G750 Auto contrast is driving me nuts!!

[kidfromhell]

I guess everyone knows about the issue I'm talking about and we'll proceed.

I have a G750JX-DB71 and I've been facing this issue right from the day I received my laptop. I've done tons of research and still the problem was unsolved. Changed Windows Power Management Settings, NVidia Dynamic Contrast Enhancement Settings, Stopped Sensor services using services.msc, uninstalled Power4Gear Hybrid and changed power plan settings as well. That's it when I switch to battery, this problem starts again. Even now whilst typing this, the contrast has changed causing a pain.

Finally, I did a CLEAN installation of Windows 8.1 and sigh, it's still there. But didn't install P4G and all. I'm with Nvidia driver of 327 I guess. I dunno what to do. Even when switching tabs in Gmail, the contrast changes due to the theme applied.

Finally, I contacted ASUS and they have provided me a RMA. As I'm new to USA, I do have some issues in sending my notebook to them. Issues in the sense, I can't travel to FedEx office carrying this monster packaged in a box. So this is my last try and I've brought the issue again to you guys. If it's possible do help me, or else I have to send it I guess. I dunno how much time will they take to process and send it as my entire studies depends on this one. I can't wait for long. I'm also worried that they might send me a refurbished one if they can't sort this issue out.

Also as I don't have any P4G and such, I begin to guess that I might have got a faulty display. Is it so? Do you guys advice me to go for RMA?

Update: Video added!

https://vimeo.com/87343067

Thanks Pat for the clip!

***** PERMANENT SOLUTION*****

ADVANTAGES:

You'll lose this contrast issue, FOREVER!!!

DISADVANTAGES:

You'll end up using a very old (6 months I guess) NVIDIA Graphics Driver so you might lose out on bugs and patches, performance improvements etc.

STEPS:

1. Go to Asus 750JX driver download page.
2. Select Win 8 x64 for the OS (Not 8.1)
3. Download this VGA driver (NVIDIA Version V9.18.13.1193 - The first one)
4. Install (When installing check custom install and select 'clean install')
5. Reboot
6. And voila, the problem is gone forever.
7. Don't forget to go to GeForce Experience and uncheck all the automatic updates or this sneaky little software might update you to new drivers silently and you'd have to repeat the steps again.

THIS IS THE PERMANENT SOLUTION, FOR NOW UNTIL NVIDIA RECOGNISES THIS AND FIXES IT. SO THIS HAS A FAIR SHARE OF DISADVANTAGES AS WELL!!

[Malnacid0]

Exists a definitive solution for this problem?

I have an Asus N551JQ, and I'm very angry with this problem...

Already I have tried all the solutions I read in this thread, but I still having the auto contrast/brightness.

[Light]

Malnacid0, I feel the same. It seems ASUS can't be bothered to fix this. You have a completely different machine to the G750JW I have, you have a different graphics card and processor etc. so it seems this issue appears to be widespread across other ASUS machines. I'm so fed up with the lack of support and help from ASUS regarding this issue that I've decided to look into getting a new machine from a different manufacturer, the ASUS will be stripped and the rest will go to be recycled, unless someone at ASUS promises they will take this issue seriously and the issue will be fixed within the next few days.

[hmscott]

Light wrote:
Malnacid0, I feel the same. It seems ASUS can't be bothered to fix this. You have a completely different machine to the G750JW I have, you have a different graphics card and processor etc. so it seems this issue appears to be widespread across other ASUS machines. I'm so fed up with the lack of support and help from ASUS regarding this issue that I've decided to look into getting a new machine from a different manufacturer, the ASUS will be stripped and the rest will go to be recycled, unless someone at ASUS promises they will take this issue seriously and the issue will be fixed within the next few days.

Light, if you google this you will find it isn't only Asus laptops, it is a problem with Windows.

For some reason some people never see this problem - like me - and others just can't seem to get away from it.

Not sure what the factors are that make it keep coming back, and unfortunately though others have tried to work with Microsoft to fix this, all the forum threads at Microsoft I can find all lead nowhere, still the issue exists for some, but not others even on the same laptop hardware.

It would be better to focus your attention on Microsoft, not Asus, Dell, HP, etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q=auto+contrast+on+battery+windows+8&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

[Light]

hmscott wrote:
Light, if you google this you will find it isn't only Asus laptops, it is a problem with Windows.

For some reason some people never see this problem - like me - and others just can't seem to get away from it.

Not sure what the factors are that make it keep coming back, and unfortunately though others have tried to work with Microsoft to fix this, all the forum threads at Microsoft I can find all lead nowhere, still the issue exists for some, but not others even on the same laptop hardware.

It would be better to focus your attention on Microsoft, not Asus, Dell, HP, etc.

https://www.google.com/search?q=auto+contrast+on+battery+windows+8&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

hmscott, your search "auto contrast on battery windows 8" is a completely different issue and not related to this issue.
Auto contrast on the ASUS G750JW can be toggled on/off and works as per Windows designed it to worked, it functions on power and/or battery.

I deinstalled the NDIVIA driver and supporting software and the problem still exists but only when using Shutdown.

