.

bhepler · Dec 23, 2020, 3:40 AM

@ashishtank - It has been my experience that shutting off the power without shutting down the Pi will corrupt the SD card after about 18 months of daily hard shutoffs. Rebuilding the SD card with a backup config is about a 45 minute process by this point, most of it just waiting for the npm install routine to finish.

I have a lot of Pi laying about due to work, so I usually have 3-6 unconfigured Buster installations on SD cards on my desk. Run the installation script, copy the config.js file from backup, do a whole bunch of git clone commands and I’m off & running again. SD cards are cheap. Easy enough to have a spare card for the mirror ready to go.

(If you were really paranoid, you could have the spare SD card taped to the inside of your mirror. Corrupted card? Shutdown, swap, boot. Rebuild corrupted card during your spare time)

ashishtank · Dec 23, 2020, 9:41 AM

@bhepler Thanks for sharing your experience, I also did sometimes pulled the plug but I prefer not to do this as later on I might need to correct the things like you said. Also being a programmer if I can automate something then won’t do it manually so I prefer to schedule a shutdown/Restart by software or hardware :) Which will also save power and SD card and manual efforts.

mumblebaj · Dec 23, 2020, 3:24 PM

@ashishtank I use MMM-Networkscanner and control my screen via that. If it does not detect my device residents then it powers the monitor off and when the device is detected on the network then it powers the monitor on. That way when I go out it powers the monitor off automatically and powers it on when I am back home.

ashishtank · Dec 23, 2020, 3:57 PM

@mumblebaj Yes, there are many techniques to do this. If you also want to shutdown the Raspberry Pi then you can schedule it and using hardware plug like @adrian-k mentioned power on the Pi again.