How to reduce brightness of flat panel desktop display?

[sling-shot]

I just bought a DELL 21.5" FullHD monitor for my desktop, connected through VGA cable.

I tried to reduce the brightness from Customize Your Desktop > Power settings. But it seems to have no effect on the display.
Is there any other method to control the display brightness without touching the monitor hardware buttons?

---------------------

I understand that LCD panels cannot be truly switched off just by using the power switch present on the panel itself. Can I unplug the monitor or use the wall power switch to kill its power supply safely?

[Yankee]

I just bought a DELL 21.5" FullHD monitor for my desktop, connected through VGA cable.

I tried to reduce the brightness from Customize Your Desktop > Power settings. But it seems to have no effect on the display.
Is there any other method to control the display brightness without touching the monitor hardware buttons?

---------------------

I understand that LCD panels cannot be truly switched off just by using the power switch present on the panel itself. Can I unplug the monitor or use the wall power switch to kill its power supply safely?

Yes, the xbacklight package in the repo.

Looks like:

$xbacklight -set 50

to set the brightness to 50%.

[Just17]

Have you checked the monitor set up?

It is usually available using the monitor buttons and such things as colour settings, brightness etc etc  should be set up there.

[pags]

Have you checked the monitor set up?

It is usually available using the monitor buttons and such things as colour settings, brightness etc etc  should be set up there.

But he did ask:

I just bought a DELL 21.5" FullHD monitor for my desktop, connected through VGA cable.

I tried to reduce the brightness from Customize Your Desktop > Power settings. But it seems to have no effect on the display.
Is there any other method to control the display brightness without touching the monitor hardware buttons?

---------------------

I understand that LCD panels cannot be truly switched off just by using the power switch present on the panel itself. Can I unplug the monitor or use the wall power switch to kill its power supply safely?

BTW, I don't see why cutting power to the LCD (when not in use) should be a problem...probably a good habit to shut it down via its own power button, first, and then kill the electricity...but it probably doesn't really matter (that I can think of).

[Yankee]

My HDTV 19" doubles as my computer monitor on occasion.
Changing the colors for the TV changes the colors for the
computer and vice-versa.   Changing things with LXAppearance
or xbacklight is for the computer mode only and leaves the TV
settings as is, of course.

regards,

FF

[Just17]

Have you checked the monitor set up?

It is usually available using the monitor buttons and such things as colour settings, brightness etc etc  should be set up there.

But he did ask:

I just bought a DELL 21.5" FullHD monitor for my desktop, connected through VGA cable.

I tried to reduce the brightness from Customize Your Desktop > Power settings. But it seems to have no effect on the display.
Is there any other method to control the display brightness without touching the monitor hardware buttons?

---------------------

I understand that LCD panels cannot be truly switched off just by using the power switch present on the panel itself. Can I unplug the monitor or use the wall power switch to kill its power supply safely?

BTW, I don't see why cutting power to the LCD (when not in use) should be a problem...probably a good habit to shut it down via its own power button, first, and then kill the electricity...but it probably doesn't really matter (that I can think of).

Another senior moment ......  not reading completely it seems 

[sling-shot]

I have already used the hardware buttons to set brightness to 50%
But I prefer using software options whereever possible. This being a desktop, it is shared among family members and also has Windows XP dual booting. I would not like to change brightness for other settings.

So xbacklight it is
Thanks.

---------

So I would switch off power to monitor when not in use. Good.

[agmg]

If you are using proprietary drivers for your graphics card, you can adjust brightness and color (amongst other things) from its control panel.

[Yankee]

So xbacklight it is

I autostart my xbacklight, always run about 50%.
Doesn't work with a vesa driver, handy little utility
otherwise.

[sling-shot]

Regarding xbacklight, I forgot to mention that it is now connected using VGA cable. It does not seem to be able to control brightness. There was some message about that. Right now I am not at my desktop. Will come back and post again.

[sling-shot]

This is the error I get:

Code: [Select]

[user@localhost ~]$ xbacklight -set 50
No outputs have backlight property


[Yankee]

This is the error I get:

Code: [Select]

[user@localhost ~]$ xbacklight -set 50
No outputs have backlight property


That screen doesn't support backlight adjustments,
don't have any others, except possibly the gnome
power manager which has a brightness adjustment
built in.

[yonnie]

I get a "command not found" error when trying the xbacklight above.  Where would I find the gnome control, or would I have it?  Using the LXDE version

[Yankee]

I get a "command not found" error when trying the xbacklight above.  Where would I find the gnome control, or would I have it?  Using the LXDE version

xbacklight is in the Synaptic Package Manager in any normal repo.

regards,

FF