Brightness fluctuates as the screen changes (watching films or opening windows for example)

[Jowelboy]

Ive a brand new HP Pavilion 15 and Ive noticed when I open a window or the screen changes from a dark to a bright image (for example, whilst watching video), the brightness adjusts in half-second increments.

For example, with a dark background image, I open a window, I can see in the white area of the window, half a second after opening it, the brightness of the 'whiteness' is rather dull and in stepped increments, it gets brighter and brighter.

It takes about 3 - 4 seconds for the brightness to stop increasing.  I also notice, it is not just the window that brightens up, but the lighter areas of the background also brighten at the same rate.

Its extremely irritating and I cannot find any settings associated with this.  It feels as though the brightness is auto-adjusting depending on what is on my screen, but I can do that myself with the brightness control!!
I have tried this with the brightness control set as high as it will go, and at various levels but still seem to get the same result.

Any help would be appreciated.  Is it a hardware fault?

[HevnLgh]

Hello Jowelboy,

I understand your frustration and would love to help you with the screen issues you are having on your HP Pavilion 15, I do require the exact Model number of the Pavilion before we can diagnose if it's hardware or just a setting we may have to adjust.

I will watch for your reply so we can begin troubleshooting.

Thank you,

[Jowelboy]

Sorry for the delayed reply.  Was expecting a notification email when the post was updated...

Here's my product:  F4T58EA#ABU

I went into PC World where I bought it and they said it was to do with 'adaptive brightness' and a light sensor detecting the ambient light.  

I did try and have a look for this in the power settings but despite switching it off, the changes in brightness still occur.

Thanks

[Jowelboy]

Hey HevnLgh,

I've given you my product code.  Any chance of a solution it's really annoying!   I've seen other posts about a similar problem and I've seen 'vari-bright' mentioned.

I don't want my computer adjusting the brightness for me.  Please tell me how to switch it off.

Thanks

Ian

[Jowelboy]

Hey HevnLgh,

Well, I sent you a direct message last week and you still haven't replied...

I'm guessing the user manual is taking a little while to find isn't it?  Do you look up 'fluctuating LCD brightness' or 'screen luminencence'? either way, I'm sure it's a tough one as it seems to be taking wwaaayyy longer than expected to get this answer.  

We're in march now and I bought my laptop in December.  You're not waiting for the year's warranty to run out so you can charge me for the answer are you?  That would be very mean if you were. 

I'm crossing my fingers it's a simple setting that I can untick that's buried in the HP software - something like "untick this box to stop the laptop getting on your t*ts whilst watching a movie" and I'm sure I will get a HP warning notice once unticked: "HP strongly recommends not unticking this box as it may prevent you straining your eyes whilst watching movies under the duvet."

What I really want are HP notices upon every boot up:

"tick this box to accept that you are responsible for breathing whilst operating this laptop and HP is in no way liable if you do not breathe"

or

"HP has noticed you are operating this laptop whilst slouching.  This could seriously impair your spine.  Please switch off this laptop and correct your posture before continuing."  and there's a 'posture straightened' button.  Obviously there's no 'cancel' or 'continue' as HP may be liable for my deformed spine and that just wouldn't do, would it.

or

"HP have collaborated with all the other IT companies to ensure we pass as much blame for anything even vaguely related to the laptop or other IT product so that, in the event that anything should come to court, we've a get out of jail free card.  Personally, we blame the person that sued McDonalds for having hot coffee in 1986.  It's all that persons fault."
With a "Continue to boot and we will install the brightness monitor" and a "cancel, but keep the screen changing brightness."

or my personal favourit missing HP message:

"Would you like to install the HP Vari-brightness control centre?" - 'Yes', 'Yes, Let me try it for a week' and 'No, but we'll install it anyway'

[120inna55]

I experience the same thing on my HP Envy 17-j000.

I'm no expert, but I believe it's the nature of the backlight technology. It is NOT "adaptive brightness" as the phenomenon occurs both while plugged in or on battery.  It fluctuates based on the dominant luminence on the monitor at the time.

I'm assuming you're not getting a response because there is no answer other than to return the notebook for a different screen technology.

[120inna55 · Accepted solution]

Jowelboy, if you're still around, I found a solution...

If you have Intel HD Graphics on your notebook, the driver GUI is likely overriding all of the Windows settings you're trying to change.

Do the following:

1. Go to the Windows Start Screen and search for "Intel." Under "Settings" select either "Intel HD Graphics" or Intel Graphics and Media Control Panel" (there are numerous ways to get to this setting). You can also right-click on your desktop and select "Graphics Properties," but make sure it has the "Intel" logo next to it.
2. Once you're in the Intel Graphics GUI, go to Power-->On Battery-->Turn OFF "Display Power Saving Technology." Depending on your driver version, this GUI may vary in appearance, but ultimately you're wanting to find and turn off "Display Power Saving Technology."
3. You will not notice a difference until you click "Apply", at which point you will probably notice your screen brighten. It will ask you to confirm. That should resolve it.

(I can't take credit for this fix. The nice folks at EightForums.com posted a nice tutorial here, but if you're like me, you tried everything to no avail. It's the final step in the tutorial (outlined above) that resolved it for me. Someone should really sticky this issue as it has been revisited quite a few times in these forums.

[Jowelboy]

THANK YOU 120inna55,

No, honestly.  T H A N K    Y OU

That IS the solution! Simply switch off the 'Display Power Save Technology' which, described by Intel as "extending the battery life whilst having minimum impact on display quality".   Well, I have to disagree.

If I were in such a desperate situation to save battery, I'd go into Plane mode, turn down the brightness (manually) and change the power settings myself.   Intel, HP: don't treat the user like an idiot, we're not so stupid that we can't do this ourselves AND how much power would that irritating technology ACTUALLY save in a real life situation?  5 more minutes on the battery?  Bet I could extend it by an hour simply by making the changes myself!

Shame on you HP for not helping.  Bbaaaadd people!

I'm pleased to say I have a non-irritating laptop after 3 months, NO thanks to HP.  Lots of thanks to 120inna55.

Cheers all

[120inna55]

I'm happy it worked for you.  I was elated to find a solution, too, as I've only had my Envy 17-j000 for 4 days, it was quite annoying.

Again, I can't take credit for the solution.  Eightforums.com posted the tutorial.  

TwoPointOh of HP support actually posted a link to the Eightforums.com tutorial in this thread.  

So ultimately the HP support forums pointed me in the right direction.  This is why I think the solution should be made a sticky.  This somewhat obscure "feature" is probably annoying quite a few folks. In fact there are about 5 threads so far that I've seen regarding the adaptive brightness issue.

[Billy-z]

Movies rented from various libraries are sadly affected by this annoying phenomenon.  Not only do I get the scree brightness wavering at irregular intervals but the video controls - ie pause - also appears in ghosted image.  I have complained to Blinkbox who have admitted defeat on solving this annoying fault.

I searched in my search box for Intel.management (It shows up under that name in the list of installed programs) without finding anything.

Maybe I can find the control among the device managers - I am a graphic designer but I am at a loss to know how to do this so would appreciate step by step help.

Desktop All in one Computer: HP Pavillion. Windows 8.1.  64 bit. 4 Gb Ram