Just got my hands on the Epic Touch 4g about two hours ago, and in playing with it I notice the apparent brightness/contrast of the screen changes slightly based on the content currently being displayed.
This is most apparent when scrolling through the home screens-- on the default screen the bottom icons are nice and bright-- but when panning over to the empty calendar (which I'm guessing is supposed to be white, i'm guessing, but looks more grey than anything) the icons at the bottom are dimmer and less contrast-y (yes, I know that's not really a word).
I noticed in the Display settings you can adjust the "Screen Mode"-- but it exhibited this behavior no matter when setting I chose (Dynamic, Standard, and Movie).
The effect almost reminds me of lower end flat Plasma TVs with cheap circuitry that can't handle certain currents when an all-white (or mostly white) screen is being displayed-- it limits the current, so the end result is a light grey screen instead of a bright white display.
Is this considered one of the features of the phone (perhaps to save batter life or screen life)? Anyone else notice similar behavior? Don't want to freak out if this is normal, but at the same time it's a little disconcerting to see something whose major claim to fame is it's "brilliant display" exhibit such behavior.
Go back to the display options, scroll down to "auto adjust screen power" and turn that off and see if that helps...
That was exactly it... thanks.
Nice to know this is a software feature and not something glitchy with the hardware.
Hey All,
Anyone of you experiencing app resolution and screen size issue? all my side load apps (except XBMC, which i can manually adjust the screen) is little bigger than my screen. i couldnt see or select the button near the border. Is there any way i could force the app display at the correct resolution?
Thanks!
Have you used the Amazon utility to calibrate your screen?
Settings .. System .. Display .. Calibrate Display.
It doesn't adjust color but lets you dial screen size back or up a bit. Don't know if it's globally effective?
Overscan
I recently ran into the same problem and after endless searching, it was my TV causing all the issues. If your TV is cutting off a small portion of each each side, check its Overscan setting; it's usually on by default. I have a Panny, so for me it was under Screen Setting, but once I turned it off, I could finally read all the text. Hope that helps!
vyktym said:
I recently ran into the same problem and after endless searching, it was my TV causing all the issues. If your TV is cutting off a small portion of each each side, check its Overscan setting; it's usually on by default. I have a Panny, so for me it was under Screen Setting, but once I turned it off, I could finally read all the text. Hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That solved my problem!!! thank you so much! I have a Panny TV as well!
So i have tried on 2 TVs now and am really frustrated right now. Amazon claims that the fire goes into sleep mode after 30 minutes and i guess this is true it never said that it does this but it does not turn the TV off it just keeps the output alive with a black screen. i find this crazy my laptop can go to sleep mode which turns off the monitor or TV it is hooked to. i tend to fall asleep to TV and movies. so my screen running all night long disappoints me i would assume that sleep mode works like that shutting off my TV or at least killing the output on the HDMI so the TV will detect no source and auto shutoff.maybe I'm missing something but is there a way to do what i want, after some amount of time have the device either over CEC or by killing the output, turn off the TV when it goes into sleep mode or a similar? I have not rooted my AFTV but am willing to if that is what it takes. I managed to root the MotoX so i can root anything i feel like.
--Jezzirolk
jezzirolk said:
So i have tried on 2 TVs now and am really frustrated right now. Amazon claims that the fire goes into sleep mode after 30 minutes and i guess this is true it never said that it does this but it does not turn the TV off it just keeps the output alive with a black screen. i find this crazy my laptop can go to sleep mode which turns off the monitor or TV it is hooked to. i tend to fall asleep to TV and movies. so my screen running all night long disappoints me i would assume that sleep mode works like that shutting off my TV or at least killing the output on the HDMI so the TV will detect no source and auto shutoff.maybe I'm missing something but is there a way to do what i want, after some amount of time have the device either over CEC or by killing the output, turn off the TV when it goes into sleep mode or a similar? I have not rooted my AFTV but am willing to if that is what it takes. I managed to root the MotoX so i can root anything i feel like.
