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How to increase brightness on batter power

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:09 pm
by IdeaDirect
Can't find anything in search and think this should be a simple question...

When on battery power, the screen is dimmer than on AC power. I have the display brightness (using Fn/Home Fn/End) set to max but it is still quite a bit dimmer.

I set ATI catalyst to Maximum performance on battery power but that didn't do anything.

Turned power schemes to maximum performance and that did not affect brightness either.

Looked all over thinkvantage.

Any ideas?

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:44 pm
by carbon_unit
Open up "Thinkpad Configuration" and click on "LCD". There is the setting for brightness on batteries. Otherwise go into the BIOS to change the setting.

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 3:58 pm
by whakojacko
carbon_unit wrote:Open up "Thinkpad Configuration" and click on "LCD". There is the setting for brightness on batteries. Otherwise go into the BIOS to change the setting.
Yes. I think those 2 are the same setting, but im not sure

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:19 pm
by christopher_wolf
Not quite the same setting. On battery, the BIOS dims the screen if the option to do so is enabled; regardless of the current screen brightness level. :)

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:17 pm
by GomJabbar
Actually the setting in ThinkPad Configuration and in the BIOS is the same thing. The ThinkPad Configuration can change some BIOS settings. The choices are Normal (reduce brightness on battery) and High (do not reduce brightness on battery). A High setting here will not necessarily leave the LCD at maximum brightness.

The schemes under Windows Power Options in Contol Panel, or in ThinkPad Power Manager, or in Battery Maximiser are different than the BIOS settings. There are 7 levels of brightness that can be set here for when battery, and separately when on AC power. A maximum setting here will not necessarily leave the LCD at maximum brightness on battery.

Both settings have to be made above to get maximum brightness on battery power.

Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:13 pm
by IdeaDirect
Thank you all. This did the trick. This was trickier than I thought and the terminology "normal" and "high" is not clear.

When on battery power, the LCD meter would still show 7/7 (max brightness) but would dim. I created a power scheme that also showed 7/7 but it still dimmed.

And just to clarify, I don't normally run at max brightness 7/7 when on battery. But when sharing the screen with a client or in a very bright room, I wanted to be able to turn the lcd to the max on battery once in a while.

Thanks all.