Follow up:

 

I forgot to mention, the montior is connected to the PC via a Belkin FLIP USB (a KVM switch).

 

When I connect the monitor directly to the PC, it enters power-save when the PC enters stand-by.  (Good).  When connected via the FLIP, it enters the Self Check when the PC enters stand by. (Bad)

 

I have already contacted Belkin support to see if there is a reason the FLIP causes this.  On the Dell side, is there a way to adjust the montitor so it does not go into the Self-Check mode?

 

Note: I have tested with a different cable, which did not solve the problem. I also reconnected my old monitor, which enters power-save mode correctly. I think this eliminates the cable, video card, and operating system. The problem must be the E228WFP. Is there a service menu or some way to disable the Self Test Feature Check option?

 

I have the exact same problem except with two new E248WFP's- HOWEVER, using a straight cable without the KVM does NOT solve it in my case. And of course, the problem is only on the monitor with the VGA connection- the DVI does what you would expect and actually enters power save mode (power switch glows amber).

 

This is definitely a firmware problem, though the tech support guy said "oh, it's in power save mode even with that self-check menu on the screen". Not hardly! I'm sure that without a new PROM or FPGA or something equally hideous from Dell's perspective, that we will be left out in the cold, wearing our lovely monitors out before their time, and giving a bad name to earth day.

Would a Dell moderator care to respond?

 

How do you prevent the E228WFP from going into "Self Test Feature Check" mode?

 

This mode is preventing our monitors from entering PowerSave when there is no video signal. 

caa100,

Is there a way to turn the STFC off?
* No. In your case, the KVM switch cannot be read by our monitor EDID. There is no fix for this.

gkephart,

* You currently have monitor 1 on VGA, and monitor 2 on DVI. Put monitor 1 on DVI and see if the same issue occurs.

Tried it, and monitor one behaves correctly with DVI in, hence my conclusion that VGA in does not work properly (even with KVM out it didn't work correctly, unless there's a certain sequence of powering up, etc. that I didn't hit correctly).. .

 

* No. In your case, the KVM switch cannot be read by our monitor EDID. There is no fix for this.

 

When connected directly to a computer that is powered down, what is it that the monitor is able to read?

 

I am working with Belkin on this. Can you be more specific about what the monitor needs from the KVM?

 

 

I had the same problem and replaced my VGA cable without a PIN-5 with one that had it and it went into sleep properly.  So I guess you have to make sure that PIN-5 of the VGA cable is carried through from the Video card through the VMA to the monitor.

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@caa100 wrote:

 

* No. In your case, the KVM switch cannot be read by our monitor EDID. There is no fix for this.

 

When connected directly to a computer that is powered down, what is it that the monitor is able to read?

 

I am working with Belkin on this. Can you be more specific about what the monitor needs from the KVM?

 

 

Message Edited by caa100 on 04-25-2008 01:34 PM

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Any update on this caa100?  I have the same problem with my Belkin Flip and was hoping there is a workaround.

Sady, no.  I pursed this with both Dell and Belkin.  Basically, both blamed the other.

 

On the Belkin side, I escalated a support call to the point where I believe the agent was able to reproduce the problem.  I was told a product manager would be calling me to discuss.  Of course, I never received that call.

 

It seems pretty clear that when there is no signal, the Dell monitor is looking for some information from the video card that it cannot get when connected through the flip.  This prevents it from going to sleep.  I find this odd, since you can plug the monitor directly into the VGA port on PC that is powered down, and it will enter energy saving mode.   I guess that even with a powered down PC, there is something that the monitor is able to sense from the connection.  The Flip gets in the way of that.

 

I even downloaded a program from GRC that sends a "go into sleep mode" command to the monitor.  Normally, if you run this program, windows puts the monitor into energy saver mode.  (A good diagnostic tool.) When I execute this program connected via the FLIP, the monitor does not go to sleep -- it goes to the source select dialog.  It is as if the monitor's VGA cable has been unplugged.

 

This is really too bad, because like many people I have my PC's set to go into a standby mode after half an hour of being idle.  My family is accustomed to not shutting them off.  So basically, if we forget to turn off the monitor, the backlight stays on all night. 

 

I know this is shortening the lifespan of the monitor, but I can't live without the KVM. Next time, I'll look beyond the Dell models.  (Though I hear this happens with some Samsung monitors as well.)