xset -dpms does not disable power saving

[Egor]

The key issue is that I cannot watch films, since my display turns off every 10 minutes, with AC plugged in.

I tried to cast
$ xset -dpms
$ xset dpms 0 0 0
$ xset s off

In all cases screen becomes black in 10 minutes of inactivity, while vlc is playing video.

$ LC_ALL=C vlc --version
VLC media player 2.0.1 Twoflower (revision 2.0.1-0-gf432547)
VLC version 2.0.1 Twoflower (2.0.1-0-gf432547)
Compiled by buildd on crested.buildd (Apr 3 2012 18:33:14)
Compiler: gcc version 4.6.3 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.6.3-1ubuntu3)

I'm not sure, if this bug is of xset or i915…
The following command works, switching off the screen:

$ xset dpms force off

I use LXDE without any screensaver process launched, if I haven't missed any.

# LC_ALL=C apt-get remove xscreensaver
Package xscreensaver is not installed, so not removed

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: x11-xserver-utils 7.6+3
Uname: Linux 3.4.0-030400-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu10
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Jun 29 19:14:35 2012
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=ru_RU.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: x11-xserver-utils
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

I also have the issue running Lubuntu 12.10 on a desktop with no screensaver. I use open-source radeon driver, so it's not specific to intel/i915
xset -q claims DPMS is off.

[Egor (gluk47)]

Dave, have you laptop_mode installed? Maybe it's the cause?..

I've just edited /etc/laptop-mode/conf.d/dpms-standby.conf and restarted laptop-mode service.
I changed CONTROL_DPMS_STANDBY to 0, but it made no effect.
Now I increased the limits of *_STANDBY. I will wait now, maybe this change helps me.

[Egor (gluk47)]

Ah, I see, if I stop laptop-mode, the screen still goes off in 10 minutes.

[Egor (gluk47)]

// off. Dave, sorry for the stupid question about laptop_mode, I missed the fact that you use desktop.

[Egor (gluk47)]

I wrote a workaround: x-no-blank-screen.sh and vlc (shell script too), then placed vlc in the directory listed in the path so that it's called instead of /usr/bin/vlc. The files are below, but it's a dirty hack only. Maybe someone will find it useful, though.

=== vlc ===
#!/bin/bash
trap 'kill %+' EXIT
if type x-no-blank-screen.sh &>/dev/null; then
        x-no-blank-screen.sh&
fi
/usr/bin/vlc "$@"

== x-no-blank-screen.sh ==
#!/bin/bash
while :; do
        xdotool key ctrl;
        sleep 9m # bug: this sleep is not killed when vlc exits. I don't know how to fix it; I've warned you, the workaround is dirty :)
done

[cfaber (cfaber)]

I'm hitting this bug as well, it seems that DPMS does turn off, however something keeps re-enabling it. I've disabled it every place I can find short of xorg.conf hack to completely kill it.

[apm (apm-linux)]

Thank you Egor.

[Prajna (prajna.pranab)]

Seems this bug still persists in 14.04

I use 'xset dpms 0 0 1200 -dpms s off s noblank s noexpose' in my .profile but something keeps switching dpms back on.

Even if I use xset -dpms in a teminal something re-enables it.

I am also suffering from having to hit a key every 10 mins or so when watching a video in vlc.

xset - q reports:

DPMS (Energy Star):
  Standby: 600 Suspend: 900 Off: 1200
  DPMS is Enabled
  Monitor is On

shortly after having issued xset -dpms.

After no keyboard activity for some minutes a notification is displayed, near the bottom of the screen, showing a brightness setting (a screen icon, a 'progress bar' and a percentage) which usually begins at 60% followed some minutes later by one showing 40% then later 0%. Despite the notification the screen does not dim but does eventually blank. The function keys (F6 and F7) do work to adjust the screen brightness, though no notification is displayed. It used to be that a brightness notification (different format, a sun icon and a thinner 'progress bar') was displayed on the upper-right of the screen.

I don't have xsreensaver.

My power setting in the control centre is set to suspend after 30 mins of inactivity when on battery and not suspend when plugged in.

In Brightness settings I have full brightness, dim unchecked and blank set to never.

I'm running kubuntu 14.04 on a Toshiba NB-200.

[Prajna (prajna.pranab)]

Some additional comments:

dpms gets reactivated whether I am plugged in or running on battery.

There have been occasions when dpms has not been reactivated and I can watch a full movie without being bothered by the dpms notifications, though I have not identified any pattern to this.

[le hollandais volant (timovn)]

I use "xset -dpms && xset s noblank && xset s off" and it seems to work, but only in the current session, not when after a logout or a reboot.

Otherwise, this is still conflicting with the GUI for screensaver settings/power management…