Arch Linux

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Hello

i've been using arch and other variants of linux on my laptop and haven't had any screen problems so far. But when i made a fresh installation of arch linux on my desktop i noticed that after a few minutes my eyes start to hurt, i get a headache and it becomes unusable.  The system uses Q963/Q965 Integrated Graphics controller connected to an LCD screen and the resolution and refresh rate are set to what the screen recommends.

I already tried:
-modifying /etc/default/grub and adding: "quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor"
-using various xrandr commands
-modifyinfg xorg.conf file
-installing intel-gpu-tools, but when i try to run any commands like: "intel_reg_read 0xc6204"  it just gives a command not found
-uninstalling and reinstalling xf86 intel drivers, that didn't change anything.

When i had windows running on the same system it didn't have any problems.

Does anyone know a solution to this problem?

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

Website

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

it becomes unusable

What does this mean?

If you try (the live version of) a different distribution, does the problem occur there?

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

it becomes unusable

What does this mean?

That i can't use it for long because it hurts my eyes too much.

I've tried ubuntu and it doesn't appear to have this problem.

ooo

Member

Registered: 2013-04-10

Posts: 1,638

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

it becomes unusable

What does this mean?

That i can't use it for long because it hurts my eyes too much.

I've tried ubuntu and it doesn't appear to have this problem.

"It hurt's my eyes" is not an technical issue.
We can't really help unless you figure out what is causing your eyes to hurt.

If you have an old CRT monitor, low refresh rates could cause headaches, and you should be able to correct that with xrandr

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

As i stated in my original post i use an LCD with it's recommended settings.

I suspect the issue is a low frequency pwm of the monitor's backlight, as some other people had the same issue when they started using linux.

I tried setting it with intel-gpu-tools like the wiki says (https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Backlight) but it doesn't work.

ooo

Member

Registered: 2013-04-10

Posts: 1,638

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Did you test if you get the same issue with linux-lts kernel?

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

Website

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

You could also try the UXA acceleration method.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

unknwn

Member

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 35

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

I think since last intel-gpu-tools update you need to use "intel_reg read" instead of "intel_reg_read".

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

I think since last intel-gpu-tools update you need to use "intel_reg read" instead of "intel_reg_read".

Ok i got the intel-gpu-tools working now, but i can't find the right registers, 0xc6204 and x0c8254 as the wiki states for the i915. I also tried looking for any information on the Q963/Q965 registers, but i didn't find any.

unknwn

Member

Registered: 2008-02-02

Posts: 35

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

I don't think that pwm modulation adjustment can work on external lcd screens by using this method.

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Did you test if you get the same issue with linux-lts kernel?

I tried this, but the problem is still there.

Zaxth

Member

Registered: 2014-03-24

Posts: 34

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

This sounds more like an issue with your eyes than anything on your desktop. I'd book an appointment with an ophthalmologist and have your eyes and sight looked at.

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

This sounds more like an issue with your eyes than anything on your desktop. I'd book an appointment with an ophthalmologist and have your eyes and sight looked at.

If that was the case i would have the same problem when i use ubuntu or windows on the same system.

mrlamud

Member

Registered: 2014-09-27

Posts: 105

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

I also coped with the same problem but with  Samsung SyncMaster XL2370 .

Would you like to try redshift?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Redshift

Try to adjust screen temperatures.
I thought default is 6500K, my redshift config is 6200 during the day and 6000 during the night.
I can work day & night with the help from redshift.

ooo

Member

Registered: 2013-04-10

Posts: 1,638

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Did you test if you get the same issue with linux-lts kernel?

I tried this, but the problem is still there.

If you don't get this issue on ubuntu, I'm guessing either arch has newer version of some package that causes this issue for you (that's why I suggested testing linux-lts), or ubuntu is using some tweak to fix the issue.

I'm thinking your theory about the PWD frequency causing this sounds reasonable though.

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,688

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Post the brand and model infos of the screen.

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

Ok i sort of solved the problem, i had an old radeon graphics card laying around so i installed it, and so far i don't have any more problems with the screen.

I'm guessing there has to be something wrong with the drivers for the Q963/Q965.

I also measured the PWM frequency of the display and it's around 300Hz, which goes away if i set the brightness to 100%.

Thanks for your help anyway.

Last edited by daniel.z (2015-09-14 15:38:40)

R00KIE

Forum Fellow

From: Between a computer and a chair

Registered: 2008-09-14

Posts: 4,734

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

And have you measured the PWM frequency when using the Q963/Q965?

Edit:
I'm also curious about how you measured it.

Last edited by R00KIE (2015-09-14 17:37:43)

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R00KIE
Tm90aGluZyB0byBzZWUgaGVyZSwgbW92ZSBhbG9uZy4K

daniel.z

Member

Registered: 2015-09-12

Posts: 8

Re: Desktop installation hurts my eyes

And have you measured the PWM frequency when using the Q963/Q965?

Yes i measured it while using Q963/Q965.

Edit:
I'm also curious about how you measured it.

I made a simple circuit using a photoresistor which i then connected to an oscilloscope.