The Daily Telegraph advertised a multi plug socket with a master socket which, when the master socket was switched off, all the other sockets were also switched off. Very expensive.
This would be handy at the back of my telly where there are multiple sockets for DVD, Video etc etc.
Switch the main set off and they all go off.
Anybody know were they can be obtained more cheaply?
Have a look in the sheds they had them a while back. Probably also available from nay of the other retail stores dealing in computers/AV kit.
Maplin have stocked them, on and off, over the past few years. You could buy them in lots of places 5 or more years ago, but then they all but vanished from the marketplace. I've no idea why.
But you wouldn't necessarily want the telly on/off to control the digibox and video power as well - otherwise you wouldn't be able to set things to record.
However, they would be very useful at the back of the computer, so we could also power off the printer, speakers, scanner in one.
But best of all would be the vacuum cleaner controlled by the circular saw; so that it sucked only when I was cutting.
How much were they in the Torygraph?
I bought one - can't remember from where - and it's not 100% reliable in operation.
Including the clocks and possibly station memory?
A simple way to autoswitch scanner & speakers, and in some cases printer, is to power them direct from the PC, on the low voltage rails.
NT
CPC flog a small card for the purpose as well, just in case your kit doesn't live of 5 or 12 V. Does about half a dozen different voltages and has a handy socket on the back plate.
I'm not sure I'd want to export the power rails directly from a PC. They have hefty current capabilty. A short circuit poses a significant fire risk.
Hi,
Velleman do a kit and module, try seaching for 'AC slave' on their website.
cheers, Pete.
Hi,
Velleman do a kit and module, try seaching for 'AC slave' on their website.
cheers, Pete.
Not seen that card before. Fusing would get rid of the high current capability, though the supplies always have overcurrent protection that limit any risk.
NT
Yeah but yer average bit of thin bell wire commonly used for DC power connections may well have more resistance than the 1/4 ohm required for more than 20A to flow at 5V. Meaning that the overcurrent protection in the PSU won't even be thinking about kicking in, mean while you have 100W being disipated in your thin wiring...
A fuse is much better.
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