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I have a HDMI -> VGA cable for my Pi that works well when I want to use it.

The cable stays slightly warm even when not in use, but connected - I would like to know if it's possible to "shut down" power to the HDMI port if/when there is no activity - like a computer going to sleep (does the Pi sleep? - I usually just turn off the monitor) - or does the cable draw power from the VGA side via the turned-off (but not unplugged) monitor?

I am running raspbian in CLI mode, no GUI, so some of the screen-saver settings/graphics may not apply or be available to me.

user2813274
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2 Answers2

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Unfortunately not, 5v is connected directly to the HDMI port and there is no way to toggle that power supply.

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If you were desperate to this you could cut the 5V PCB trace and make your own switch, using a transistor and GPIO pin. But that will void any warranties.

Piotr Kula
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It may be possible to disable HDMI port via software: If you're running a headless Raspberry Pi, there's no need to power the display circuitry, and you can save a little power by running /usr/bin/tvservice -o (-p to re-enable). Add the line to /etc/rc.local to disable HDMI on boot. https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blogs/jeff-geerling/raspberry-pi-zero-conserve-energy

Not sure if it is possible for Raspberry Pi to auto-detect that you have switched off the monitor.

Wikiwide
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