Apple Cinema Display on/off

Paul Nevai <nevai.RemoveThis@math.math.ohio-state.edu> wrote:

> > I would be very grateful if you would become concerned with energy savings
> > :)
>
> Actually I am; more than you'd guess with one exception: my computers. The
> list of my global-warming-prevention steps is very long. /PaulN

The thing is, despite what some people seem to want you to believe,
computers are electronics appliances, subject to the same laws of
physics, not to mention wear and tear, as other appliances. Oh, and
finances apply just the same, too.

I turn off my Mac and all peripherals when I'm going to be away for more
than an hour or so, always have, always will. I have _never_, in about
18 years of owning Macs, had any of them wear out prematurely, or wear
out at all, actually. I've never so much as had a hard drive fail in
that span -- I've only ever replaced my drives to increase capacity.

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 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

In article <f26p9v$s39$1@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, paul RemoveThis @nevai.us wrote:

> My new Apple Cinema Display can be turned off. I am less concerned with
> energy savings and more concerned with wear'n'tear.
>
> QUESTION. Should I leave the monitor on all the time or should I turn it off
> whenever I don't use it or should I use some in-between approach? Is there a
> generally accepted and recommended policy?

A LCD display has a back-light that lasts just a couple of thousand of
hours, and which is expensive to replace - probably better to buy new one.
So it is important to turn it off, but this can be done in System
Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Put the screen display to sleep. The
traditional Screen Saver" was to avoid CRT burn ins, will not help you
much, as the backlight is on.

> N.B. The Mac is on 24/7.

There is no reason to turn Mac OS X off, except for maintenance and such
(rebooting also makes some cleanup of some temporary files). Computer
sleep is only useful if you are bothered by fan noise or battery power,
but also engages some code external to the UNIX kernel, which may cause
kernel panics. A long time ago, a computer expert said that temperature
changes in the digital board may cause material fatigue, which shortens
the life-span of the computer. So perhaps frequently turning it off will
cause increased energy consumption in the form of having to manufacture a
new one. :-)

Hans Aberg
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

In comp.sys.mac.hardware.misc Hans Aberg <haberg DeleteThis @math.su.se> wrote:
> A LCD display has a back-light that lasts just a couple of thousand of
> hours, and which is expensive to replace - probably better to buy new one.
> So it is important to turn it off, but this can be done in System
> Preferences -> Energy Saver -> Put the screen display to sleep. The
> traditional Screen Saver" was to avoid CRT burn ins, will not help you
> much, as the backlight is on.

QUESTION: Are "sleep" and "power off" the same for an Apple Cinema Display
Monitor?

Thanks, PaulN
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

On 2007-05-13 09:46:05 -0500, mikePOST.TakeThisOut@TOGROUPmacconsult.com (Mike
Rosenberg) said:

> Paul Nevai <nevai.TakeThisOut@math.math.ohio-state.edu> wrote:
>
>>> I would be very grateful if you would become concerned with energy savings
>>> :)
>>
>> Actually I am; more than you'd guess with one exception: my computers. The
>> list of my global-warming-prevention steps is very long. /PaulN
>
> The thing is, despite what some people seem to want you to believe,
> computers are electronics appliances, subject to the same laws of
> physics, not to mention wear and tear, as other appliances. Oh, and
> finances apply just the same, too.

The age-old argument still applies.

When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
the computer running than it is to turn it off. Also, if your display
is fairly recent, it has power-saving sleep modes built in so that it
consumes less energy when not in use.

> I turn off my Mac and all peripherals when I'm going to be away for more
> than an hour or so, always have, always will. I have _never_, in about
> 18 years of owning Macs, had any of them wear out prematurely, or wear
> out at all, actually. I've never so much as had a hard drive fail in
> that span -- I've only ever replaced my drives to increase capacity.

I leave most of my Macs and all peripherals on 24/7, with most of the
computers (and hard drives) configured to sleep when not in use without
issue as well.

--
JR
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

On 2007-05-13 11:45:26 -0500, mikePOST.DeleteThis@TOGROUPmacconsult.com (Mike
Rosenberg) said:

> Jolly Roger <jollyroger.DeleteThis@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:
>
>> The age-old argument still applies.
>>
>> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
>> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
>> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
>> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
>> and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
>> expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
>> the computer running than it is to turn it off.
>
> My point is that the same thing applies to all electronics, yet no one
> tells people to leave their TVs, for example, on all the time.

Most of today's TV don't turn all the way off when you hit the Power
button - they stay in a standby mode, right?

--
JR
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

In article <f2727r$snu$1@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>, paul.TakeThisOut@nevai.us wrote:

> QUESTION: Are "sleep" and "power off" the same for an Apple Cinema Display
> Monitor?

Usually not, for most appliances, where it is often called "on standby".
Some argue that these appliances should be turned off, when not in use,
not merely be put on standby, to conserve energy. The environmental
question is though complicated, and hard to analyze properly: energy
consumption is tied to human consumption which is tied to money. So if you
do some things to converse energy, you get some money resources over,
which you probably will spend on other consumption, which will
cause environmental problems. If you live in a heated home, most of the
energy that the computer uses will be turned into heating of the home; so
if you turn it off, the thermostat will automatically compensate. And so
on.

Hans Aberg
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

Jolly Roger <jollyroger DeleteThis @R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:

> The age-old argument still applies.
>
> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
> and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
> expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
> the computer running than it is to turn it off.

My point is that the same thing applies to all electronics, yet no one
tells people to leave their TVs, for example, on all the time.

