Discussion:
Adaptive Brightness
(too old to reply)
croy
2019-12-08 16:17:19 UTC
Permalink
The page here:

https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness

... states:

"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the adaptive brightness option."

But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.

Any thoughts?
--
croy
Jo-Anne
2019-12-08 17:16:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
At this website on how to disable adaptive brightness
https://lifehacker.com/disable-windows-annoying-adaptive-brightness-feature-on-1567886994
it says: "Adaptive brightness is available in Windows 7 and 8, but will
only be visible if your hardware supports it." If that's indeed the
case, the university's statement is misleading. (For what it's worth, I
tried to find it on my Windows 7 Dell laptop and couldn't.)
--
Jo-Anne
Paul
2019-12-08 17:38:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4569-power-efficiency-diagnostics-report.html

powercfg -energy -output "C:\Full Path\Energy_Report.html"

"Platform Power Management Capabilities:Adaptive Display Brightness is supported.

This computer enables Windows to automatically control the brightness of the integrated display."

It's a laptop thing, at a guess.

There could be a service in Services.msc for it.

NET STOP "Adaptive Brightness"
sc config SensrSvc start= demand

I can't find a corresponding PNP or ACPI table object that
corresponds to it. Perhaps the Device Manager has an
entry when one is detected ?

I don't think my laptop has this.

Paul
Frank Slootweg
2019-12-09 19:57:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the
adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4569-power-efficiency-diagnostics-report.html
powercfg -energy -output "C:\Full Path\Energy_Report.html"
"Platform Power Management Capabilities:Adaptive Display Brightness is supported.
This computer enables Windows to automatically control the brightness of the integrated display."
FWIW, on my (HP Pavilion 15-p142nd) laptop with Windows 8.1, the
above powercfg command reports the above message ("Adaptive Display
Brightness is supported.") and the Control Panel 'Power Options' applet
(-> Change plan settings -> Change advanced power settings) indeed has:

[-] Display
...
[-] Enable adaptive brightness
On battery: On
Plugged in: On
Post by Paul
It's a laptop thing, at a guess.
Yep.
Post by Paul
There could be a service in Services.msc for it.
NET STOP "Adaptive Brightness"
On my system, 'Services' (services.msc) does not report a service with
that 'Display name:'.

NET STOP and NET START give "The service name is invalid.".
Post by Paul
sc config SensrSvc start= demand
On my system, the 'SensrSvc' service ("Display name: Sensor Monitoring"
Service) has "Startup type: Manual" and is *not* 'Running'. I don't
think I have ever changed the 'Startup type' (Why would I!?) and can't
be bothered to change it now (to 'Automatic' or 'Automatic (Delayed
start)') to see if my display behaves differently.

The 'Description:' box of the service says:

"...
If this service is stopped or disabled, the display brightness will not
adapt to lighting conditions."
...
"

So it seems that despite the 'Power Options' setting, the fact that
the 'SensrSvc' service is not 'Running', implies that adaptive
brightness can not be working.

Just for kicks, I 'Start'ed the 'SensrSvc' service and blocked/
unblocked my webcam with a piece of cardboard. I did not see any
difference in the display brightness. (It is evening/dark here and the
laptop is on a table under a lamp.)

N.B. After some time, the 'SensrSvc' service is again in 'Service
status: Stopped', without me stopping it! (N.B.2. It's a nuisance that
the 'Services' program (services.msc) does not automatically refresh its
display, so the 'Service status' might change without one noticing it. I
happened to notice, when I (again) did right-click -> Properties. So
after that, I did Action -> Refresh (or click the 'Refresh' icon) all
the time! Sigh! :-()

I do not know if my laptop has another - than the webcam -
light-sensor. If it does, my test is bogus.
Post by Paul
I can't find a corresponding PNP or ACPI table object that
corresponds to it. Perhaps the Device Manager has an
entry when one is detected ?
I can not find any Device Manager entry related to (adaptive) display
brightness, light-sensor, etc.. Just general stuff, including general
ACPI stuff (for example 'ACPI Lid', 'ACPI Thermal Zone').
Post by Paul
I don't think my laptop has this.
Paul
Paul
2019-12-09 21:59:45 UTC
Permalink
Post by Frank Slootweg
Post by Paul
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the
adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4569-power-efficiency-diagnostics-report.html
powercfg -energy -output "C:\Full Path\Energy_Report.html"
"Platform Power Management Capabilities:Adaptive Display Brightness is supported.
This computer enables Windows to automatically control the brightness of the integrated display."
FWIW, on my (HP Pavilion 15-p142nd) laptop with Windows 8.1, the
above powercfg command reports the above message ("Adaptive Display
Brightness is supported.") and the Control Panel 'Power Options' applet
[-] Display
...
[-] Enable adaptive brightness
On battery: On
Plugged in: On
Post by Paul
It's a laptop thing, at a guess.
Yep.
Post by Paul
There could be a service in Services.msc for it.
NET STOP "Adaptive Brightness"
On my system, 'Services' (services.msc) does not report a service with
that 'Display name:'.
NET STOP and NET START give "The service name is invalid.".
Post by Paul
sc config SensrSvc start= demand
On my system, the 'SensrSvc' service ("Display name: Sensor Monitoring"
Service) has "Startup type: Manual" and is *not* 'Running'. I don't
think I have ever changed the 'Startup type' (Why would I!?) and can't
be bothered to change it now (to 'Automatic' or 'Automatic (Delayed
start)') to see if my display behaves differently.
"...
If this service is stopped or disabled, the display brightness will not
adapt to lighting conditions."
...
"
So it seems that despite the 'Power Options' setting, the fact that
the 'SensrSvc' service is not 'Running', implies that adaptive
brightness can not be working.
Just for kicks, I 'Start'ed the 'SensrSvc' service and blocked/
unblocked my webcam with a piece of cardboard. I did not see any
difference in the display brightness. (It is evening/dark here and the
laptop is on a table under a lamp.)
N.B. After some time, the 'SensrSvc' service is again in 'Service
status: Stopped', without me stopping it! (N.B.2. It's a nuisance that
the 'Services' program (services.msc) does not automatically refresh its
display, so the 'Service status' might change without one noticing it. I
happened to notice, when I (again) did right-click -> Properties. So
after that, I did Action -> Refresh (or click the 'Refresh' icon) all
the time! Sigh! :-()
I do not know if my laptop has another - than the webcam -
light-sensor. If it does, my test is bogus.
Post by Paul
I can't find a corresponding PNP or ACPI table object that
corresponds to it. Perhaps the Device Manager has an
entry when one is detected ?
I can not find any Device Manager entry related to (adaptive) display
brightness, light-sensor, etc.. Just general stuff, including general
ACPI stuff (for example 'ACPI Lid', 'ACPI Thermal Zone').
Post by Paul
I don't think my laptop has this.
Paul
My other post has an example of a chip intended for the purpose.
It's a six pin DIP with two photo sensors inside the chip and
an opaque cover to blend the light and measure light over
180 degrees incoming. The chip must be placed in such a
way, that it is coupled to external light. (Which could
be done with a plastic lightpipe.)