--Jezzirolk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see two possibilities, both would be kernel modifications and both would require the kernel to know if it's "sleeping". Either turn off the HDMI or send a CEC command. CEC is pretty flaky, so I would probably go with turning off the HDMI. I don't know about your TV, but my TV will sit on the "no input video" all day long, so that doesn't really solve your problem. But regardless, the HDMI driver is pretty big and finding the right spot, and trying to figure out when it's sleeping... I don't really see it happening. Plus, no custom kernels can be loaded until the bootloader unlock is released.
rbox said:
I see two possibilities, both would be kernel modifications and both would require the kernel to know if it's "sleeping". Either turn off the HDMI or send a CEC command. CEC is pretty flaky, so I would probably go with turning off the HDMI. I don't know about your TV, but my TV will sit on the "no input video" all day long, so that doesn't really solve your problem. But regardless, the HDMI driver is pretty big and finding the right spot, and trying to figure out when it's sleeping... I don't really see it happening. Plus, no custom kernels can be loaded until the bootloader unlock is released.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i feel if CEC works i can set a timer or something in llama or something for idle time i just dont know how to control CEC as of now i find that black screen so freaking frustrating. it is part of the reason i went with the AFTV over the roku. any idea how to play with the CEC? and my TV does auto shut off it no source is attached. if only i could get netflix remote friendly on the PC i would just use a regular HTPC.
--jezzirolk
so my screen running all night long disappoints me i would assume that sleep mode works like that shutting off my TV or at least killing the output on the HDMI so the TV will detect no source and auto shutoff.maybe I'm missing something but is there a way to do what i want, after some amount of time have the device either over CEC or by killing the output, turn off the TV when it goes into sleep mode or a similar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use the built in feature of my (Sony TV) SLEEP. works great.
besides... if your FTV goes to sleep, and in effect BLACKS out the screen, your TV is drawing almost if not the same power as if it was in it's OFF or standby mode anyway. The LCD/LED of the TV draws/consumes more than 90% of it's power. I'm guessing if you put one of those 'kill-a-watt' meters on your TV you wouldn't see a difference between turning it off with the TV remote, and when the TV monitor has a BLACK screen.
If your TV is plugged in, it's drawing power. All TVs need to have skeleton circuits energized, so it can respond to IR remote power ON commands, as well as scanning the push buttons or capacitive touch buttons ...
I use a Master/Switched outlet powerstrip on my TV, to turn off an audio amplifier for my bookshelf speakers - when the TV is switched off. This works great. I noticed that when my FTV goes to sleep, the screen goes BLACK, shortly after that (seconds) my amplifier goes off. This indicates that the threshold setting of my powerstrip, 'thinks my TV has been turned off, hence shutting of my amplifier.(enven though my TV is really still ON, if I switch input to my TiVo the screen comes back with a video signal & my amplifier turns back on.
On a side note... I also noticed that it (FTV) doesn't seem to go to SLEEP if I leave it running XBMC -- not positive about this, but for sure one day I left XBMC home screen up, and switched my TV input to my TiVo ... and hours later my FTV power lite was still on. So if you were watching a movie with XBMC and fell asleep, it wouldn't matter - it would have stayed on anyway. I try and explore that more -- but when exactly does the FTV go to sleep? no remote commands for 30 mins? What determines inactivity? I've never had mine go to sleep while watching a movie... (no remote input/outputs for more than 30 mins)
So when the TV is ON/OFF and or asleep .. or just has a BLACK screen. Those are all relative terms, for Ha Hahs ... get one of those "Kill-a-Watt" meters and compare. I have a friend that has one - if I remember I'll ask to borrow it to confirm my theory.
toe-rag said:
I use the built in feature of my (Sony TV) SLEEP. works great.
besides... if your FTV goes to sleep, and in effect BLACKS out the screen, your TV is drawing almost if not the same power as if it was in it's OFF or standby mode anyway. The LCD/LED of the TV draws/consumes more than 90% of it's power. I'm guessing if you put one of those 'kill-a-watt' meters on your TV you wouldn't see a difference between turning it off with the TV remote, and when the TV monitor has a BLACK screen.
