2nd Monitor Keeps Dimming - Computer Technical Help

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2nd Monitor Keeps Dimming

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03-31-2015 , 05:04 PM

numberonedonk

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Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 2,182

I'm running 2 monitors on a custom PC I built running Windows 7. The main monitor is hooked up via VGA and the 2nd monitor is hooked up using HDMI.

Recently the 2nd monitor started dimming on it's own sometimes and one of the only things I've found work is keep a web browser open in it. I was playing on Bovada today and playing the 4 tables kept it bright but as I was finishing my session I was down to 2 tables and it started to dim itself.

Also another monitor question....when I go to tile the Bovada tables (only tried this with 2) one of them went to my main monitor and the other went to my 2nd monitor. Any solutions?

Thanks

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04-01-2015 , 06:02 AM

mahnahmahnah

adept

Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 805

The first part should be fairly simple - there must be a power setting that is dimming the 2nd monitor when not in use. If you go into control panel, Power Options, edit the plan settings (may need to go into Advanced), you should be able to change this behaviour.

Don't know about the second one.

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04-01-2015 , 12:11 PM

Baobhan-Sith

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Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4,279

^ Wait, are you saying it's possible to standby a single idle monitor in a multi monitor setup? I don't think it is because I wanted this like forever, and not even the coders over in Programming knew of a working solution.

Also OP sounds like it's happening randomly, which sounds much like a loose contact or defective hardware.

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04-01-2015 , 03:06 PM

numberonedonk

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Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 2,182

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baobhan-Sith

I don't think it's a loose contact or defective hardware because anytime I pull over a my browser it instantly comes back to full brightness

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04-02-2015 , 09:22 AM

mahnahmahnah

adept

Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 805

Quote:

Originally Posted by numberonedonk

I don't think it's a loose contact or defective hardware because anytime I pull over a my browser it instantly comes back to full brightness

It really does sound like a power saving mechanism... Have you checked to see if there are any power saving options on the monitor itself?

How many GPUs are you running? and which ones?

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Originally Posted by Baobhan-Sith

Hhhmmm, you've got me questioning myself now... I'm sure I have seen this in the past... one monitor in power saving and 1 in use.

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04-02-2015 , 09:51 AM

mahnahmahnah

adept

Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 805

Was sure I had seen it somewhere....

http://www.computing.net/answers/win...ode/14564.html

Install the drivers for the monitor and ensure all power saving features turned off.

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04-02-2015 , 09:56 AM

mahnahmahnah

adept

Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 805

It depends on what / how / why you wanted 2nd screen shut off, Baobhan, but maybe this is what you were looking for?

http://superuser.com/questions/26852...ning-windows-7

It doesn't actually power off the monitor, but it blackens the 2nd screen.

Edit: actually, there are several different ways to do it in that thread.

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04-02-2015 , 08:01 PM

Baobhan-Sith

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Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 4,279

Thank you very much. Unfortunately, all known workarounds rearrange windows and desktop icons every time I trigger the sleep mode or switch the monitor profile. Except for the java script as it seems so I'll look into that.

Just ftr, I want my primary (!) and one of my secondary monitors (DP and DVI) to go into sleep mode (signal + backlight off) while I watch TV/videos on my 3rd monitor (HDMI). I want to trigger that manually so the monitors don't wake up by mouse movement, and I don't want windows and icons to be rearranged.

Apologies for the hijack.

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04-03-2015 , 12:08 AM

numberonedonk

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Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 2,182

Quote:

Originally Posted by mahnahmahnah

It really does sound like a power saving mechanism... Have you checked to see if there are any power saving options on the monitor itself?

How many GPUs are you running? and which ones?

I checked in the monitor settings and didn't see anything. I also checked in the power settings and display settings in the control panel and didn't see anything. I reset everything to factory so maybe that will fix it.

I'm just running the built in graphics (Intel HD 4600) that came with the processor.

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04-03-2015 , 06:46 AM

#10

thunderbolts

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Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,596

Is it a Dell? Some of them get a bit screwy with power management sometimes. I've had to reset one of mine this week for similar reasons.

You could try this:

Power down your PC and the monitor (use its power button to switch it off if it doesn't go automatically). Disconnect the power cable from the monitor, and the DVI cable (or whatever) at both ends. Hold down the monitor power button for 5+ seconds. Then reconnect everything. Switch the monitor on using its power button. Then power up the PC. Select DVI (or the relevant input) if you need to at any point.

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