[moved] Is it ridiculous to think that it is possible to add a USB-port to a monitor?

Hello Guys!

I just got a raspberry PI model 3 B.
(Power info https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/hardware/raspberrypi/power/README.md)

My idea is to connect the PI to a monitor and start the PI when I turn the monitor on.

I got a monitor:
https://www.dell.com/ed/business/p/dell-se198wfp/pd
Unfortunately it do not got an integrated USB-port.

Is it ridiculous to think that it is possible to add a USB-port to this monitor by my self?

Best regards
Fredrik

Re: Is it ridiculous to think that it is possible to add a USB-port to a monitor?

Short answer - Yes, it would be almost impossible. If you open the monitor you will find a tiny PCB with a custom IC on it, you would have to replace it with one of your own while still maintaining the functionality of the original.

Why do you want USB anyway? The Raspberry Pi has an analog video output and a HDMI output, neither are compatible with USB.

Brian.

Re: Is it ridiculous to think that it is possible to add a USB-port to a monitor?

betwixt said:

Short answer - Yes, it would be almost impossible. If you open the monitor you will find a tiny PCB with a custom IC on it, you would have to replace it with one of your own while still maintaining the functionality of the original.

Why do you want USB anyway? The Raspberry Pi has an analog video output and a HDMI output, neither are compatible with USB.

Brian.

Click to expand...

I think you misinterpreted what the OP wants.

They want to power the Pi from a USB port that powers up when they turn on the monitor. Not drive the monitor thru USB from the Pi.

- - - Updated - - -

edit: I would think it wouldn't be that hard to find the supply for say the LED backlighting and connect that to a +5V regulator and connect that to a USB female receptacle.

Re: Is it ridiculous to think that it is possible to add a USB-port to a monitor?

Thanks Alan, I can see the alternative meaning now.

Yes, but the Pi can need as much as 2A at 5V which is more than a normal USB socket can supply. You can do it by building your own 5V/2A supply inside the monitor and using a USB type socket to carry it to the outside. Basically you would be using the monitor casing as the container for a new power supply. That still leaves the problem of how do you enable or disable the new PSU in time with the monitor being activated. You would need to find a suitable voltage on the internal control board that could be monitored and without a schematic I can't advise on that. Be careful that you use a voltage that is on regardless of whether the monitor is in standby mode or not, you could get into state where the Pi video turns off, the monitor powers down into standby mode and that turns the Pi off completely!

Brian.

Hello guys!
(Pardon my english)
Thanks for all advice.

Yes the idea was just to power the PI. And my idea was if I could find some pins on the board inside the monitor that constantly giving 5v with 2A when the monitor is on, perhaps then I could just cut a USB cabel and "solder" the end on those pins. And then just let the female end dingling out through a drilled hole of the casing.

But I now understand that finding such power points inside the monitor might be difficult.

Best regards

Hi,

Experienced users may find the power supply and maybe 5V connections.

But nowadays monitors are built cost effective and low power: therefore I think drawing 10 additional watts could overload the internal power supply.

Klaus

Exactly.

Use the internals of the monitor to enable the PSU that powers the pi, so as said - build a new PSU board into the monitor if there is room - if not then you will need to have it in an external enclosure and have the monitor provide a signal to turn on power to it - not to power it.

Pick a power rail that is only enabled when the monitor is powered, a simple way is to have that power a relay that provides the power to the pi psu.
Or you can get a bit more complex and have a mains extension lead that you build in current monitoring to one of the sockets (powering the monitor) and if the socket draws enough power for the monitor to work then it enables another socket that powers the pi psu.
I have seen this done to use an extension lead for a PC that will once turned on power the monitor because PC's no longer come with the IEC power outlet they used to have for the monitor.