Monitor Power saving does not work in X window manager

Cirilobeto · 09-06-2005, 10:11 PM

I have a problem with slackware 10.1. Ever since i installed it, the monitor power saving feature was not activated.

So i went through the procedures that make it active. This includes:

Adding in xorg.conf
--
Monitor section:

Option "DPMS"

Serverlayout section:

Option "OffTime" "25"
--

set in KDE and Gnome the Display Power Management features ON and set the times.

Nothing happened.

Then i went on tu configure the kernel and installed the 2.6.0 kernel. I activated ACPI, and APM is not active since in the kernel it is stated that APM is for laptops and i have a desktop.

this didn't help either. the monitor will not turn off.

However, i have noticed that if i go to console mode with Ctrl+Alt+F6, and leave it there, the monitor WILL turn off after a given time. then back at Xfce, KDE or Gnome, or the rest of the window managers, the screen doesn't turn off.

My computer is a Sony VAIO with an intel mb, the video is an integrated ATi Rage Pro Turbo (mach64 chip), but i doubt this is a driver problem since the monitor does turn off in console.

by the way, using:

----
$ xset q
----

it shows that DPMS is enabled and should turn off in 1500 seconds (25 mins)

what could be the problem?

elyk · 09-06-2005, 11:24 PM

I think that not all monitors support the off time option, try setting the standby or suspend times.

Code:

Option "blank time" "10"
Option "standby time" "10"
Option "suspend time" "15"
Option "off time" "20"

Cirilobeto · 09-07-2005, 09:09 AM

well, no, that didn't have any effect

Cirilobeto · 09-07-2005, 09:10 PM

ok, i'll just ask a question.

Is APM exclusively for use with Laptops? or is it compatible with desktops too?

if i have an old computer ('98 BIOS), is ACPI better than APM?

mi computer is a desktop.

carboncopy · 09-08-2005, 07:46 AM

APM is Advance Power Management. All 'modern' computers (desktop and laptop) have it. Some may be buggy but mostly is ok.

On Desktop, it allows your OS to switch off the power when you shutdown computer. And as well let you spindown your harddisk when it is not needed, turn off monitor when you left it idle.

ACPI is something different. Mostly useful for laptops.