Debian Lenny Monitor Power Saving Configuration

bruceam · 07-27-2009, 01:54 PM

I have an NVidia GeForce 7600 that is driving two Samsung SyncMaster 2693 1920x1200 monitors. I have enabled the Power saving features on my KDE 4.1.4, but there seems to be no effect. Regardless of how long I wait, the monitors still remain on and operational (with the screen saver clearly visible on the displays). I have a fully functional Xorg.conf file that seems to be working just fine. The monitors are both rated for power saving features, and when there was only one monitor connected to the computer, these features worked. I have a fully functional Xorg.conf file that seems to be working just fine. I have enabled the "Power Management" modules in the Xorg.conf file.

Can anyone suggest ways of configuring this system so that power saver systems actually put the monitors into "Standby" and later "Power Off" modes as per the settings in the KDE setup?

farslayer · 07-28-2009, 03:47 PM

so you have the following items in your xorg.conf already ?

In the Monitor section add:

Quote:

Option "DPMS" "true"

Next, in the ServerLayout section add:

Quote:

Option "StandbyTime" "10"
Option "SuspendTime" "20"
Option "OffTime" "30"

http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/power/xorg_dpms/

Just a hint, when posting your question and saying you have the setting in there already.. you should post what you put in.. maybe you missed one, ans someone could quickly spot the issue. As it is we have no idea what you have in your config already...

cheers !!

bruceam · 08-01-2009, 03:34 PM

farslayer,
Thanks for the information. I have configured my xorg.conf file as you suggested, but the power saver "Power Down the Monitors after a Specified Time" feature still doesn't work. And thanks for he reminder. I should have included the listing of my xorg.conf file on the original post. I have rectified this situation below and included some other pertinent information below:

I am running a dual monitor system with two Samsung SyncMaster 2693HM monitors. The graphics card I am using is an "xFx GeForce 7600GS". Both monitors are driven digitally via the graphics card's DVI ports. I would put the version of the NVIDIA drivers that I am using, but I have forgotten how to determine that. I did build and install the newest ones around the first of June this year, so they are fairly recent.

Code:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"DualMonitor01"
	Screen		0			"Center" RightOf "Left"
	Screen		1			"Left"	LeftOf "Center"
	InputDevice	"Belkin Smart Keyboard"	"CoreKeyboard"
	InputDevice	"Logitech Track Wheel"	"CorePointer"
	    Option "StandbyTime"	"10"
	    Option "SuspendTime"	"20"
	    Option "OffTime"		"30"
EndSection

Section "Serverflags"
#	    Option		"NoPM" "False"
#	    Option 		"StandbyTime" 	"10"
#	    Option 		"SuspendTime" 	"20"
#	    Option 		"OffTime" 	"30"
EndSection

Section "Files"
	RgbPath		"/etc/X11/rgb"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load		"dbe"
	Load		"extmod"
	Load		"freetype"
	Load		"glx"
#	Load		"Type1"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Belkin Smart Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	    Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	    Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	    Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Logitech Track Wheel"
	Driver		"mouse"
	    Option		"Protocol" "auto"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"SyncMaster2693HM_0"
	VendorName	"Samsung"
	ModelName	"SyncMaster2693HM"
	HorizSync	30.0 - 110.0
	VertRefresh	50.0 - 150.0
	    Option		"DPMS" "true"
	    Option		"SyncOnGreen"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier     "SyncMaster2693HM_1"
	VendorName     "Samsung"
	ModelName      "SyncMaster2693HM"
	HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
	VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
	    Option         "DPMS" "true"
	    Option         "SyncOnGreen"
EndSection

#Section "Monitor"
#	Identifier     "SyncMaster2693HM_2"
#	VendorName     "Samsung"
#	ModelName      "SyncMaster2693HM"
#	HorizSync       30.0 - 110.0
#	VertRefresh     50.0 - 150.0
#	    Option         "DPMS" "true"
#	    Option         "SyncOnGreen"
#EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"GEForce7600GS0a"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	Screen		0
	VendorName	"NVIDIA Corporation"
	BoardName	"xFx GeForce 7600GS"
	    Option 		"RenderAccel" "true"
	    Option		"TwinView"
	    Option		"MetaModes" "1920x1200, 1920x1200; 1920x1200, 1600x1200"
	    Option		"SecondMonitorHorizontalSync" "28-80"
	    Option		"SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "43-76"
	    Option		"TwinViewOrientation" "LeftOf"
	    Option 		"NvAGP" "3"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier     "GEForce7600GS0b"
	Driver         "nvidia"
	Screen		1
	VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
	    Option 		"RenderAccel" "true"
	    Option		"TwinView"
	    Option		"MetaModes" "1920x1200, 1920x1200; 1920x1200, 1600x1200"
	    Option		"SecondMonitorHorizontalSync" "28-80"
	    Option		"SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "43-76"
	    Option		"TwinViewOrientation" "LeftOf"
	    Option 		"NvAGP" "3"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Center"
	Device		"GEForce7600GS0a"
	Monitor		"SyncMaster2693HM_0"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
	    Depth		24
	    Modes		"1920x1200"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Left"
	Device		"GEForce7600GS0b"
	Monitor		"SyncMaster2693HM_1"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
	    Depth		24
	    Modes		"1920x1200"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

#Section "Screen"
#	Identifier	"Right"
#	Device		"GEForce7600GS0b"
#	Monitor		"SyncMaster2693HM_2"
#	DefaultDepth	24
#	SubSection "Display"
#	    Depth		24
#	    Modes		"1920x1200"
#	EndSubSection
#EndSection

Please ignore the third monitor and screen section (that has been commented out). I am seriously considering putting a third monitor on this machine, and while I was configuring this file, I went ahead and put the hooks for a triple monitor system into it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by farslayer

so you have the following items in your xorg.conf already ?

In the Monitor section add:

Next, in the ServerLayout section add:

http://linuxreviews.org/howtos/power/xorg_dpms/

Just a hint, when posting your question and saying you have the setting in there already.. you should post what you put in.. maybe you missed one, ans someone could quickly spot the issue. As it is we have no idea what you have in your config already...

cheers !!