Aftermarket sleep timer...or something like it... (1 Viewer)

[Drew_W]

After rearranging my electronics after purchasing a new set of speakers, my bedroom system now has a receiver without a sleep timer on it. Does anyone know of any aftermarket sleep timers? Or any suggestions on how I could rig something up maybe by using the 12v trigger? Thanks!

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Most of the Japanese stereo companies made so-called audio timers in the 80s. They could be set for turning on a system at a pre-set time; many would also turn off the system as well. The only caveat is that you need a receiver with a hard-button power switch. You can find them pretty easily on e-bay – do a search on “yamaha audio timer,” “kenwood audio timer” or whatever brand appeals to you – Sony, Sansui, Pioneer, etc.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[DavidLW]

I don't know who makes it or if it's still available, but I remember hearing or reading about a programable remote that would shut of your equipment. All you had to do was program it, set the timer and place it so it was aiming at the equipment you want to shut off (your equipment must be remote controlable of course). I believe you can actually do this with some of the PDA's, though not sure. Just a couple of ideas to kick around.

 

[Jim Rakowiecki]

I have an old Pioneer F-101T tuner that has a clock and a timer built in. It has a sleep timer as well as programable timers so it can be used as an alarm clock as well. It even has a battery back up
I tried using it as an alarm clock once and I have to admit it scared the heck out of me. Seems no matter how low the volume is set it is way too loud in the morning.
Nothing on ebay for this one right now but I have seen them in the past.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Why?

You should have enough ventilation so the receiver could be powered on 24/7 and not cause damage. You dont normally need to turn it off after each use.

Is it a "Glow of the lights bother me in the middle of the night" issue? This is a problem for people who like really-dark rooms. A strip of black velvet or Duvtyne cloth and some velcro can mask off the glowing display without ruining the IR control.

Depending upon the receiver, it's NOT a good idea to kill the AC power on a regular basis. There are setup options that may get lost after the unit is removed from AC for a few minutes or a few days. So I dont think a timer on the power strip would be a good idea.

 

[Drew_W]

The ventilation in the rack is going to be worked on, but it doesn't get very hot after being turned on for a while (warm yes, hot no). Just from a power conservation standpoint, it makes sense to me to turn it off when I'm not using it. But it also makes sense that I shouldn't be turning it on and off 5 times a day. The receiver (Elite 53tx) has a nice front panel dimmer, which can be set to turn off the display entirely, except for very faintly displaying the volume level. So lights aren't an issue.

I suppose the power savings of turning it on and off constantly will be negligible compared to the wear and tear on the receiver?

 

[Bob McElfresh]

That IS a nice reciever for a bedroom unit

Your reciever WILL consume a small amount of power just sitting there, but I suspect a 25 watt "night light" uses more. (But to be honest, I dont know what the on-but-unused power usage is)

It's more like a 12v trigger power strip runs about $80 and other solutions may be in a similar range. So it's a trade off.

 

[Drew_W]

Thanks Bob. The receiver was "borrowed" from the basement theatre when I got my Veritas 2.1s since my H/K 225 was running out of steam even with my Take 5.2s. It will eventually go back when I find something suitable for up here. I'll probably post about it at a later date, I'm still not quite sure what I want to do. The theatre is out of commission temporarily anyways as that room is filled with boxes from the furnace room where the hot water heater decided to explode last week.

But back on topic, I'll leave it on and see what happens. Thanks for the advice.