If your TV is plugged in, it's drawing power. All TVs need to have skeleton circuits energized, so it can respond to IR remote power ON commands, as well as scanning the push buttons or capacitive touch buttons ...
I use a Master/Switched outlet powerstrip on my TV, to turn off an audio amplifier for my bookshelf speakers - when the TV is switched off. This works great. I noticed that when my FTV goes to sleep, the screen goes BLACK, shortly after that (seconds) my amplifier goes off. This indicates that the threshold setting of my powerstrip, 'thinks my TV has been turned off, hence shutting of my amplifier.(enven though my TV is really still ON, if I switch input to my TiVo the screen comes back with a video signal & my amplifier turns back on.
On a side note... I also noticed that it (FTV) doesn't seem to go to SLEEP if I leave it running XBMC -- not positive about this, but for sure one day I left XBMC home screen up, and switched my TV input to my TiVo ... and hours later my FTV power lite was still on. So if you were watching a movie with XBMC and fell asleep, it wouldn't matter - it would have stayed on anyway. I try and explore that more -- but when exactly does the FTV go to sleep? no remote commands for 30 mins? What determines inactivity? I've never had mine go to sleep while watching a movie... (no remote input/outputs for more than 30 mins)
So when the TV is ON/OFF and or asleep .. or just has a BLACK screen. Those are all relative terms, for Ha Hahs ... get one of those "Kill-a-Watt" meters and compare. I have a friend that has one - if I remember I'll ask to borrow it to confirm my theory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting find on the power consumption of your TV while it is black I was also thinking of maybe using an RPI to do the XEC stuff while the AFTV must sends it a network command to turn the TV off when it goes into black screen with llama. I might go buy one of those kill-owatt meters today.
--Jezzirolk
jezzirolk said:
Interesting find on the power consumption of your TV while it is black I was also thinking of maybe using an RPI to do the XEC stuff while the AFTV must sends it a network command to turn the TV off when it goes into black screen with llama. I might go buy one of those kill-owatt meters today.
--Jezzirolk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry .. I don't know what RPI nor XEC is ?
toe-rag said:
sorry .. I don't know what RPI nor XEC is ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry typo i mean CEC not XCE and RPI as in a Raspberry Pi, the mini computer.
--jezzirolk
toe-rag said:
I use the built in feature of my (Sony TV) SLEEP. works great.
besides... if your FTV goes to sleep, and in effect BLACKS out the screen, your TV is drawing almost if not the same power as if it was in it's OFF or standby mode anyway. The LCD/LED of the TV draws/consumes more than 90% of it's power. I'm guessing if you put one of those 'kill-a-watt' meters on your TV you wouldn't see a difference between turning it off with the TV remote, and when the TV monitor has a BLACK screen.
If your TV is plugged in, it's drawing power. All TVs need to have skeleton circuits energized, so it can respond to IR remote power ON commands, as well as scanning the push buttons or capacitive touch buttons ...
So when the TV is ON/OFF and or asleep .. or just has a BLACK screen. Those are all relative terms, for Ha Hahs ... get one of those "Kill-a-Watt" meters and compare. I have a friend that has one - if I remember I'll ask to borrow it to confirm my theory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well.. I was wrong. I thought there would be less difference between standby,ON with video , and BLACK screen but still ON..
standby (16.0 watts),ON with video(221.3 watts) , and BLACK screen but still ON (58.3 watts)..
Our TV (an older Panasonic) has a sleep setting that turns off the TV after X time of no activity - if the only input is over HDMI, the set shuts down after that timeout.
It's annoying that it doesn't see HDMI as activity, but it means the set actually does power down once it's been idle long enough. I'd love to have more flexibility in setting the timeout - I think we only have disabled, 30 minutes and 3 hours as the available options - but I've left the setting as it is for a long time now and am used to it.
I'm using the firetv with a projector and have the same problem as all of you. The 'Auto Off' Function of the projector does not work because the hdmi port of the firetv is seen as active by the projector. This is pretty annoying since I fall asleep on the couch sometimes and lamp hours on the projector are precious.
