Topic: Ambient WS-2000 automatic backlight

[snowman]

I’ve been doing some forum and Google searches on this and came up with nothing...

My question is about the automatic backlight display - where it will dim and brighten the display at certain times. The manual is very vague with this.

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The left section of the display properties seems fairly self explanitory - you check the box for “automatic control backlight” then choose the times you want the display to turn off and turn on. This I don’t need.

What I want is for the display to dim at night and be bright during the day. Do I set the times under the first section to do this? I’m pretty sure this unit does not have an ambient light sensor to do it automatically. I put the times in the left box and checked the box for “automatic backlight adjustment” and set the sliders for  maximum brightness and minimum brightness but it doesn’t do it.

The manual is very good with most stuff but lacking here.

Can someone explain to me how this is supposed to work?

Thanks.

[galfert]

It is a flaky feature. It only sort of works. I messed with it a bit but gave up. I just run dark theme and leave it on all the time.

[snowman]

OK - at least it’s not me then I guess.

I’ve had it set for the last couple days and can’t find a pattern. It goes to dark sometime before sunset so it isn’t using sunset to change - and as far as I can tell it doesn’t change with ambient room light.

However it is darker at night proper and brighter at day proper.

I’m going to keep watching it to see if I can figure it out.

Thanks!

[Mandrake]

It kind of works.
I have mine switch the display off at night time and on again first thing in the morning.
I have seen the screen dimming work but its pretty poor and not worth bothering with.

[K5GHS]

Don't quote me on this since I'm not in front of it to test it, but I believe the screen dimming function is one of the buttons, or accessible that way? 

I could be thinking of my prior weather station though.....

[Mandrake]

If it helps at all here is a view of my settings which work for switching the display off at night.
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You get to this screen via settings and selecting Backlight setup

[snowman]

Thanks Mandrake.

I don't have the left side box checked as I thought that would turn the display off at night which I don't want.

I will check it and enter the times I want and try it that way.

Thanks!

[Mandrake]

yes, this will turn the actual display off, but only visually. It will still be on and working though nothing visible.
I don't think there is a way to make the display super dim for night mode if you have it in a bedroom say.

[snowman]

That’s what I am hoping to accomplish - dim at night. It’s in a room that we watch TV for an hour or so at night (dark room) and having it bright is distrating.

It’s working that way as far as the brightness dimming at night the way I have it set - just can’t figure out the times it does so. I haven’t watched it every minute to see when it changes but it seems to go to dim mode about 1/2 hour to 1 hour before sunset.

I’ll keep experimenting with it.

Another thought occurred to me last night being it is dim at night and bright during the day. It doesn’t have an ambient light sensor to do this. I then thought it might be controlled by the sunset/sunrise times but that isn’t the case. So perhaps it is controlled by the outdoor array light sensor? Or am I giving it too much credit and putting too much thought into it.....?

[Mandrake]

its possible that you are right about the solar sensor controlling the brightness.
I have once or twice noticed it notch its brightness up or down but its very subtle indeed.

[Platokidd]

Just sent an email to Ambient asking how the auto brightness works..

[snowman]

Just sent an email to Ambient asking how the auto brightness works..

Awesome - thanks!

[Platokidd]

Basically the auto dim is useless...

Reply from ambient.

Hello,
There is no sensor for the brightness. You set it by time frame.

Thank you,
Anthony

https://ambientweather.net/help/how-do-i-automatically-turn-on-and-off-the-backlight-on-my-display/
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[snowman]

Basically the auto dim is useless...

Reply from ambient.

Hello,
There is no sensor for the brightness. You set it by time frame.

Thank you,
Anthony

https://ambientweather.net/help/how-do-i-automatically-turn-on-and-off-the-backlight-on-my-display/
--------------

That kind of brings us back to square one.

[K5GHS]

As vague as the manual.  At least there is consistency.

[Mandrake]

The conclusion I have is that there is no effective dimming of the display.
All you really have is display on or display off set to a schedule which definitely does work.

[Platokidd]

Interesting.. Checked out ecowitt's manual for the sister console hp2551.
On page 43 of the manual it clearly states how the automatic brightness adjustment works.  http://www.ecowitt.com/upfile/201909/HP2551%20Manual.pdf

Do think the WS-2000 console works the same as I monitored this for several days now.

If this is true, I amazed that the Ambient tech support was not aware of this or even have it in there manual.

[snowman]

Well look at that! I had assumed the backlight was controlled by the solar sensor - now I know!

While skimming through the manual to find that I also saw the page on the color ring around the temperature and humidity display. I had always wondered how/when they changed color. Now I know again!

I downloaded the manual to go through in detail later today to see what other goodies I can find. Thanks so much!

[Mandrake]

Ah well, given I have the HP2550/1 I should have referred to the manual!

It does work as I have seen the display dim as I was looking at it, but as I mentioned the effect is not great in terms of max brightness to minimum via the auto-dimming.
It is so minimal as to be barely noticeable and you have seen my settings page posted above.

[Platokidd]

Yes minor in change but it is noticeable.  Today I' set max to full and minimum to 0 just to test.

Found the Ecowitt manual an interesting read. It pointed out a few things that the ambient manual did not that are relative to the ws-2000.

[snowman]

Ah well, given I have the HP2550/1 I should have referred to the manual!

It does work as I have seen the display dim as I was looking at it, but as I mentioned the effect is not great in terms of max brightness to minimum via the auto-dimming.
It is so minimal as to be barely noticeable and you have seen my settings page posted above.

I realize it’s minimal - but for my situation it’s enough.

As I am hopefully showing in the pic - my display is in our sitting room / TV room. When the display is full bright at night it is distracting. It dims just enough to take the edge off.

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[henry]

I’ve been doing some forum and Google searches on this and came up with nothing...

My question is about the automatic backlight display - where it will dim and brighten the display at certain times. The manual is very vague with this.

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

 [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

The left section of the display properties seems fairly self explanitory - you check the box for “automatic control backlight” then choose the times you want the display to turn off and turn on. This I don’t need.

What I want is for the display to dim at night and be bright during the day. Do I set the times under the first section to do this? I’m pretty sure this unit does not have an ambient light sensor to do it automatically. I put the times in the left box and checked the box for “automatic backlight adjustment” and set the sliders for  maximum brightness and minimum brightness but it doesn’t do it.

The manual is very good with most stuff but lacking here.

Can someone explain to me how this is supposed to work?

Thanks.

There are two different setting here: auto off back light is only for switching on and off back light at particular time point. It is usually used to turn off back light during night time. As to back light level setting, it is changing against outdoor solar radiation strength: when outside has stronger solar radiation, the back light will be adjusted to brighter to follow the ambient outside brightness change. So they are two independent setting and not correlated.

[Platokidd]

There are two different setting here: auto off back light is only for switching on and off back light at particular time point. It is usually used to turn off back light during night time. As to back light level setting, it is changing against outdoor solar radiation strength: when outside has stronger solar radiation, the back light will be adjusted to brighter to follow the ambient outside brightness change. So they are two independent setting and not correlated.
[/quote]

YES! That is what I found out to be true. I informed Ambient via email and they say different. Don't think they have a clue how their own devise works.

[Platokidd]

Yes minor in change but it is noticeable.  Today I' set max to full and minimum to 0 just to test.

Have been testing the full min/ full max brightness settings for about a week now.

There is a difference: Mid day the unit is at full max brightness. Mid of night it's at the lowest setting. You can check this by using the brightness buttons on the console, changing this to match. When at full & min. the change is very noticeable.