How can I turn off the screen?

I have just become the proud owner of a new M11x. Currently, I am very pleased with it. However, I miss the function to turn off the screen at the touch using FN+another key, unless I am useless and have not discovered it. I can only dim the screen by using FN+F5 but I want to be able to turn it off completely. My question is whether it is possible to manually turn off the screen immediately or do I have to program it to turn itself off using power settings?

 

You could try windows + P.

 

I have tried it but Windows+P seems to be the projector function...

 

Here's a thread about it. You can download a program and make a shortcut with a key combination to turn off the monitor.

 

Thanks for the link. It did not occur to me to use "display" in my forum search!

 

Try this one - very small footprint...

Turn Off LCD
1. Download TurnOffLCDv101.zip. This is a small 85kb Freeware application. BIG Thanks to Taimur Asad for writing this AWESOME little application.

 

^nircmd.exe is the programs used in the previous thread, and it's only 32 kb . Nircmd also has a ton of features ( http://nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html), but if you just want the lcd off, TurnOffLCD is certainly simpler.

 

Why not just close the screen? It doesn't have to go to sleep or trigger something else... turn that off. Heck, it used to be the default behavior of Windows. That's why backlights are still always hard-wired to the lid switch, even though the M11x has TWO sensors (not sure why but at least one is a magnetic relay switch).

 

I do not like closing the lid as an option for 2 main reasons. Firstly, I don't really want to open and close the lid too often as it probably is quite fragile. Secondly, I feel that closing the lid will enclose the heat and so have an effect on cooling. It may be a totally incorrect theory but my last laptop had cooling issues which meant it would overheat if I closed the lid, hence why I now generally avoid closing the lid while its on to avoid the risk.

 

Laptops must be designed to operate this way or else they would need to warn you not to use the settings. Toshiba once made laptops with exposed speakers at the hinges just to accommodate it and many manufacturers had secondary LCDs and controls to control music playback with the lid closed. With the LCD off, one of the major heat sources and power draws is also off so the standard cooling system may run even better, though the keyboard will undoubtedly get warmer.

 

Having the lid closed isn't going to have any appreciable impact on cooling whatsoever.

 

I agree. Even on systems like the Dell C840 (which I have) and the ASUS G73, both of which draw their cooling system air via top vents where the speakers are, are not negatively affected by closing the lid during extended opteration (I used my C840 in a docking station with a monitor stand ontop).

 

Yes hence why I said that it is probably an irrational thought but it is a personal preference and so I hope you guys could respect that.

 

No! I bash All! Hahaha! - j/k

Yeah, I used to like the screen down, since it made the laptop feel like it was "off" But now that AlienFX can even turn off the status lights...

 

Yes I think thats a great function too. When I was living on my own it didnt matter so much but now that I am at home, my mother hates me leaving the laptop on overnight or when I am not at home. So with AlienFX off and intel graphics, it looks like the machine is off!

 

Sorry, I'm kind of a newb when it comes to stuff like this. So after one downloads the nircmd file. What do you do to install it and use it? I downloaded it and then extracted the files and added the nircmd.exe to my windows directory... So now how do I use it? I was looking to use it to turn off the monitor...

Thanks!

 

^It explains it exactly if you follow the first link in this thread and the first link in that one, but here it is directly Create a Shortcut to Turn Off the Monitor in Windows 7

It's easier to use the program BatBoy posted.

 

I've taken apart enough laptops to know that most have a metal plate under the keyboard that is sinked to the components underneath. The keyboard is already an insulating layer. The plate likely still dissipates fine but your LCD may get noticeably hotter. I do agree that it is perfectly acceptable. In fact, I'm annoyed that it is now "default" to sleep when closed. It's cause so many ruined downloads and such.

 

Thanks for the link...
And thanks for the spoon feed, it's much appreciated.