Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[tuftedduck]

I have a Toshiba 32KV500B 32" flat screen digital goggle box.

The on/off switch is placed at the rear of the set... ... so, to avoid hassle, the set is kept in standby mode.
To indicate that status, there is a solid white light on the front of the set glowing when in standby and off when the set is displaying a programme.

I have noticed on three occasions now that, when I arise from my fragrant couch in the morning and trundle about the house,  the white standby light is flashing at about two second intervals.
There is nothing in the user manual to explain this, and the performance of the set does not appear to be impaired or altered in any way when this happens.

Can any Kind Kitizen offer any explanation as to what may be happening ?

Thank you in advance for your attention to this small conundrum..

[roseway]

I don't know the answer, but perhaps it's part of the design of the TV, to remind you that it's still switched on.

You might think about using remote control mains sockets for this sort of situation. Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Remote-Control-Socket-Set/dp/B000H9HU70

(Although, having seen the reviews, there are probably better ones to choose than those.)

[UncleUB]

I agree with Eric,it could be a reminder that you have left the TV on 'stand by' mode.We are always being told not to leave appliances on stand by so perhaps the TV has this warning built in..

[AdrianH]

http://www.toshiba-om.net/LCD/PDF/English/Country_Specific/KV500-32-English-Specific.pdf

Page 11 , Controlling the TV , this refers to an "Active Standby LED" showing for a few moments , does active mean flashing ?

[tuftedduck]

Thank you all for your interest and responses......

@ unkyUb.......I appreciate all that you say about standby mode and power consumption etc.,.....but the on/off switch is in such a silly and inconvenient place that I do not use it unless I am going to be absent for an extended period. I've got to lift and turn the set round to reach the button...

@ roseway......well, I never knew that such a gizmo had been invented.. ........will investigate that.

@AdrianH.......thank you for the linky to the PDF, which is in fact the user manual which came with the set. I think "Active Standby LED" means the solid light that I normally see.......there is nothing anywhere about a flashing LED. 

Will investigate further. As I say, this has happened three times now but that is since last February when I got the set, so it is not a common event.

Thank you again for your help. 

[UncleUB]

I never have that problem with my set as all the buttons are at the front,perhaps you need to upgrade 

[tuftedduck]

 

[sevenlayermuddle]

Sometimes TVs flash the standby light in various sequences to indicate a fault condition, but I suspect in this case it's just normal operation.

I'd not worry too much about the energy usage in standby, your manual specifies consumption of 0.9W, which is about 1 pound a year.  I daresay the manufacturer of the 'energy saving sockets' would be grateful for your contribution but, in this case, there's very little in it for you or for the planet.

[camallison]

On our Panasonic flat panel TV, the flashing LED indicates a failed start,and I have to power cycle it to get it up and running.  Reading several forums, it is an undocumented feature (fault) with certain Panasonic (and strangely enough 32 inch Toshiba) TVs.

The feature usually displays itself when the TV is around 3 years of age.

Colin

[tuftedduck]

Thank you for your further comments.

@ 7LM.......well, £1 per annum won't break the bank ( even TD's modest one  )
I hope the flash is a normal event......hope I haven't bought a pig in a poke.

@ camallison.......interesting about the fact that Panasonic and some Toshibas can display the same or similar features...wonder if they are made by the same people and simply rebadged ?
It's odd with mine, the thing works ok......the feature/fault manifests itself after going into standby...but the flashing starts only after it has been in standby for several hours, such as overnight, and when you poke the "on" button on the zapper it leaps into life without problem.

TD will tackle this problem in his usual way........meaning ignore it until the set blows up...

Thank you again for the comments....

[roseway]

TD will tackle this problem in his usual way........meaning ignore it until the set blows up...

Don't forget to kick it from time to time.

[tuftedduck]

 

[oldfogy]

@ roseway......well, I never knew that such a gizmo had been invented.. ........will investigate that.

Aldi's also do a set of 4 remote controlled sockets similar to the others advertised above, although I think they were also cheaper than the ones advertised above.

The range is also very good and even operates a piece of equipment which is plugged in in the room above which means not having to leave it turned on all the time as I can now just turn it on or off as and when I want to.

Another power saving device that you may also like to think about is called a 'PowerDown Socket' very similar to a 3 way 13amp adaptor, where you plug the main device into the appropriate socket which then when that device gets turned off it then automatically turns off any other device plugged into it.
Unfortunately I did try one with my VirginMedia cable box plugged into it, but on startup the cable box had to retune each time so that was a no go, but if you had a DVD player or something else plugged in then by turning that on of off would then also power down the television.

Although I am going to say, I think the remote sockets are far the easiest method and you also get for for a similar price.
I have a trailing socket plugged into one of mine so it then also turns off everything else that is plugged into it such as 'DVD player, Video player, Media player'

[sevenlayermuddle]

I'm not totally against these power saving sockets, but I'm somewhat sceptical.  There's a lot of people jumping on the 'green bandwagon' to make a fast buck out of public fears of energy usage, and some (by no means all) power-saving sockets may be in that category

A few things need to be borne in mind...

If the socket allows you to turn it on remotely then it too, just like the TV, must have it's Rx circuitry (either IR or RF) powered up 24/7.   The challenge for the circuit designers, of TVs as well as the remote sockets, is to minimise the current requirements of that circuitry.  But there's no real reason to assume that the circuit designers of the remote sockets did any better a job than the designers of the TV.   Arguably, the big TV manufacturers have better access to resources... skilled design engineers, and purchasing power for the latest technology, and so they should be able to do the better job.  TD's TV is specified as using 0.9W in standby, which is, to all extents and purposes, undetectable over a year's electricity.

Moreover, the remote socket itself must be drawing an additional current even while your TV is switched on, so as to power its own Rx interface.  That is always wasted energy that would simply not be used if you plugged directly in to the mains, and it's costing you energy all of the time you have the equipment switched on.

I would hope that the manufacturers of remote sockets would provide data regarding their device's actual power consumption, but a quick glance at those on amazon seem to suggest they don't (though I admit, I could've looked harder).  If they are bashful about it, it might suggest they have something to hide.

As OF indicates, one way to maximise the advantages is to have one remote socket for lots of appliances.  This increases the chances that, overall, there will be a power saving, but it still doesn't guarantee it.   Personally I do own a few remote sockets, but I use them purely for convenience... to control various lamps around the lounge, rather than any attempts at power-saving.  They work very well, too.

[AdrianH]

I think you also need to factor in the difference in energy consumed on a "cold start" and from "on from standby".