CF-31 Backlight

Does anybody know how to change the default back light level? When the CF31 starts it goes to full brightness until a user logs in and then a second or two later it goes to the brightness the user set.

The problem is that full brightness is blindingly bright.

please help.

thanks - Dominik

 

On the cf-30 there is a setting in the bios that can reduce the screen brighness
It has 2 settings
This might work for your cf-31 as well

If you do not need full brighness , check the bios settings (F2 while booting)

Btw I think you are the first on the forum to have the cf-31
What specs and model number is yours

 

He is the first that I can see... I'm jealous! pics please?

EDIT: err should I say... In depth review?

 

I personally like the CF-31AGP782M.

I'll get back with an answer about the brightness.

 

CFATAAX2M, sorry to those of you who expected a fully loaded model.

For the review, it will come, with pictures taken with the DMC-TS2, which I will then also review. But for now my wife, in her infinite wisdom, has suggest I hold of on the review until I am familiar with the product and can say something about it.

Back to the problem:

The BIOS setting doesn't help as it only reduces the brightness down to 500 nits, now that does hurt less but it is still blinding.

Also right before it cuts of the screen it likes to flash a white screen at full brightness. Also hurts a bit : (.

I must say that this is XP, not Win 7, as I have not upgraded to 4gigs of ram I am afraid it won't be enough for Win 7 (current is 2gb).

let me know if you have a solution for me.

Fear not, the review will come : ). I look forward to it myself.

 

When my 30 starts up it is bright too , the easy fix for this was to use a darker backbround. Worked for me

My 30 worked fine with W7 with 2GB, It has 4GB now but really do not see any difference

 

Did it have the problem with Win 7 too? If not I will seriously consider installing Win 7... but I also feel like Win Xp is better suited to a low res screen. .

BTW, I am using a darker screen already, but da#n 1100 NITs is bright, no matter how dark the background : P

 

The reason why I am avoiding Win 7 is because my PC runs Win 7 and it is useing 2.36 GB right now, without any heavy computations.

Im afraid it just isn't enough. : (

 

I found that a lot of the windows backbrounds are very bright and will take the eyes out of you head so I did some searching for "toughbook backgrounds". Check this link, some members had a thread going once
http://forum.notebookreview.com/panasonic/340486-toughbook-background.html some cool ones. Let me know if this helps

W7 works great on my CF-30 and it was a easy to install.

 

It helps, but it is no solution, Id like a solution

but thanks

EDIT: btw this is what I feel like: http://nohbdyshome.deviantart.com/art/my-new-laptop-64034934

 

I know you are probably asking the original poster of this post to show us pics, but I figured I would show some pics as well.

Below is (2) pictures of the CF-31AGP782M.

Windows XP (Win7 COA), Intel Core i5-540M 2.53GHz, vPro, 13.1" Touch XGA, 4GB (2+2), 250GB, Intel Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, TPM, Bluetooth, ATI Discrete Graphics, Smart card, GPS, Fingerprint, Emissive Backlit Keyboard, Gobi2000, Dual Pass (Upper WWAN/Lower GPS), Multi-Drive, Toughbook Preferred

 

Holy smokes......never left out an option did you.....fully loaded and ready to go, Rob's going to drool over this one

 

These are in high demand and at a high price. I could only wish of owning one of these bad boys.

Of course the Government requests these a lot. What do they care, it's not their money.

 

In the BIOS of the CF-31, you can "dim" the display.

 

@ gothed

I looked at the picture and I agree with you
That is way too bright , totally unusable at this point I'm afraid
It looks to me that panasonic is going backwards in their new products

I gave quite a bit of thought to this, and unlike others
I do have a solution

I have a very clean CF-37 c/w a large 10GB hard drive Fast pc 100 extra ram for a total of 192MB ram
Fast Plll processor running @450Mhz , built-in cd rom drive , Heck I could go on and on about this very special Toughbook

The best part is that the backlite is failing , notable on white backgrounds especially
It probably specs out @ 130 nit brighness scale today , and if it continues to degrade will be less than 100nits by christmas

How about a trade ?
Give my offer some serious thougtht , ps don't tell the wife ( this can be a surprise )

 

Sounds like a good deal.

 

An in depth review....

I can tell you this, the CF-31 feels a lot cheaper than my CF-30. It appears to be much lighter, not sure if it's due to a different battery or what, I will have to do a little more checking.

Also, the CF-31 uses a specific optical drive for it, so you can't use the drive from your CF-30 in it.

The start up brightness is too bright, even after adjusting it to normal brightness, it is still too bright.

On the plus side, it is new, boots fast, has the same ergonomics as the 30, and the price was right.

 

I suppose I have no CF-30 to compare it too, but I do know that the 31s ship with a lightweight battery, maybe that is what you are noticing, other then that, my 31 inspires nothing but confidence in me. The optical drive may be true, I don't have a need for such a device.

I suppose I will contact Panny about the brightness issue.

Tomcat57
I don't know.... mhh, maybe if you throw in a second battery?

: P ...

NO, no way, this is the second day on one charge : ).

Dominik

 

I hate both of you! I WANT ONE! AHHH!!!!!!!!

 

I'll take two. :wink:

mnem
*Poking the hornet's nest with a stick*

 

OK, the optical drives don't interchange. How about the HDD caddy?

Glen

 

i just picked up a cf 31 and honestly......i'm not impressed with it, If feels very cheap unlike all my other toughbooks it came with windows 7 professional and the second day i wiped it out and used the windows xp recovery cd and now it runs better but again.....not impressed at all for what it cost

 

@ jeffreyhuff249

How is the screen?

That is the main reason I want a cf-31

 

How does it feel cheap?

In my opinion, it feels better than the CF-30 "all-around".

 

The screen is good no issues with that, The lid is very thick.i guess i am just use to the older toughbooks and i have been using my cf-73 for awhile now and got use to it not being as thick.

 

Just in case anyone is interested. Got my CF-31 in the mail today. Came installed with windows xp SP 3, recovery disk for xp and a recovery disk for windows 7 professional. 1 extra battery.

Also, the mobility radeon 5650 is not the same as other notebooks. It's only 512 vram, core and shader clocked @ 300mhz, and memory clocked @ 400mhz. Cannot be overclocked at all either. It's essentially cut in half from a stock 5650 in any other laptop.

 

@ Daax

Thats still a large improvement over onboard as my cf-30 has
Remember this is a fully rugged model

If you were going to game with it you would of bought a dell rugged right

 

I understand it's rugged. I just wanted to clarify in case anyone was wondering. On Newegg it falsely stated that it was the 1gb version. I don't want there to be any confusion to those who decide to purchase one of these.

More info about it. The screen is bright. Insanely bright. At about 1/3rd brightness it is as bright as my Sony Vaio Z, if that gives you any indication.

 

The caddy plugs right in, obviously it won't run the unit.

I like my 30 better than the 31, the 31 just feels "hollow" and cheap.

 

Load it with options. It won't feel hollow and it sure won't be cheap.

 

It's already not cheap. I couldn't complain about the options for the price though.