It's all about the Software

My question is about how to turn off the display in Windows while SDR-Console is running. I have had this issue with both Windows 10 and Windows 11. If SDR-Console is open, Windows will not turn off the display after X minutes (whatever is set). This is true even if SDR-Console is minimized.

I've done a lot of research on Windows websites about this issue of the display not automatically turning off. The usual answer is to locate the app that is causing the problem and close it. That doesn't solve my problem since I want the app to run.

Why would I run SDR-Console with the monitor off? I do lots of spectrum recording while traveling. Sometimes (like this weekend) I am somewhere with noise coming in through the electric power lines. If I unplug the laptop and run off battery then the noise goes away. But if the display stays on that uses my battery faster. I don't have enough power to run unattended overnight. If my display would turn off then I could easily record all night off of battery power.

Does anyone know of a solution to this problem? BTW, this is not a problem with HDSDR - Windows will turn off the display when that program is running. But I prefer to use SDR-Console.

What does turning off Tools > Disable Screensaver do for you?

The screen saver is already disabled - I don't use it. But I tried turning it on and setting it to show a blank screen. But the screen saver doesn't come on if SDR-Console is running. That did give me one idea. I removed the picture I was using for wallpaper and set the background to be solid black. So now the screen is solid black with just a few icons. That should use less power than displaying a colorful photograph. Still, it would be nice if the screen would fully turn off.

With a standard LED display the power will not differ materially when showing black. For most LED displays the backlight stays on until it is blanked.

If you went for overkill and have an OLED display then you will save some power with mostly black.

{^_-}

mbott wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 5:52 pm What does turning off Tools > Disable Screensaver do for you?

Just make sure Disable Screensaver is not enabled. Console tells Windows that it needs the monitor is this is enabled. If Console has a radio or server running the computer will not sleep.