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Electronics Newb need help with cool tool...

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bvalvik

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I am building a TV lift system for my flat screen TV. What I need is a trigger mechanism that will sense when I have turned on my TV, it will send a 12 volt signal to my relay that will run my linear actuators up and down. The relay will control the timing the actuators run, I just need a instant signal to start them in motion. Also when the TV if off, it will send another 12 volt signal.

Any ideas?
 
Guessing that you don't want to decoade the remote with a microcontroller, open up the case of the TV or anything like that...

Is there a LED power indicator on the TV? Might be able to put something over or near to detect the ON/OFF status. Whatever light sensor you use, you'll need to amplify the signal to drive the relay. Instead of a timer, I'd use limit switches.
 
timer vs limit switches..

From what I have read from the actuator supply company they have a relay that will allow the actuator to run its full course and then shut off on its own.

Now your idea of intercepting the IR signal is a good idea. How would I go about that?
 
Your TV uses a 15.7 Khz horizontal sweep oscillator which of course only runs when the TV is on. It shouldn't be too hard to detect the oscillator signal with a tuned coil placed under the TV outside the cabinet. When the circuit detects 15.7 Khz it is amplified to drive a relay.
 
Or sense the AC current draw of the TV via a CT transformer or a current sensing resistor. Use that to trigger your actuator up or down depending on the current level. Many ways to skin this cat.

Lefty
 
You would need to program a microcontroller to decode the remote signal, otherwise any button you push will raise and lower the TV. I'm not sure if there are decoder chips that you can buy. Anyway, if you know anything about PIC, there is a tutorial on Nigel's site that does RCA remotes (think). I believe there was something on the Atmel application notes page for AVR controllers. And of course you could search Google.com and see what turns up.
 
Brevor said:
Your TV uses a 15.7 Khz horizontal sweep oscillator which of course only runs when the TV is on. It shouldn't be too hard to detect the oscillator signal with a tuned coil placed under the TV outside the cabinet. When the circuit detects 15.7 Khz it is amplified to drive a relay.

If it's a flatscreen (LCD/Plasma) it wont have a flyback transformer.
 
I would create a circuit to detect an increase in current draw that way you don't have to worry about different remotes, etc.

Plug your t.v. into your circuit, and your circuit into the wall. When the drain is higher than a certain amperage (maybe adjustable with a pot) then raise the t.v., when it falls below a certain threshold then lower it.
 
PERFECT!!! How do I go about doing this?

oeginc said:
I would create a circuit to detect an increase in current draw that way you don't have to worry about different remotes, etc.

Plug your t.v. into your circuit, and your circuit into the wall. When the drain is higher than a certain amperage (maybe adjustable with a pot) then raise the t.v., when it falls below a certain threshold then lower it.


What would it cost for the parts, or if someone out there would like to try build one for me?

Like I said I am new to this and though I can solder I would not know the difference between all those little things on a circuit board.

Any ideas would be great!
 
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