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    M17x: Auto-dim when on Desktop or in Windows Explorer

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by wornways, Nov 18, 2009.

  1. wornways

    wornways Notebook Geek

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    Hi All,

    Since the first day I've had this system, I've noticed that when an application has focus, the display seems to be set to full brightness. But when the Desktop or a file system Windows Explorer window has focus, the display automatically dims until I bring up or switch to another application.

    I'd like the display to be set at full brightness all the time, so I've looked through the various Nvidia and Control Panel settings for something related to this behavior, but I have yet to chance upon where this Auto-dim "feature" is managed.

    Anyone willing to clue me in?
     
    wornways, Nov 18, 2009
    #1
  2. BatBoy

    BatBoy Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Check the Fusion module of Command Center or look in the Windows Power Profiles...
     

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    BatBoy, Nov 18, 2009
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  3. wornways

    wornways Notebook Geek

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    Hi BatBoy,

    I found these settings already and set auto-dim to off. The auto-dim I'm experiencing is of a different sort. It's as I switch between applications, or between applications and OS-specific windows like the Desktop or Control Panel. When in an application (such as here in Firefox), the display has full brightness, but when I'm in an Windows specific window, such as the file explorer (Windows Explorer), the display dims by several shades.

    This seems like something that would be Nvidia specific, but I haven't been able to find any settings that would let me control this kind of thing in the Nvidia settings or in Windows itself.
     
    wornways, Nov 18, 2009
    #3
  4. wornways

    wornways Notebook Geek

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    I got an idea and poked around some more. I have a feeling I know what's going on now, but I don't have time to check into it. I'll report back later when I have time to check into it.
     
    wornways, Nov 18, 2009
    #4
  5. Serephucus

    Serephucus Notebook Deity

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    If it's what I think it is, it can't be disabled.

    If you have a dark desktop background, then it's an auto-contrast type feature built into the monitor panel.
     
    Serephucus, Nov 18, 2009
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  6. BatBoy

    BatBoy Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Yeah - agreed. Sounds like this is what he is seeing. No joy with disabling it... :(
     
    BatBoy, Nov 18, 2009
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  7. wornways

    wornways Notebook Geek

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    Serephucus,

    I think you've nailed it. It's not when I switch between applications, but when colors and such change. So there's really no way to turn it off? Seems like if someone went through the trouble to design this "feature", then that same entity would have gone through the trouble of making it possible to control it.
     
    wornways, Nov 18, 2009
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  8. BatBoy

    BatBoy Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Negative - you are stuck with it like the rest of us :(
     
    BatBoy, Nov 18, 2009
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  9. wornways

    wornways Notebook Geek

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    Well these are pretty recent systems. Maybe Nvidia will include control access to this auto-dim thing with one of their driver updates.
     
    wornways, Nov 18, 2009
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  10. Quadzilla

    Quadzilla The eye is watching you

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    Its built into the panel itself from everything we know.. Drove me absolutely banana's :(...
     
    Quadzilla, Nov 18, 2009
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  11. jivemofo

    jivemofo Notebook Geek

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    It's built into the monitor and nvidia has nothing tondo wih it. It's a gimmic to falsely increase contrast ratio - it's darkest darks and brightest brights give huge range even though the screen can't display the entire range on a static scene. A screen with a constant contrast will not achieve the range a screen that the dynamic screens will... And i'm no fan of them.
     
    jivemofo, Nov 18, 2009
    #11