How to dim external monitors

[Howard kent]

I am using Windows 8.1 on a Samsung Laptop with dual external monitors - I would like to be able to dim them for night time use.
Have installed f.lux on the laptop but it does not work with the monitors.
Have tried Nelson Pires Dimmer, DimScreen, PagnoBright but keep running into problems with 8.1
Has anyone any suggestions or recommendations please.

 

[digitaldoc]

Power Options Settings

1

Click "Start," "Control Panel," then "Hardware and Sound." The screen light is part of the hardware and controls how the computer uses its power. This is why it appears in this section of the control panel rather than with the display settings.
2

Click "Power Options" to open the Power Settings window.
3

Click on the screen brightness slider near the bottom of the window and drag it to the left to dim the screen. Release the mouse button to view the change. Continue dragging it as far to the left as necessary to lower the light on your screen to your liking.
4

Close the window when you are finished. The computer will retain your brightness setting until something alters the power configuration, such as switching from battery to AC power or restarting the computer.

http://www.ehow.com/how_8461571_lower-light-computer.html

 

[Howard kent]

Thank you for taking the time to respond - all valuable info but sadly will not help with the monitor brightness which is what I want to find a solution.
The F.lux is doing a great job with the laptop screen but does not work with the DisplayLink which controls the monitors - The Dimmer solution will only work with one monitor and no time given for new development to incl the 2nd screen - and finally both the PagnoBright and Dim Screen have not been developed for 8.1. So a bit of a dilemma!

 

[digitaldoc]

I looked around for a program, but all I found was the ones you tried already.

Is there a way to manually dim the monitor via the controls on it? Most of them can be fine tuned at the hardware level.

 

[Howard kent]

Many thanks again - it is such a shame that no one has thought about a simple app that will adjust external monitors for Windows 8.1 - I would have thought that most people run an external monitor or two off their laptops in this day and age - anyone any suggestions?

 

[shabloool]

Hi Howard.
First, I'd like to thank you for this post because you listing the three apps helped me find a solution I liked. I'm using a single external monitor connected to laptop running Win 7 in a docking station. I was hoping I could find one solution with keyboard shortcuts, and fortunately, "DimScreen" you mentioned does exactly that.

Second, I'd like to suggest an app I used called "AutoHotKeys" which enables you to do all sorts of cool stuff with keyboard shortcuts but also has some extensive ability to get and send information to Win. I saw this one thread that might open this thread for some new, viable solutions:
https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/125563-universal-screen-brightness-changer/

Hope this helps.
S.

 

[PhredE]

That's curious.
As well as coming across an answer posted within minutes of my for searching the issue, three years after the preceding post, a download of a DimScreen exe from dimscreen.jaleco.com - dimscreen_2642005424.exe of 2,309,472 bytes - and then uploaded to VirusTotal, comes back with an analysis of 16 of 66 checkers reporting suspicious contents.
A version from https://download.cnet.com/DimScreen/3000-2094_4-77661720.html - DimScreen.exe 431,399 bytes - has only Bkav reporting malware.
I'll make an attempt at running in a VM. At least I'll be able to check for malware, even if it can't get to the hardware.
BTB, there's also SunsetScreen, but I've no evidence of its working on, say, one of many screens.
[edit. I notice that shabloool's post wasn't entered '8 minutes ago' as first listed. forum error]