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How-To Geek Forums / Windows XP

Lowering the Monitor (LCD) Brightness Further

(13 posts)
  • Started 5 years ago by sebcole
  • Latest reply from sebcole
  • Topic Viewed 4549 times

sebcole
Posts: 7

Hi. As with all LCD displays that I have tried, the lowest customisable setting in contrast and brightness is not pitch black as in CRT's. This bothers me since I do not have full control of how low the monitor projector light goes. Since I often work at night, the minimum settings are still too bright.

I havent found an answer to whether it is possible to lower it further by recalibrating it somehow or another method. This question is purely about the overall brightness and not colour tones..etc.

The only way I have tried is the hardware controls. Thanks a lot ! :)

Posted 5 years ago #
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Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

If it is out of (or you're not worried about) warranty, then a fairly simple hardware mod can be done which involves fitting a potentiometer. Do you have a techy friend you could ask?

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

woe - that sounds specialist. Um, Im not sure. What does this do - as in does it affect the lifetime of the screen - and will it ahve the desired effect of full contol of fade to black?

ISn't there any other softwarial or gimmicky way that can be found on the computer?

Posted 5 years ago #
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Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Posts: 13598

Anybody who repairs digital TVs should be able to do the modification. It is a lot easier to do on a stand alone screen than on a laptop due to lack of space

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

Thanks lighthouse. Is this the caase for ALL LCD's? Why dont they fade to black like good old CRT monitors??

Posted 5 years ago #
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taybay
taybay
Posts: 521

I've found software that can help you with this. I wish I could remember what it was.. a google search will lead you in the right direction.

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

I have googled for months, and honestly - I could not find the solution. This site brought hope, with the unofficial and quirky solutions that get worked out.

I knew there must be a piece of software for it! Anyboy, please help me end my crusade!

Posted 5 years ago #
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taybay
taybay
Posts: 521

Here you go. Not what I had used before, but similar and still useful.

http://lifehacker.com/software.....252607.php

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

Hi, on first looks - that seems brilliant. I have tried the program, but to no avail. Can you remember what u use? How on earth did u find that so quick :) I spent weeks trying to see if there was something. The profiles do not seem to change the character of my monitor - colours or brightness.

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

Hi peeps, as you can see I am eager to get a result with my regular posting. I have tried 2 gamma editing programs, and NONE of them have made any difference? Is there a fundamental concept I am missing? The first was the one kindly suggested by TayBay. The second is here:

http://free.download-231-14073.....ector-agc/

The only program of the many others I have tried related to screen dimming is one from jockersoft.com. It is related to opacity of shading the screen with a colour. This would be ideal - however it affects my appalling graphics card speed at other tasks, and thus afects the speed of real time activities on the screen.

Posted 5 years ago #
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Scott
Scott
Posts: 5618

In the comments section of the Lifehacker blurb Taybay posted was this:

"...have you tried Volumouse to dim/brighten the screen? It couldn't be simpler... Go to settings, select "Mouse cursor is over desktop," and "screen brightness." Then, place the cursor over the desktop, scroll up/down, and you control the brightness...."

http://lifehacker.com/software.....196273.php

Posted 5 years ago #
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taybay
taybay
Posts: 521

Well I found my old software.. but it does the exact same thing that the first software I suggested does. After thinking about it, I'm not sure this is possible without a hardware hack. The reason is because LCD screens require more power to make black pixels, and less power to make white pixels. The reason black uses more power is because the colors in the pixels are determined by the way the crystal is oriented in the display. More voltage means more turning, and the further the crystal is turned, the less light it will let through. The most you can do with software is make the pixels black, but even then you can't get true black without very expensive screens. To actually darken the screen, you would have to turn down the backlight, which I'm not sure is possible with software.

Anyway, here is the other software if you even want to try:
http://www.adpartnership.net/D.....index.html

It acts exactly the same as the first, such that if you use them together, one will reset the other. This second one is easier to tweak and comes with a few presets. Worth a shot, I suppose.

Posted 5 years ago #
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sebcole
Posts: 7

Thanks for all the help. A solution is still needed. All gamma editors do not work - and it may be something to do with my graphics card - since one of them said 'your graphics card does not support a loadable color look up table'. No idea what that means, but its such a shame there isnt a easy way to mod it within the bios / control panel..etc.

Posted 5 years ago #
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