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 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

On May 13, 2007 Paul Nevai wrote:

> My new Apple Cinema Display can be turned off. I am less concerned with
> energy savings and more concerned with wear'n'tear.

I would be very grateful if you would become concerned with energy savings
:)

The global warming gradually increases all the time and it is worrying for
the future.

> QUESTION. Should I leave the monitor on all the time or should I turn it off
> whenever I don't use it or should I use some in-between approach? Is there a
> generally accepted and recommended policy?

Some people will say you should leave it on, some will say turn it off.

I think that it doesn't make any difference.

I'd turn it off myself :)





--
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If you wish email me from my web-site: <http://www.patrickjames.me.uk>
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 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

Jolly Roger (jollyroger@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com) writes:
> On 2007-05-13 11:45:26 -0500, mikePOST.RemoveThis@TOGROUPmacconsult.com (Mike
> Rosenberg) said:
>
>> Jolly Roger <jollyroger.RemoveThis@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:
>>
>>> The age-old argument still applies.
>>>
>>> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
>>> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
>>> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
>>> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
>>> and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
>>> expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
>>> the computer running than it is to turn it off.
>>
>> My point is that the same thing applies to all electronics, yet no one
>> tells people to leave their TVs, for example, on all the time.
>
> Most of today's TV don't turn all the way off when you hit the Power
> button - they stay in a standby mode, right?
>
That's not the same thing.

Since most tv sets are now used with remote controls, they have to
consume a tiny bit of current (which admittedly can add up when multiplied
by how many tv sets there are) in order to keep the bit of electronics
going that waits for the remote signal. It then can turn on the rest
of the tv set.

This is far different from some tv sets in the old days that had "instant
on", because those kept the filaments in the tubes warm by keeping
voltage on the filaments all the time. It was usually not full voltage,
but tube filaments consumed a fair amount of current. Even after solid
state became the norm, I'm sure at least some tv sets kept current
on the picture tube filament since that was the only thing that needed
"warming up".

Michael
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

On 2007-05-13 12:19:14 -0500, et472.TakeThisOut@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Black) said:

> Jolly Roger (jollyroger@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com) writes:
>> On 2007-05-13 11:45:26 -0500, mikePOST.TakeThisOut@TOGROUPmacconsult.com (Mike
>> Rosenberg) said:
>>
>>> Jolly Roger <jollyroger.TakeThisOut@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> The age-old argument still applies.
>>>>
>>>> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
>>>> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
>>>> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
>>>> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
>>>> and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
>>>> expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
>>>> the computer running than it is to turn it off.
>>>
>>> My point is that the same thing applies to all electronics, yet no one
>>> tells people to leave their TVs, for example, on all the time.
>>
>> Most of today's TV don't turn all the way off when you hit the Power
>> button - they stay in a standby mode, right?
>>
> That's not the same thing.

Not the same as what? When your computer is in sleep mode, a lot of
the components are in a low- or no-power mode, right? At any rate,
we're digressing. There are advantages and disadvantages to either
thing. It's really up to the OP to decide which is best for him.

--
JR
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

In article <2007051311550338928-jollyroger@REMOVEpoboxcom>, Jolly Roger
<jollyroger.DeleteThis@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:

> >> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
> >> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
> >> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
> >> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
> >> and eventually break. Some argue that because of this shrinkage and
> >> expansion it's actually better for your electronic components to leave
> >> the computer running than it is to turn it off.
> >
> > My point is that the same thing applies to all electronics, yet no one
> > tells people to leave their TVs, for example, on all the time.
>
> Most of today's TV don't turn all the way off when you hit the Power
> button - they stay in a standby mode, right?

Right. When people argue that the appliances should be turned off, it
is explicitly stated that one should turn the power-switch off, not merely
put it on standby from the remote. I saw something that this is a movement
in the UK right now. A CRT (not LCD) benefits though from being
demagnetized, so at least some TVs should be turned off fully from the
power-switch (not only on standby) overnight. If one believes in the heat
theory, that applies to all appliances that consumes a lot of heat,
including TVs. There is also the factor of equipment burn-in: when an
appliance is being manufactured, it should properly be turned on for
awhile to burn in. I think this might have been done several decades ago,
but not nowadays, because it is too expensive. So the consumer, when
buying new stuff, should perhaps let it be on for a couple of months, well
before the warranty expires, to see if it holds up; if it does, turn it
off thereafter as is suitable.

Hans Aberg
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

In article <2007051312275355018-jollyroger@REMOVEpoboxcom>, Jolly Roger
<jollyroger.DeleteThis@R.E.M.O.V.E.pobox.com> wrote:

> At any rate,
> we're digressing. There are advantages and disadvantages to either
> thing. It's really up to the OP to decide which is best for him.

I agree on this one. If one wants to know the real power consumption of an
appliance under different circumstances, one can get one of those
electronic electrical power meters that can be plugged into the outlet
before it. There is probably quite of variation.

Hans Aberg
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off 

On May 13, 2007, Jolly Roger wrote:
> When you start a computer from a cold state, there a substantial jolt
> of energy applied to components. Also, as components heat up, their
> contacts expand. Then when you turn off the computer, the components
> shrink as they cool down. This can cause the connections to become weak
> and eventually break.

I hear that a lot, but during sleep or any other similar
"on-but-not-fully-powered-off" state, the components are going to be
thermally darned close to being off. And further, a computer that's on but
idling (no apps being used but otherwise turned on) be a LOT cooler that one
doing intensive work -- like "warm" versus "ouch that's hot" difference.
 >> Stay informed about: Apple Cinema Display on/off