U2518D, turn off without using button?

Question

Greetings,

I hope this finds you all well, given the challenging times.

I have a U2518D monitor attached to an XPS 15 9550, using Windows 10 1909. The monitor works great. I do have a question. I use the machine for music performance and production.

I have created a power plan which keeps the screen on all the time. The reason for this is, when Windows turns off the screen, it often interrupts the music flow. When the machine gets input, the screen turns back on and the same thing happens (music interruption). Can't have that.

My concern in keeping the screen on all of the time when working, is screen burn in. So, darned if you do, darned if you don't.

Is there a way to turn off the monitor programmatically and keep it off even with machine input, until there is an additional command to turn it back on? I realize that I could just use the power button on the bottom right of the screen, but that is very cumbersome.

Any input, pun intended would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Graham

DELL-Cares · Answer

We tried reaching you on a private message but did not receive a response. Please feel free to reply to the private message whenever you are available.

gdishun · Answer

IPS doesn't burn in (unless defective). In terms of current panel technologies, I believe only OLED (very uncommon for monitors), and TN (cheap trash) burn in.

The U2518D Menu- Others does offer the "LCD Conditioning" option to reduce minor cases of image retention.

You can turn off the monitor various ways. But about every method uses some third-party tool to do so. I use AutoHotkey and this line will disable your monitor with it:

SendMessage 0x112, 0xF170, 2,, Program Manager

You can definitely find other ways that are better for you online.

swamped207 · Answer

You can turn the monitor off programmatically, but once its off you can't turn it back on programmatically because, well, its off. One possibility - and I don't know if this will work for your needs - is to programmatically change the active input on the monitor; the monitor will go to sleep after a few minutes and won't come back on until you change the active input back to the one connected to the XPS. Using the Dell Display Manager command-line, something like this:

- the U2518D is connected to the XPS via DP

- you send the command "SetActiveInput HDMI"

- the U2518D blanks (because there's no signal over HDMI) and goes to sleep after a few minutes

- when you want to wake up the U2518D you send the command "SetActiveInput DP"

Details on the command-line are in the DDM Release Notes.

Monitors

U2518D, turn off without using button?

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