Would you please do as I have described below to see if you can reproduce this issue.

Open the "NVIDIA Control Panel"

Display -> Adjust desktop colour settings

Use NVIDIA settings

Brightness 0%
Contrast 0%
Gamma 0.50%
Digital vibrance 15%

Apply

Use power button to Shutdown, then wait at least 10 seconds.
Use power button to Start

The screen contrast changes from high contrast to lower contrast then high contrast and stays on high contrast and the colours
are incorrect as per the settings prior to Shutdown.

Then go into the "NVIDIA Control Panel"

Display -> Adjust desktop colour settings

Note, prior to Applying the above colour settings the "Use NVIDIA settings" was selected
now after the Shutdown and Startup the "Other applications control colour settings" is selected.

Thanks.

[Light]

I've done some debugging and the problem seems to be with the two programs below.
When both of these programs are disabled in Startup the Auto/High Contrast issue disappears.

The information below was extracted from CCleaner->Scheduled Tasks

Enabled Key Program Publisher File
No Task ASUS Splendid ACMON ASUS C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\Splendid\ACMON.exe
No Task ASUS Splendid ColorU ASUSTeK Computer Inc. C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\Splendid\ColorUService.exe

I have tested using the method on how to reproduce the problem in my previous post.
No Auto/High Contrast occurs after a Shutdown or Restart.
The NVIDIA Control Panel->Display->Adjust desktop colour settings "Use NVIDIA settings" stays selected,
it no longer switches to "Other applications control colour settings" after a Shutdown or Restart.

Would someone from ASUS support please investigate the above two programs and ascertain the cause and effect
and provide a fix please. Thank you.

[hmscott]

Light wrote:
I've done some debugging and the problem seems to be with the two programs below.
When both of these programs are disabled in Startup the Auto/High Contrast issue disappears.

The information below was extracted from CCleaner->Scheduled Tasks

Enabled Key Program Publisher File
No Task ASUS Splendid ACMON ASUS C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\Splendid\ACMON.exe
No Task ASUS Splendid ColorU ASUSTeK Computer Inc. C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\Splendid\ColorUService.exe

I have tested using the method on how to reproduce the problem in my previous post.
No Auto/High Contrast occurs after a Shutdown or Restart.
The NVIDIA Control Panel->Display->Adjust desktop colour settings "Use NVIDIA settings" stays selected,
it no longer switches to "Other applications control colour settings" after a Shutdown or Restart.

Would someone from ASUS support please investigate the above two programs and ascertain the cause and effect
and provide a fix please. Thank you.

Light, that is very interesting, early on I suggested uninstalling Asus Splendid as part of debugging this auto-contrast issue, and I thought people did and said it didn't help.

I still recommend uninstalling Asus Splendid because it messes with the color profile it installs and does a poor job of it. And, many did uninstall it, so I am surprised there are still people out there running it... good catch.

Another excellent reason to uninstall Asus Splendid, at least for you it solved the auto-contrast problem, I hope others try it to see if it stops auto-contrast for them too.

[PatRaven]

1. I really doubt it has much to do with Splendid as mentioned in the previous post. Splendind was one of the first things I got rid of and after that I have tested everything in this thread and much more. The only 100 % working fix was to use the outdated 311.83 driver. Besides I have also tried using a clean install of 8.1 without any bloat-ware from Asus and for sure Splendid is not installed at all, but still the problem is there from start. I would like to rule out that Splendid cause the problem.

2. A few weeks ago I tried the method mention in the post http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?43315-Auto-contrast-is-driving-me-nuts!!&p=485089&viewfull=... by Aaron44126. I went directly into the registry and zeroed out the mentioned keys. As soon as I pull out the AC adapter there’s a slight dim of the screen, perhaps 5%. But after that it remains stable. I haven’t used my laptop without the AC adaptor as much as I have the last couple of weeks just because I enjoy it now that it seems to work. I haven’t even tried to make any further changes or reverted back to original values. I DO NOT DARE! And the best of all is that I now am running the Nvidia driver 347.52. Woooohaaaa!!! So I advise everybody with an G750JX to try the post mentioned and report back!

Br,
Pat!

[Malnacid0]

I have fixed this problem unistalling the intel graphics driver, rebooting, and installing this driver automatically with Windows.

[Light]

One of the 2 latest updates from Microsoft caused the return of HIGH CONTRAST on my machine, and I couldn't find a quick way to turn off HIGH CONTRAST.

This is the one responsible: Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB2958262)

I de-installed it and the high contrast issue disappeared.

Be interested to know what others experience.

[PatRaven]

Light wrote:
One of the 2 latest updates from Microsoft caused the return of HIGH CONTRAST on my machine, and I couldn't find a quick way to turn off HIGH CONTRAST.

This is the one responsible: Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB2958262)

I de-installed it and the high contrast issue disappeared.

Be interested to know what others experience.

Well that update is from May 2014, so its rather old. I cant find it under already installed updates and its not in Windows Update as an available update. So I have no feedback at all to give you.

Br, Pat!