Now my raspberry pi has a command to power off HDMI through '/opt/vc/bin/tvservice -o'
I wonder if something similar can be achieved on the firetv. .. I hope that rbox is working on a custom kernel now that the bootloader is partially unlocked!
I did a search thru the HDMI-CEC specs and not once did I find any mention that it had a command to turn of the TV.
My fire TV never seems to go to sleep in general, the light is always on and it's frustrating I've tried what I could considering I'm not rooted due to the new upgrade. I wish I would have rooted it back when I bought it but I never got around to it.
Sorry for digging up such an old post but I have the same problem and would like to know if somebody fixed it.
I'm using a Fujitsu PC monitor and a FireTV Stick to stream some Netflix before going to bed. Turning off my PC immediately triggers the monitors standby because the signal is gone, but sending the FTV to sleep seems to keep the HDMI active, so the monitor just shows a black screen, but stays active.
Is there any way to turn off the HDMI completely?
nyder said:
I did a search thru the HDMI-CEC specs and not once did I find any mention that it had a command to turn of the TV.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can switch off all CEC devices via broadcast or a single device via address (address 0 is for TV).
CEC 13.3 System Standby
CEC 13.3.1 Messages
The following message is used for the System Standby feature:
<Standby>
CEC 13.3.2 Feature Description
The broadcast message <Standby> can be used to switch all CEC devices to standby.
...
A device can switch another single device into standby by sending the message <Standby> as a directly
addressed message to it.
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Click to collapse
This is completely a bug in the device. I use it for plex and I'm buying something else from this point forward.
This is NOT, I repeat NOT a command (HDMI-CEC command). All the device should be doing is what a computer/blu-ray player/anything else does and turn off the display to the port entirely after X minutes. This allows your TV (or in my case my projector with it's $450 light bulb) to detect that there is no signal going to it after 10 minutes and turn itself off.
This also causes COUNTLESS other problems in a home theater setup. It won't let your receiver auto off, which won't let your projector auto off, which won't let your associated devices auto off (sub, speakers, whatever).
Every other device I have works perfectly fine in this manner. A computer, crappy old DVD players, blu ray players, my old Boxee Box, video game systems, EVERYTHING except for the amazon device.
I have to say I have a hoohum relationship neither CEC. Being able to use my Harmony Remote on the AFTV2 is very nice, but that L A G !
Well that's one thing, but the fact that I'll turn the TV off, and go to bed. It's a real PitFA when outta the blue my TV cuts back in ~30 Minutes latter. Seemingly by itself. A problem made worse by the fact that I live in a One Room Apartment, and I'm trying to sleep.
I am having the same issue.
My TV used to automatically turn off after 30 minutes of non-use. With the Apple TV or Regular.
Since switching to the Firestick it just eventually turns black but doesnt turn off.
While it may not use a ton of energy it is still on and warm being used.
Anyway to fix this or is this because the firestick really doesnt turn off? What if I turn Alexa off in the remote?
When connecting my G7 to an external tv/display via HDMI, I'm not seeing any options on the phone to adjust the aspect ratio. When I connect the phone via Miracast, I'm presented with an overlay bubble on the phone that allows me to adjust the aspect ratio, but this bubble does not show when connecting via HDMI. Anyone have any clues on how to do this or if the option is available?
I'm not really looking for a workaround such as using options on the external display to zoom in/out but would like to know if it's possible to adjust the aspect ratio on the phone.
Thanks!
Yes...
Install second screen (better mirror etc)
You need to configure it with adb if without root
and change the screen resolution to the same resolution of TV
darix96 said:
Yes...
Install second screen (better mirror etc)
You need to configure it with adb if without root
and change the screen resolution to the same resolution of TV
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! That worked. It would be nice if Android gave options to black out the phone screen or turn off the phone while connected. VLC does the first when playing videos and it's pretty neat. But I've recently found that USB C hubs and HDMI adapters with power delivery is able to charge the phone while connected so I guess it's fine.
Thanks again for your help.