LCD brightness and light

English Hardware
#1

I have problems with my ASUS X5DIJ display.
It is to dark and it is flashing intermittently.

What I understand it has to do with ASUS backlight system and that a workaround is to set the brightness and light values to fix values by adjusting two files.
/sys/devices/platform/asus_laptop/ls_switchand **/sys/devices/platform/asus_laptop/ls_level
**
I can not change those files for some reason.
I try as root to chmod them (and that works fine) and then

echo '0' > /sys/devices/platform/asus_laptop/ls_switch

but it just responds with a

bach: echo: write error: In/Out-error

Any suggestions here?

As I see it this is still just a workaround.
How is this going to be solved in a correct manner?
Is it kernel-specific changes that is required or is it on a distribution-level the problem needs to be solved.

Using - opensuse 11.1 | ASUS X5DIJ | Gnome |

#2

> I can not change those files for some reason.
> I try as root to chmod them (and that works fine) and then

why did you chmod them?
what did you change them from and to?
are you working from a checklist, how-to or instructions?

share that cite with us please…

–
platinum

#3

I first found this solution on support.asus.com,but now I can not find the same thread again.

It is also present in Asus PRO58S brightnes and Asus m50vm brightness light sensor ans openSuSE 11.1 here at opensuse.

This files have the file permission

---------- 1 root root 4096 22 sep 08.21 ls_level
---------- 1 root root 4096 22 sep 08.21 ls_switch

I changed them to

-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4096 22 sep 08.21 ls_level
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4096 22 sep 08.44 ls_switch

just to ensure that it should not be the permissons that should be the problem. Still I can not write to the files.

#4

Here is some more information. Sorry for not including it from start :shame:

freefox@linux-walk-about:~> sudo /usr/sbin/hwinfo --gfxcard
09: PCI 02.0: 0300 VGA compatible controller (VGA)              
  [Created at pci.318]
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_2a42
  Unique ID: _Znp.+Z2cv4pDpdF
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0
  SysFS BusID: 0000:00:02.0
  Hardware Class: graphics card
  Model: "Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset"
  Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
  Device: pci 0x2a42 "Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset"
  SubVendor: pci 0x1043 "ASUSTeK Computer Inc."
  SubDevice: pci 0x1862 
  Revision: 0x09
  Memory Range: 0xfd800000-0xfdbfffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  Memory Range: 0xd0000000-0xdfffffff (rw,prefetchable)
  I/O Ports: 0xcc00-0xcc07 (rw)
  IRQ: 16 (8270 events)
  I/O Ports: 0x3c0-0x3df (rw)
  Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d00002A42sv00001043sd00001862bc03sc00i00"
  Driver Info #0:
    XFree86 v4 Server Module: intel
  Driver Info #1:
    XFree86 v4 Server Module: intel
    3D Support: yes
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

10: PCI 02.1: 0380 Display controller
  [Created at pci.318]
  UDI: /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/pci_8086_2a43
  Unique ID: ruGf.W0QEpw5u4F5
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.1
  SysFS BusID: 0000:00:02.1
  Hardware Class: graphics card
  Model: "Intel Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller"
  Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
  Device: pci 0x2a43 "Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller"
  SubVendor: pci 0x1043 "ASUSTeK Computer Inc."
  SubDevice: pci 0x1862 
  Revision: 0x09
  Memory Range: 0xfdd00000-0xfddfffff (rw,non-prefetchable)
  Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d00002A43sv00001043sd00001862bc03sc80i00"
  Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

Primary display adapter: #9

I notice that the hwinfo specifies the cards as Model: “Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset” and Model: "Intel Mobile 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics while my vendor specifies the graphic as Intel GMA 4500 if that can give anyone a clue about anything.

Still, the problem is the same. My display flicker slightly and is a bit to dark.

#5

Just a note about GM45 and GMA 4500. According to Intel GMA - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia the chipset GM45 belongs to the graphics core GMA 4500MHD which is not the same as the GMA 4500.

As I understand it the GMA 4500MHD has in fact higher performance than GMA 4500. Nice to be fooled in that direction for ones. :slight_smile:

#6

Hi,

I’ve seen this thread just now …
Seems to me that the problem is the light sensor. These “symptoms” are the ones I experienced with the light sensor.

Just to make sure try to locate the sensors and cover it with your finger. They are usually located in a plastic ribbon over the keyboard, above the Fn keys, maybe near the leds …
Once covered the tft goes to darkness.
If on the other hand you illuminate the sensors , with a light for example, the lcd goes to maximum intensity.
If this happens then you did not disable the sensor.

The above command works on a Asus m50vm.
I can not guarantee the same will happen on your system.
Also please do not change permissions on ls_switch and ls_level.
Just reboot and they will be the same as before.
Also in order to issue the command to disable the light sensors (you could also try to play with the sensors light level …but that is for latter )
You must be on the cli logged as root. The command works and all you need to do is to create a script and run it on boot.
That solves the problem.
My Asus (a very good machine no doubt), had the same issue.
Disabling it (with the above mentioned command) solves the issue and you can control manually the lcd brightness with the Kpowersave application.
And it is a wonderful laptop (too bad I am now stuck with a desktop …).

Regards,
Pedro

#7

Thanks for your reply.
I jumped onto the openSUSE 11.2 train, and there things works better.
I can increase/decrease/turn on/turn off the screen light via key board function keys.
The light sensor is default off. I have not tried to activate it. And dont know if it possible.
openSUSE 11.2 works great for me. ( This far :slight_smile: )

Best regards,
freefox