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I have a few monitors and an AV receiver. When I leave my workstation, I often want to turn these off. It's tedious hitting 4 buttons and afterwards unplugging my main screen — the power adapter makes a high pitch noise when the monitor is off but still plugged in.

I have considered connected it all to an outlet box and adding a switch, so I can turn it all off with one button.

Is it bad for electronics like these to be turned off at the outlet without pressing the "off" button first?

Note that I don't intend to turn off my computer on the outlet.

Update: I updated the Samsung Customer Service and I was told that cutting the power without using the actual power button is completely fine. If this applies to other brands, I have no idea.

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  • Yes, turning of electornics in this way is bad for them.
    – Ramhound
    Jun 24, 2013 at 11:41
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    Could you elaborate more on that and why? Also if you're the downvoted, please tell me why this is a bad question.
    – kba
    Jun 24, 2013 at 11:42
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    Suddenly cutting the power to electronics that are on will reduce their lifespan. The downvote is for the question that encourages extended discussion on a subject that is already well documented.
    – Ramhound
    Jun 24, 2013 at 11:48
  • Now I just found Monitor with light switch controlled outlet, harmful?. They seem to disagree with your comment, though.
    – kba
    Jun 24, 2013 at 11:49
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    And I don't think this encourages extended discussion. There must be only one right answer.
    – kba
    Jun 24, 2013 at 11:50

2 Answers 2

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I think it is probably useful to understand how and why a controlled shutdown and startup helps. With computers, a proper shut down lets it flush out whatever's on the disk. With most other devices, the idea is to try to avoid inrush current damaging the device as power flows into a newly connected circuit.

If a device is sensitive to such things its probably designed to handle it to an extent, and if you switch off things properly (first the device, through whichever proper method suggested by the manufacturer, then the power supply, and switch things on in the reverse order), things should be fine. Yes, its more work, but its the best way to avoid damage

I would however change that power adaptor. High pitched noises indicate a fault somewhere, possibly a VRM whem its not under load. This might be a bad thing.

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I have used the exact method your describing in the question for more than 15 years , and have never had a single problem. But there are thing for my specific items that i had to be VERY aware of.

Both computer systems (3 before) have always had those power switch boxes that sit under the computer monitor. on those power switch boxes are:
Printers
Desk Light
Audio amps , and various powered speakers
Monitors
Camera plugins (power for external camera items)
Scanner
Powered input items (joystick mouse things)
Internet modem switches routers and all.
External Drive boxes
and thing like that. These switches are used regularly to fire-up and power down any of those items at will all day long, and when walking away from the computer. With only 5-6 switch items, many things are bundled together in a grouping on the switch using 3X extention plugs and even power strips to handle all the possible powered devices via the 5-6 switches.

The base computers are NOT on those switch items, or are not switched off using that method Ever.

What items presented "Issues" when using this method?

Printers - InkJet printers Park thier cartriges/heads in a more sealed area to prevent dryout, Almost every inkjet must be powered off manually before pulling the plug on it.

USB HUB items, in monitors , or loose ones or wherever, any USB items that would want the "safe removal" BS a person wouldn't want to just cut off thier power, unless they are totally sure that they and the (relentless) system are not playing with those items. For any normal computer usage the safe removal must be used first.

Any Raid boxes, NAS boxes , external drive items , external SCSI or E-Sata would also fall along the same lines of slamming them out when they might be doing something (even if not initiated by you)

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  • So to clarify, no monitor of yours has broken the last 15 years in that setup? I can imagine you used CRT monitors back then, do you use LCD monitors?
    – kba
    Jun 24, 2013 at 21:04
  • never happened, over 27 Crt monitors and tvs being slammed off, and all the LCD monitors of all the types mine have lived at least as long as anyone elses. there is zero electronic reason that the shut off would damage anything. I could percieve that there COULD be a few minor electronics reasons why slamming them back on that way could cause some cheap stuff to fail, like via switching mosfets and stuff, but the majority of the makeup of most of the electronics there is little difference between hard switching and soft (digital) switching.
    – Psycogeek
    Jun 24, 2013 at 21:20
  • In the computer, it is more about the state of datas. slammed off nothing electrically would be of issue, slammed on, be it via the switch or via powered up auto by the bios, they always do a Tiered power up sequence. so other than the data loss problems and corruption, there is no electronics reason that it would increase failure rate or damages. Brown-outs :-) whole different matter.
    – Psycogeek
    Jun 24, 2013 at 21:23
  • oops, to clarify :-) i have never lost a tv or monitor ever anyways, want to buy a few 19" Crt computer monitors , got great color. I got a few LCDs sell em cheap, but shipping is more than thier re-sale value.
    – Psycogeek
    Jun 24, 2013 at 21:34
  • Okay, thanks for the answer! I don't understand the last part; are you offering to sell me monitors? If so, I'm happy with my current set. Besides, I don't think shipping from US to Denmark is economically feasible at all. ;-)
    – kba
    Jun 24, 2013 at 22:05

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