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I have a multi-screen computer with serveral monitors. Some of the monitors are also connected to other computers. I want to explicitly switch off the signal to one of the monitors without changing the desktop layout and without switching off the other monitors to force the monitor to pick the other signal.

As a workaround I do "xset dpms force off" on my multiscreen machine and then the other machines I do not want to take over the screen.

Is there a way to turn one monitor off in a dual-head setup? wanted to have his windows moved to the other screen. xrandr --output $NAMEOFDISPLAY --off would at least temporarily move my windows until I set my proper xrandr setting again.

Community
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j.l.
  • 123

2 Answers2

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You can use ddccontrol to control dpms on individual monitors – without modifying the virtual desktop (→ moving windows etc.).

Run

ddccontrol -p

to get your monitor's addresses, e.g. dev:/dev/i2c-5. You can then run

ddccontrol -r 0xd6 -w 4 dev:/dev/i2c-5

which should turn your monitor into standby mode. 4 is the VESA standard value, but on my monitor, for example, I need to use 5 for off. The ddccontrol-db might help with finding the correct number.

In summary, I got it working a few minutes ago, so this solution is probably not perfect, but it shows that it's absolutely possible to turn off a monitor without changing the virtual desktop.

ddcutil probably works as well, but I have not tested that.

Nicolai Weitkemper
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i know no way of turning just one monitor off without affecting the desktop layout, as with xrandr, the desktop is really just one big screen. if you could turn one monitor off, some output might still be used on that part of the desktop that is in the power down monitor, creating hidden content. But with the increase of multihead setups, this might be a good time to revive the X11 bug about this: X11 bug #1658

I personally use the "KISS method": i press the monitor power button when i don't need it, and press it back when i do.

higuita
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