Ambient Light Sensor

Does anyone keep this active on their MBP?

I find the screen keeps dimming everytime I bring my hand over the left speaker area so I eventually had to disable it.

The other question I had is regarding the LED screen. Does running it at a higher level of brightness affect its lifespan?

I ran my old laptop (6 yo) at the highest setting all the time. While I never noticed any dimming when using it, I can definitely see a massive drop in brightness when comparing it to my MBP or even the desktop monitors I have around the house. (Not to mention a significantly darkened splotch near the bottom of the screen)

 

your old laptop had a light bulb pushing the screen, LEDs are much better, and last a lot longer with degredation.

i use the ambient sensors. there is one in the left speaker grill (Primary), and one in the right (secondary).

 

hard to make certain assessments about LED backlighting, as its new consumer tech. should last longer. i also found the ambient light sensors annoying and turned it off.

 

I turned it off, I prefer manually adjusting the brightness.

 

yep turned it off as well. i wouldn't worry about the screen just use the screen as much and at a level you want for as long as you need, the computer will kick it before the screen will.

 

yeah I turned it off, it's annoying.

 

I keep mine on, I dont keep my hands around the sensors constantly that it bugs me.

And its useful when the bus goes under a bridge or something, and it automatically dims.

Though I do override it at times, but not to the point where i'd turn it off.

 

Kind of Off Topic...my MacBook doesn't have an Ambient Light Sensor, but my iPod Touch does, and I love it. When I'm outside, the screen gets brighter, when its pitch dark the screen dims. I guess it seems the MBP's Ambient Light Sensor isn't really appreciated (maybe there's a flaw, I don't know).

 

really? i had no idea ipod touches have that feature

i've gotta check mine now

 

Settings > Brightness .

 

hmm...my brightness never changes

could be the huge plastic case I have engulfing the unit!

 

The iPhone is the same way. While the MBP sensor drives me nuts, I like the iPhone one. It only brightens when you go outside. If you're still using it when you go inside, it stays on full brightness and doesn't dim during usage. Have to hit the power button once and then again to turn on the iPhone and reset the ambient light sensor. I assume it's the same on the Touch.

 

My Macbook doesn't have it but my MBA does and it works like a charm, I love it when the sensor senses low lightening conditions and adjusts it for me automatically for both display and keyboard.

 

The MacBook Air one is "OK." It doesn't drive me quite as mad as the MBP, but it's still not perfect. If you're in a room with shadows and someone walks past you and the sensor picks it up, there goes your screen brightness up and down and up and down. I still can't help but think that light sensors on laptops will never fully work because of these reasons...

 

for the first time in over 5 months the ambient light sensor annoyed me today, i was typing on the floor though so my hands were in a skewed position. i love the feature