HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Hi folks, this is actually a new thread: How to increase screen dimming/blanking timeouts!

thanks to derf in @maemo for help on this!

To set your display dim and blank timeouts directly (for e.g. to 1/2 hour and 1 hour - 1800 and 3600 seconds respectively) run this from ssh/xterm:

gconftool-2 -s "/system/osso/dsm/display/display_dim_timeout" 1800 -t INT
gconftool-2 -s "/system/osso/dsm/display/display_blank_timeout" 3600 -t INT


You can also add round values to the list of timeouts that 'display settings' shows in the drop down list!

gconftool-2 -t list --list-type=int -s /system/osso/dsm/display/possible_display_dim_timeouts [30,60,120,300,600,1800,3600]

gconftool-2 -t list --list-type=int -s /system/osso/dsm/display/possible_display_blank_timeouts [30,60,120,300,600,1800,3600]

And the best part - your settings will be persistent after reboot!

\o/ Wooohooo! :D

(edit) I did this as root user.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

This is EXTREMELY useful information ArnimS! I have long been searching for a way to execute greater control over the power management on my N800. Lack of granular control of power management settings has kept me from using the N800/N770 in several commercial projects. It is one of my longest standing unresolved complaints about the Nokia Internet Tablets. Being able to specify an arbitrary time value is very helpful, although I wish there was a way to disable the timeout entirely. Do you know what range of values can be submitted?

I believe this should allow programs like Kismet to run in a persistent state without need for constant user interaction. There seems to be a seperate bug with Kismet on the OS 2007 release 3 which causes Kismet to stop collecting data after 20 someodd seconds. Can anyone confirm that the above fix works for OS 2007 release 2? If so, I might just downgrade.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Fantastic! Thanks so much,
Neil

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Real nice! Thanks.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I agree with the other posters that this is very useful information.

Unlike many users, I tend to turn my N800 off regularly, since at the moment I'm not using it every day. After the recent OS update, I was delighted to find that I no longer have to go into the Control Panel every time I turn it on to reconnect my Bluetooth keyboard. So far so good. However, sometimes when I reestablish an existing connection, although the keystrokes are recognized by the application that I'm using, they don't keep the screen alive, so I have to poke at it with my finger every few minutes. That gets irritating very quickly. This looks like the answer to my problem. Thanks.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

There is, you can write a daemon or program that sends 'pings' to keep the screen alive.
Not offhand, and testing large values would take longer than i can keep away from the device.

A high blanking timeout would be really useful for a kiosk application, or for point-of-sale demo units where the tablet is meant to attract attention. Not that i've ever seen a live unit being displayed.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

i tried this , installed xterm , but it keeps giving me errors... could you reply with exactly what to type when i first open xterm?

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

This is excllent. Are this and other How-Tos kept in a single location on this website?

Thanks

W

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

gconftool-2 -t list --list-type=int -s /system/osso/dsm/display/possible_display_dim_timeouts [30,60,120,300,600,1800,3600]


press <enter>


gconftool-2 -t list --list-type=int -s /system/osso/dsm/display/possible_display_blank_timeouts [30,60,120,300,600,1800,3600]


press <enter>

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

You should also be able to do this using the gconf-editor. Just follow the same path osso->dsm->display. You can edit the entry on the right side. I haven't actually performed this mod, but it should be the same thing.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Ok both the mistral (770) and bora (800) versions of derf's ac monitor daemon are ready for release.

I modified the 770 version to compile without the libconic routines missing from IT2006.

You can grab them from my projects page.

http://home.arcor.de/arnim.sauerbier/software.html

Cheers

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Thank you both!

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

ArnimS,

Now this is a grate peace of tool I hope to see more tools coming arround!
Grate work

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Ok just installed the deb file but I dont see no extra functions or timming... Am I missing something?

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

thanks ArniimS and Derf, this is really useful.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Did you install the deb file NokNok?

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

SeRi@lDiE
run 'ps ax|grep acmonitor' from xterm. It should already be running. Acording to the website you now adjust timings both on and off ac power and it will remember them.

Rick

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

got it thanks.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

It seems to work ok.. although I'm a bit worried about what the webpage said about "The 800 version also helps keep your network connection alive". I don't need any such help, it stays alive perfectly well.. I don't know what it does but if it's e.g. activating the network now and then as a 'keep alive' then it'll be a battery drag. We'll see I guess.

The other thing is that as there is no option in the control panel to extend the display-on time to more than 5 minutes there still isn't a way AFAIK to get it to keep the display always-on in AC mode. Even my Palm T3 can do that, out of the box! :)

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

This could be a very handy tool. I installed from file however, I can’t get it to work either. The display settings still cap-out at 2 and 5 minutes for dim and off respectively. Does it only work if you run 'ps ax|grep acmonitor' from xterm? I am not comfortable taking that route. Is there another fix? Thanks in advance.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

The 'ps' command is just to check if it runs. The best way to verify that it works is simply to plug in the charger, go to control panel, screen, set timeouts to e.g. 2 and 5, leave control panel, remove charger, go back to control panel,screen. The settings should now be different. That is, you can now change these settings to what you want for the battery case. Some low values, presumably. Then quit control panel *). Plug in the charger, go back. The settings should now be as you first set them while you had the charger in previously.

The way acmonitor appears to be working is to keep track of whether you're on AC or not, and whenever it changes it'll push one of two different sets of screen settings into the proper places (presumbably the /system/.../display settings described in post #1 above).
So, thinking a bit more about this, we appear to be limited just by what values the control panel allows you to set.. presumably one could use large values using 'gconftool' as described in post #1, when the AC is in, to work around the control panel settings limitation.

