Monitor goes to sleep if I don't move the mouse

[dmd0705]

I watch movies online and it's making me crazy that the external monitor screen goes black if I don't move the mouse every few minutes. How can I stop this from happening?

 

[drtweak]

Control panel --> power options --> in there will have options for sleep mode and when to turn off the monitor.

 

[dmd0705]

I'm not talking about the laptop monitor, I'm talking about an external monitor that I have connected to the laptop. Those power options are for closing the lid of the laptop etc.
I'd like to be able to watch a movie without remembering to move the mouse every 3 minutes. Sometimes, moving the mouse doesn't even work. I have to disconnect the HDMI cable and plug it in again for the screen to appear again on the external monitor. It's a Dell U2312HM and I can't find any information on the Dell site or in Google search. Thanks!

 

[MiDNiGHTsoul]

Have you tried checking the screens OSD? The menu that the monitors have with their settings... You know from the buttons that are on the monitor.

 

[drtweak]

No there should be an option where it ask to "Choose when to turn off the display" This is global to ALL monitors. If this is turning off while the laptop screen is still on then yea check the OSD menu on the monitor but I've never heard of a secondary monitor turning off while another monitor is on. Only other thing is that the connection to the laptop isn't that great and its losing signal.

 

[dmd0705]

Have you tried checking the screens OSD? The menu that the monitors have with their settings... You know from the buttons that are on the monitor.

I can't believe I didn't do that...I feel pretty stupid! However, when I pushed the buttons on the monitor a menu came up but I couldn't use my mouse to choose any of the options. I'm going to have to find the manual online and figure out how to operate it. Mouse doesn't work....up and down arrows don't work, so I have no idea what to do to access the settings.

 

[dmd0705]

No there should be an option where it ask to "Choose when to turn off the display" This is global to ALL monitors. If this is turning off while the laptop screen is still on then yea check the OSD menu on the monitor but I've never heard of a secondary monitor turning off while another monitor is on. Only other thing is that the connection to the laptop isn't that great and its losing signal.

I have all my options set to "do nothing". The laptop is brand new and the monitor is only a few months old. I'm using the cable that came with the monitor and a high quality HDMI connector. Any other thoughts?

 

[MiDNiGHTsoul]

Have you tried checking the screens OSD? The menu that the monitors have with their settings... You know from the buttons that are on the monitor.

I can't believe I didn't do that...I feel pretty stupid! However, when I pushed the buttons on the monitor a menu came up but I couldn't use my mouse to choose any of the options. I'm going to have to find the manual online and figure out how to operate it. Mouse doesn't work....up and down arrows don't work, so I have no idea what to do to access the settings.

It moves with the other buttons from the screen not mouse and keyboard. Bring the OSD up press some of the other Monitor buttons and you will figure out which is the up down and enter. Usually they have the direction arrows written above them.

 

[drtweak]

Your still not looking in the right area. If its set to Do Nothing your looking in where to change for when pressing power button closing lid ect.

1) What version of windows are you running and
2) Does the laptop screen turn off as well?
3) How long before it turns off the monitor? 5 minutes 10 minutes 30 minutes?

 

[dmd0705]

Have you tried checking the screens OSD? The menu that the monitors have with their settings... You know from the buttons that are on the monitor.

I can't believe I didn't do that...I feel pretty stupid! However, when I pushed the buttons on the monitor a menu came up but I couldn't use my mouse to choose any of the options. I'm going to have to find the manual online and figure out how to operate it. Mouse doesn't work....up and down arrows don't work, so I have no idea what to do to access the settings.

It moves with the other buttons from the screen not mouse and keyboard. Bring the OSD up press some of the other Monitor buttons and you will figure out which is the up down and enter. Usually they have the direction arrows written above them.

I'm seriously not as dense as I'm appearing.....thanks. I'll try them and see if I can solve this.
I just went through the menu and Energy Smart is "off". I don't see any other setting that would affect this.
I just called Dell and of course they won't give me any information without charging me, other than to tell me it's not any monitor settings, but it's some settings in the computer.
I think I may have found something in the power option settings. I'm trying it now.
That solved the problem. Simply go to Power Options in the Control Panel and change the display settings. I thought I had done that before but all I had done was change what happens when the lid of the laptop is closed. I should have checked, but I was so sure...lol Thanks to everyone for the help!