Rather than use a webcam, it's a dedicated sensor on high end laptops.

https://www.maximintegrated.com/content/dam/images/design/tech-docs/4913/4913Fig04.gif

Mine doesn't have that.

The chip costs less than $2, but no knowing how much less.

Paul
Mike Easter
2019-12-08 18:07:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by croy
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
My Win7 help says "Adaptive brightness is not available in all editions
of Windows 7" and my Win7 Pro (desktop) does NOT have adaptive
brightness where some report it to be in power options.

https://www.howtogeek.com/241771/how-to-adjust-your-pcs-screen-brightness-manually-and-automatically/
If you’re using Windows 7 or 8, and don’t have a Settings app, this
option available in the Control Panel. Open the Control Panel, select
“Hardware and Sound,” and select “Power Options.” You’ll see a “Screen
brightness” slider at the bottom of the Power Plans window.


Not.
--
Mike Easter
GS
2019-12-09 14:52:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mike Easter
https://www.howtogeek.com/241771/how-to-adjust-your-pcs-screen-brightness-manually-and-automatically/
If you’re using Windows 7 or 8, and don’t have a Settings app, this option
available in the Control Panel. Open the Control Panel, select “Hardware and
Sound,” and select “Power Options.” You’ll see a “Screen brightness” slider
at the bottom of the Power Plans window.
That slider does what the Fn+Brightness keys (left/right arrows) do; - more
flexible than the keyboard increments!
--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
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comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion
Paul in Houston TX
2019-12-08 18:29:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
That is mainly for laptops that have a light sensor.
Does your computer or screen have a light sensor?
Does it show up in the bios?
Adaptive brightness won't work if the device cannot see the ambient light.
J. P. Gilliver (John)
2019-12-09 01:09:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Paul in Houston TX
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the
adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
That is mainly for laptops that have a light sensor.
Does your computer or screen have a light sensor?
Does it show up in the bios?
Adaptive brightness won't work if the device cannot see the ambient light.
I haven't seen a newish laptop without a camera for some time; they
ought to be able to use that as a light sensor. I'm not at all surprised
they don't, though.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)***@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

I'm too lazy to have a bigger ego. - James May, RT 2016/1/23-29
Paul
2019-12-09 09:43:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by J. P. Gilliver (John)
Post by Paul in Houston TX
Post by croy
https://it.nmu.edu/docs/adaptive-brightness
"All computers with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 will include the
adaptive brightness option."
But I have not been able to find it on my desktop Windows 7 Pro x64 computer.
Any thoughts?
That is mainly for laptops that have a light sensor.
Does your computer or screen have a light sensor?
Does it show up in the bios?
Adaptive brightness won't work if the device cannot see the ambient
light.
I haven't seen a newish laptop without a camera for some time; they
ought to be able to use that as a light sensor. I'm not at all surprised
they don't, though.
They could do that on Windows 10, because of the FrameServe.

On Windows 7, if you connected to the camera, it might "deny"
other programs gaining access, such as Skype or VLC, if you
were using the webcam as an adaptive brightness source.

*******

Here's a sample chip. This one might be out of production.

https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/design/technical-documents/app-notes/4/4913.html

You can get the sensor mounted on a PCB for about two and a half
bucks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MAX44009-GY-49-Ambient-Light-Sensor-Module-with-Header-4P-Pin-Module-for-Arduino/172399280820

It uses two photodetectors and seems to be subtracting the
difference between detectors.

Loading Image...

It's a weird looking IC package. And they'd have to be
careful, as you don't want light shining on the silicon
holding the ADCs. That would upset them (wrong readings).

The benefit to a laptop maker to use a device like that,
is it has the ADC inside the package, and sits on a
serial bus for easy readout.

Paul
croy
2019-12-10 04:41:24 UTC
Permalink
Thanks everybody for the informative replies.
--
croy
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