(After re-reading post #1 I'm pretty certain it would work.. but I haven't tried yet)

p.s.-
*) I haven't actually checked if it's necessary to leave/re-enter control panel between configuring for AC/battery. But that's how I do it anyway.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

TA-t3, thanks for the step-by-step. It's still not working. The 2 and 5-minute timeouts don't change upon plugging/unplugging and entering/exiting control panel. I'll uninstall the package and reinstall it later today. Hopefully, that will work.

Thanks again.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

The "ps ax|grep acmonitor" is to see in the current state the service is running on. Is not to execute the program.. Mine work just fine.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

BTW, I used the following version:
http://planetmath.cc.vt.edu/~derf/lo..._0.1_armel.deb
(I noticed that the link on http://home.arcor.de/arnim.sauerbier/800powr.html points to a 'mistral' version, so I just went looking for a 'bora' ditto and found the above. I have no idea if they really are different.)

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I downloaded the file from http://home.arcor.de/arnim.sauerbier/770powr.html (Post #11). I have also tried version http://planetmath.cc.vt.edu/~derf/lo..._0.1_armel.deb as suggested. Neither one works. The first will actually install, but it doesn't work. The second one needs 3 lib's that I don't have. I'll have to play with this later since I'm currently at work. Who knows, maybe I'll get the courage to "go root"! ;) Many thanks…


This is more an update:
Ok. I uninstalled/re-installed the file from http://home.arcor.de/arnim.sauerbier/770powr.html and it still doesn't work. The second file, http://planetmath.cc.vt.edu/~derf/lo..._0.1_armel.deb needs the following to install properly: libconic0; libgconf2-6 (>=2.6.4.15); and, lib0ss01 (>=1.20-1). I looked for these by entering Red Pill mode in App Manager, but didn't see them there. Any ideas on where to get them? Seems like I should know this but I'm drawing a blank.
Thanks.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I'm having the same issue... The app doesn't seem to have affected anything on my N800.

-T.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Update:
Mine is working ok but now my battery wont finish charging. :?

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I think there may be some misunderstanding regarding what acmonitor does. It does not increase your delay timeout options.

The program itself just remembers different settings for the 'plugged-in' and 'not-plugged-in' state.

1. Plug the device in, set a high screen brightness and dim delay.
   
2. Unplug the device, set a low screen brightness and dim delay.
   
3. Plug the device in again. You should see the high screen brightness and dim delay set automatically.

If you want a higher delay timeout, run the commands mentioned at the top of this thread.

The n770 version is for the Nokia 770, and the n800 version is for the Nokia 800. Do not install the n800 version on the Nokia 770.

(Edit) How many of you would like me to create an installable package that just runs the commands to increase dimming and blanking delays? What delays would you like added? I have 30 and 60 minutes set up on mine.

(Edit) Re: Battery not finishing charging - i've seen this happen (without the acmonitor program installed) as well. I don't know what causes it.

Cheers,
Arnim

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

This is one of the most useful things I learned in these forums!

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I installed the N800 daemon yesterday, having already added the longer timeouts from the command line. Seems to be working as designed.

However, I suspect the 'keep alive' battery drain postulated by TA-t3 is real. After a fresh charge, I used the device for less than an hour, then turned off the screen and put it away. Later that day, the battery was too low to power back on. I'd get a few seconds of white screen, then blackout. Had to put it back on AC. If this behavior repeats today, that's a show stopper. I'll report back.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

More data in case it matters: My N800 is configured to connect automatically through WiFi or manually through Bluetooth. Yesterday I was out of WiFi range so used my BT cell link before disconnecting and going to standby. So the dormant device had no connection to keep alive. I wonder whether this caused the daemon to get hyperactive in its attempts to stay connected...

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Thanks for the feedback jpj. I wonder whether the connection keepalive code should be in there in the first place, as it's not really part of the core functionality.

Could you (or another reader) test the 770 version on the 800? I removed the connection keepalive stuff from that version, and if it runs on both devices it might be an alternative for those who are having battery issues.

http://home.arcor.de/arnim.sauerbier/software.html

Arnim

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Arnim, thanks for the quick response. The 770 acmonitor 0.1 works fine on my N800: brightness levels and timeouts follow the adaptor state. I'm heading out tonight to another place where I haven't yet configured my WiFi access, so I'll hold off long enough to duplicate yesterday's actions under the same conditions. If the battery still runs down in standby, I'll know to look for another culprit. But if I was a betting man, I'd wager that you've nailed it. Will report back.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Well, apparently I was mistaken about the battery eater. Even with the 770 acmonitor 0.1 (no keepalive code), something else is still sucking it dry in the idle (screen and keys off) state: Six or seven hours from full charge to shutdown. I suspect that 'something' could be the metalayer-crawler process chewing on the CPU.

I have literally 2,000,000+ map files on my internal 8GB SDHC card (reformatted to 2K cluster size), so if the crawler is walking that tree, it's likely to die of exhaustion before finishing. What fun! Suggestions, anyone?

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I am not sure jpj I am some what having the same issue.... after I install the acmonitor I am not able to charge the battery correctly... It drains in less than an hour and it wont take charge...

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I am going to try the new pkg from 770 see how it goes for me.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I find the metacrawler and canola-conf (if you installed canola) can really eat up CPU processes. It's scary.....


Luke

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

I just found the source of the problem...
When I use to put the N800 to charge powered off the light will dim and eventually turn off.... Now since the dim settings change and acmonitor is active the screen light remains ON causing the N800 to take longer to charge... a big no no this could cause major damage to the battery and screen since the screen is pretty much on all the time..

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Then just turn down your blanking delay in the charging state. Acmonitor doesn't take that control away from you.

Re: HOWTO: Increase Screen Dim/Blank timeouts!
 

Sorry I didn't meant to sound like a ahole...