[mythtvnz] FrontEnds Controlling Audio Mains Power

[Nick Rout]

On Sun, Dec 12, 2010 at 10:15 AM, tortise <tortise at paradise.net.nz> wrote:
> On 2/10/2010 10:03 a.m., Tortise wrote:
>> I've been thinking about automating this for some time.  I recently got a USB powered set of speakers, that refreshingly turn on and
>> off (and suspend also) automagically along with the FE's status.  Works well.
>>
>> How do people do this for Mains powered Audio amps?   If the Amp has IR then I suppose one might successfully configure an IR
>> suspend command.  (Maybe Ethernet connected Amps do WOL, but I don't know!)
>>
>> A few listers will recall the old AT power supplies that included a mains out socket for the monitor.  How to do it with more recent
>> PS?
>>
>> I've been thinking about taking a USB extension lead / plug, cutting off the socket (or similar source) and feeding a relay that
>> will switch 240V / 10A.  This would be nice in terms of the ease of plugging into the USB of pretty much any FE.
>>
>> The relay could go in some small box, also with a mains cord in and a Mains socket on the box for the Amp.  A diode would be needed
>> across the coil to negate any reverse EMF.
>>
>> An alternative would be to use 12V from the FE power supply 12V rail, however one would need to more on the FE to make this
>> available externally.   12V relays are probably cheaper and more standard however low coil current 5V relays may not be much
>> different.
>>
>> Anyone considered anything like this?
>>
>>
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>
> There is an additional complication I have realised to this idea, that
> is that some of the newer TV's when turned into standby have a two step
> process, the first step is apparent standby where they do some internal
> tidy up, saving latest freeview information and who knows what else,
> then there is the truer standby, where a relay is heard to click after
> some 45 seconds or so, and the current drawer becomes constant.
>
> What this implies to me is that it may be preferable to have a delay
> period for the TV to do its thing of say two minutes before powering it
> off.  It also means one would have to trigger the standby mode in the
> TV.  (I am not game to see what would happen during that period if the
> power is disconnected while it is saving information?)
>
> The TV I bought that made me realise this is a Panasonic TH-P42V20Z
> which has a LAN connection.  Maybe standby can be triggered from the
> LAN?  The documents suggests it has FreeBSD based firmware.

Just because it has open/free source firmware doesn't mean that they
open it up to you.

What ports are open on the TV? (nmap)