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STANDBY MODE and COMPUTER LEFT ON

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CheapSlider said:
Most companies will want displays to be switched off completely when not in use and the area is uoccupied. This is because CRT displays are prone to catching fire even when in standby. (This has happened where I work)

I would just like to say that this isn't true!, monitors and TV's catching fire is EXTREMELY rare (almost unknown) - saying they are 'prone to catching fire' is completely wrong. If you've seen one at work, and it wasn't caused by some misuse (like spilling something in it), then you've witnessed a truely rare event.

There have been occasional 'safety recalls' over the years, generally as a result of a single incident, with the manufacturer covering themselves by issuing a modification.

However, you shouldn't leave them on standby when unattended (or anything else), simple common sense.
 
Nigel Goodwin said:
Never heard of any such problem, turning CRT's off doesn't cause them any harm, leaving them on obviously wears them out, and placing them in 'standby' where the heaters are kept pre-warmed (for a fast start) damages them as well (cathode poisoning).
That sounds right to me. I'm no expert in this, but after some research it seems tv and monitor crt's aren't as prone to cathode sputtering as they have leveling circuitry to prevent voltage spikes and other damaging conditions. Is this correct?

Nigel Goodwin said:
I would just like to say that this isn't true!, monitors and TV's catching fire is EXTREMELY rare (almost unknown) - saying they are 'prone to catching fire' is completely wrong.
Once again my inexperienced opinion agrees. But like I said previously, the fire authorities here disagree. There have been many stories on news and current affairs programs in Australia about tv's left on standby causing fires. So if it's not true, where are these authorities getting their (mis)information? And why are they spreading it?
 
davej said:
Once again my inexperienced opinion agrees. But like I said previously, the fire authorities here disagree. There have been many stories on news and current affairs programs in Australia about tv's left on standby causing fires. So if it's not true, where are these authorities getting their (mis)information? And why are they spreading it?

Because it makes a good news story?, I'm presuming Australian regulations are similar to the UK?, and sets have to pass stingent safety tests?, one of which is they are pretty well self extinguishing - I've seen numerous sets struck by lightning, and seriously burnt inside, but not seen one actually burn.

Actually a good reason for the stories would be to encourage people NOT to leave sets on standby, which regardless of safety considerations isn't a good idea.
 
Access your POWER SETTINGS menu and set the parameters for the PC to shut off the monitor and harddrive after a select amount of time. If properly done you won't need to reboot and you can also lock all internet traffic using a good firewall program. On the otherhand I am still using a Dell that has been cycled ON/OFF (cold boot) countless times without any issues since 1999 to present. Internal heat build-up is the main culprit with PC failures. Just make sure you have lots of proper and effective cooling/ventilation of all internal boards and you should be good to go for a long time. I'd worry more about heat build-up than cycling a power supply ON/OFF a thousand times.
 
This is my personal view:
Fast running chips and CRT's are power gluttons so it is best to at least go to standby and press the power button on your computer monitor and also switch the main power off your electronic goods rather than leave them in stand by.
I personally put my computer in sleep mode for a quick boot up the next day and switch everything else totally off.
I often think about the environment issue too but I believe that about 90% or more of CO2 emissions are naturally occurring so with that in mind shouldn't scientists be thinking of ways to stop volcanoes smoking and cows from farting.
Can I be the 1st to suggest two sizes of corks. A big one for volcanoes and a small one for cows arses. :)
 
I usually let the pc shut down and then turn off my power strip. I have my radio, router, monitor, pc, and pc peripherals, and modem all on the strip. I have not had any problems so far after a year. It takes me a whole 10 seconds more when I start and shut down to hit the switch and wait for the monitor to charge before turning on the PSU switch. It's worth the effort if it extends the life or prevents a fire(extending my life possibly).
 
One thing I didn't see anyone mention: If you leave your pc on all the time (like my boss did at work) then everything will of course heat up. If it is ever switched off the components may move a bit as they shrink back. This happened to my boss's pc and I had to come and fix it when it did not start back up. So I would not recommend leaving it on for people who are not computer savvy.
 
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