Mild static shock causes projector to go haywire (2 Viewers)

[tomsmyth]

I have a Sony VPLHW15 projector. If I have my aluminum body laptop hooked up to it via HDMI (through a receiver) and I happen to have any static electricity on my body and I touch the laptop and get a shock, then the projector starts flashing on and off with a period of a few seconds. Sometimes it recovers but sometimes is keeps doing this until I have to turn it off, wait a few mins for it to cool, and then turn it back on. Very annoying!

The other day this also happened when I got a shock of a nearby light switch. Not sure if the current reached it through the laptop (which was plugged in) and HDMI, or if it went through the power outlet for the projector, but it got there somehow!

What is going on here? Any way to prevent this?

Thanks!

 

[schan1269]

Use a wireless keyboard.If your laptop is Windows 8...WiDi.

 

[Type A]

So I tell my doctor, "Gee Doc, it hurts when I do this." And I swear he pipes up and says, "Well then don't do that."Short of that I would train yourself to ground before touching the laptop. Its more of a problem in the winter when the air is more dry and static builds up easier.

 

[Glen B2]

Yes, sounds like the air is too dry. Get a humidifier, and set it to run automatically. It will cycle on and off to maintain the moisture level at the setting you choose. That should solve the problem. Units come in whole-house models that are plumbed so you never need to manually fill them, and large portable units with tanks up to around 5 gallons, that need to be refilled periodically. During periods when the air is very dry, you could find yourself filling the water tank about twice per day.

 

[Dougofthenorth]

Costco has some great deals on really good humidifiers that have built in changeable filters that remove particulate so as to avoid the white dust issue - they also have the cool mist (ultrasonic) feature so no heating element is required, saving energy
We just got a Pureguardian H1500 there ~$100.

Better yet of course would be a furnace mounted whole home solution
- the newer HVAC systems integrate them into the smart thermostat units.
- if you are in a geographical location where a furnace is needed (as in all of Canada).
Or AC in hot dry areas added to air plenum.