# DPMS on an Atomic - configuration



## ronaldlees (Apr 21, 2020)

I have a little issue with DPMS on the Atomic Pi.  I realize that since Xorg 1.8, DPMS is enabled by default if you also have ACPI enabled.  My issue is that the screen blanks after 10 minutes (the default),  even though I have screen blanking disabled with the following config lines in xorg.conf:


```
Section "Extensions"
   Option "DPMS" "Disable"
EndSection
```

Additionally, I have the [_Option "Blanktime" "30"]_ set in the _ServerLayout_ section of xorg.conf.

The command `xset -dpms` seems to be set properly when I look at `xset q`, but the blanking happens at ten minutes anyway.  I have the configuration set to use the i915 video driver.  So, anybody else run into this issue? 

Additionally, the screen blanking does not always resume.  Maybe one in four times it does not resume, and I have to restart X in order to get the screen back.  There's nothing unusual in the regular logs (system and X logs).


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## SirDice (Apr 21, 2020)

Are you sure it's not a screensaver from a desktop environment that blanks and turns off the screen?

Oh, the `DPMS` option needs to go in a monitor section.


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## T-Daemon (Apr 21, 2020)

ronaldlees said:


> Option "DPMS" "Disable"


xorg.conf(5) states for `Option “DPMS”` “bool”, furthermore:

```
Boolean options may optionally have a value specified.  When  no     value
       is specified, the option's value    is TRUE.  The following    boolean    option
       values are recognised as    TRUE:

       1, on, true,    yes

       and the following boolean option    values are recognised as FALSE:

       0, off, false, no
```


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## ronaldlees (Apr 22, 2020)

SirDice said:


> Are you sure it's not a screensaver from a desktop environment that blanks and turns off the screen?
> 
> Oh, the `DPMS` option needs to go in a monitor section.



Thanks, I'll check it out ...


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