Ambient Light Sensor on 24" iMac...

[Wingnut330]

Hey All,

I just got an iMac yesterday. I love it! I have however gotten used to the ambient light sensor on my MBA and would love to have one on my iMac. My den has lots of natural light and the brightness of the monitor is perfect in the daytime, but as it gets darker in here, this monitor seems REALLY bright.

Is there an aftermarket option for these new iMacs for ambient light?

 

[Flyinace2000]

Not that i know of, but if there was one it would be awesome!

 

[danny_w]

The new iMac is too bright for me even with the brightness set to minimum, so a sensor would not help much in that case. I use a free app called "shades" that works wonders, however.

http://www.charcoaldesign.co.uk/shades

 

[CBAviator]

The new iMac is too bright for me even with the brightness set to minimum, so a sensor would not help much in that case. I use a free app called "shades" that works wonders, however.

http://www.charcoaldesign.co.uk/shades

Just curious if this is "good" on the iMac screen to dim it below the level that can be reached on the keyboard. Just curious if it's like trying to dim most fluorescent lights (not good on them, they start to flicker). Any thoughts?

 

[Leon Kowalski]

Is there an aftermarket option for these new iMacs for ambient light?

AFAIK, the ambient light sensor on the white C2D iMacs does not affect
screen brightness -- it only adjusts the brightness of the pulsing white
"sleep" indicator. At least that's the way it works on my white 20" iMac.
There's absolutely NO CHANGE in screen brightness for ambient light
levels from "0" to "511".

LK

 

[danny_w]

Just curious if this is "good" on the iMac screen to dim it below the level that can be reached on the keyboard. Just curious if it's like trying to dim most fluorescent lights (not good on them, they start to flicker). Any thoughts?

I don't think it will hurt anything. It's not actually dimming the screen (not electronically anyway), it just looks that way.

 

[Wee Beastie]

The new iMac is too bright for me even with the brightness set to minimum, so a sensor would not help much in that case. I use a free app called "shades" that works wonders, however.

http://www.charcoaldesign.co.uk/shades

danny_w would you mind explaining in a little more detail what shades offers. I just took a quick look at the website, but I'd like to hear from someone who uses it. I also find myself blinded by my screen even at the dimmest setting. Thanks!

I'm going to start wearing if this keeps up!

 

[danny_w]

danny_w would you mind explaining in a little more detail what shades offers. I just took a quick look at the website, but I'd like to hear from someone who uses it. I also find myself blinded by my screen even at the dimmest setting. Thanks!

I'm going to start wearing if this keeps up!

It adds a prefpane to the system preferences, and an icon to your menu bar that include a slider to control the perceived brightness level for the display; if you have multiple displays you can have an icon and a separate slider for each display. Moving the slider down dims the display w/o affecting you calibration settings and seems to work well for me. I enable the menu icon and disable the on-screen slider control (via the prefpane). I use it on my iMac and on my MB w/external display. There are some alternatives out there that don't work as well.