Samsung NB30 Netbook - Brightness problem

[flipouk]

Hello,

Many thanks for providing the repository and the scripts! I have installed them now.

I have an NB30 with the following BIOS version:

$ sudo dmidecode | grep JJ
Version: 05JJ.M030.20100218.RHU

Everything works for me except the brightness keys :-( I made sure I have acpi_backlight=vendor in Grub.

I will use the workaround suggested above.

F.

[voria]

Have you installed the 'samsung-backlight' package?

[sano]

Hi all,

I'm also having a difficult time with brightness on NB30. I did install samsung-backlight but that didn't allow me to change the brightness level with Fn+UP/DOWN. I tried adding "acpi_backlight=vendor" in GRUB, didn't help either.

As for the workaround suggested by rogerrushworth, I need some help here. What exactly I am supposed to do? Just create a /usr/bin/setbright file, inserting there what rogerrushworth provided? So far I am getting

File "/usr/bin/setbright", line 9 var.set(int(v))
^
IndentationError: expected an indented block

when trying to run the script.

I am using 2.6.31-20-generic kernel, BIOS version is 05JJ. By the way, does anyone know why I can change the brightness level in GRUB using Fn+UP/DOWN without any problems?

There are also other issues which I would like to discuss, but this one has the top priority, since it's just too bright to worry about other things.

Thanks.


UPDATE: I just tried http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sam ... #Backlight and it works! Furthermore, it allows to easily turn off the screen.

[sano]

Hi there,

Just wanted to say that today I installed Ubuntu 10.4 LTS and samsung-backlight now allows me change the brightness level. So now I am slightly happier than usual and it's all thanks to one enthusiast. Thank you voRia

[voria]

Great news, thanks for reporting.
Hopefully everything will work good now even for NB30 owners.

[rogerrushworth]

Hi, sorry, the Python code is dependent on indentation which is removed by posting the reply.

Try the following but replace all the '>' characters at the start of the line with TAB

"""
#!/usr/bin/env python

from Tkinter import *
import os,sys

master=Tk()
var = IntVar()
def set(v):
>var.set(int(v))
>os.system("setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=%x"%(int(v)*16))
def full():
>set(15)
def low():
>set(1)
if __name__=="__main__":
>f=Button(master,text="Full",command=full)
>f.pack(anchor=CENTER)
>var.set(15)
>w=Scale(master,from_=15,to=1,command=set,variable=var)
>w.pack()
>f=Button(master,text="low",command=low)
>f.pack(anchor=CENTER)
>q=Button(master,text="Quit",command=sys.exit)
>q.pack(anchor=CENTER)
>mainloop()
"""

I also made a prettier one using gtk as follows. I will try posting it between code tags: it looks better in preview...

Code: Select all

#!/usr/bin/env python

from gtk import *
import os,sys
class setb(Window):
	def __init__(self):
		self.win = Window(WINDOW_TOPLEVEL)
		self.win.set_position(WIN_POS_CENTER)
		self.win.set_property("allow-grow",False)
		#self.win.set_property("allow-shrink",False)
		self.b = VBox(False,0)
		self.l = Label("Adjust Slider to Level")
		self.l.show()
		self.b.add(self.l)
		self.win.set_border_width(8)
		self.b.set_border_width(8)
		self.win.add(self.b)
		self.adj = Adjustment(14.9,1,15,1)
		self.adj.connect("value_changed",self.set)
		self.w=HScale(self.adj)
		self.b.pack_start(self.w)
		self.f=Button("Full 15")
		self.f.connect("clicked",self.full)
		self.b.pack_start(self.f, False, False, 10)
		self.f.show()
		self.lo=Button("Low 1")
		self.lo.connect("clicked",self.low)
		self.b.pack_start(self.lo, False, False, 10)
		self.lo.show()
		self.q=Button("Quit")
		self.q.connect("clicked",self.quit)
		self.b.pack_start(self.q, False, False, 0)
		self.b.show()
		self.q.show()
		self.w.show()
		self.win.show()
		self.w.set_value(15)
		self.w.emit("value_changed")

	def set(self, adj):
		v = adj.value
		os.system("setpci -s 00:02.0 F4.B=%x"%(int(v)*16))

	def full(self, e):
		self.w.set_value(15)

	def low(self, e):
		self.w.set_value(1)

	def quit(self, e):
		sys.exit(0)

if __name__=="__main__":
	app = setb()
	main()

but I will try 10.04 LTS via Update Manager and hope this resolves the problem.

[rogerrushworth]

Sadly not. After upgrade to 10.04 LTS FN-UP and FN-down still do not affect the Brightness. The command setbright still works ok, though.

[voria]

Sadly not. After upgrade to 10.04 LTS FN-UP and FN-down still do not affect the Brightness. The command setbright still works ok, though.

If you installed 'samsung-backlight' package in karmic and then upgraded to lucid, you have to purge the old version and reinstall the new one manually, or else it will not work. According to a previous report, the new 'samsung-backlight' should fix the backlight problem on NB30, I suggest to give it a try:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get purge samsung-backlight-* && sudo apt-get install samsung-backlight

[dodo]

Hi! I've updated my NB30 to Lucid, purged the old samsung-* packages and installed the new samsung-backlight and samsung-tools. They seem to work (backlight level changes during startup) but the hotkeys are being swallowed by the kernel. If I press Fn+Up/Down, I get this in the kernel log:

Code: Select all

[  718.623354] atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x88 on isa0060/serio0).
[  718.623370] atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e008 <keycode>' to make it known.
[  718.856107] atkbd.c: Unknown key pressed (translated set 2, code 0x89 on isa0060/serio0).
[  718.856119] atkbd.c: Use 'setkeycodes e009 <keycode>' to make it known.

But nothing happens. Same with Fn+F2, F4, F5, etc. Fn+F3 weirdly toggles the webcam instead of typing an euro symbol. :O

Should I have to start messing around with the setkeycodes et al? Can you please fix this one? If you need more information please let me know. Thanks in advance!

[dodo]

Ooops, I forgot: my BIOS version is 03JJ.M027.20100111.RHU. Don't know if it matters.

[voria]

The latest 'udev' packages on the repository fix the FN keys on NB30 too.
Have you done a full system upgrade after you enabled the repository?

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

After that, restart the system and FN keys should start to work.

[dodo]

****! I knew I forgot something!

Everything seems fixed now. Thank you very much.

[rogerrushworth]

After
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:voria/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get purge samsung-backlight-*
sudo apt-get install samsung-backlight
sudo reboot

Using kernel 2.6.31-20-generic, the FN-UP and FN-DOWN keys adjust the brightness as expected.
Thanks very much!

Unfortunately, I also have an option, the default, for kernel 2.6.32-21-generic and using this, the brightness keys do not work and also wireless is inoperable. Is this a known problem?

[voria]

The new 'samsung-backlight' package automatically rebuild itself when a new kernel is installed.
Since the 2.6.32-21 kernel was already installed before to install 'samsung-backlight', the latter did not rebuilt itself automatically.

Reinstalling the 2.6.32-21 kernel should fix the problem:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install --reinstall linux-image-2.6.32-21-generic

[apox]

Just got my NB30 with lucid, most of my Fn keys do not work but with the help of your guide "HOWTO: Use the repository on K/Ubuntu 9.10 and 10.04" I was able to get everything working after a few minutes.
Thank you voRia for your work.