Root Apps to lower brightness, control permissions and block ads.

[balloonshark]

I have a rooted Nexus 7 wifi running JB 4.2.1. I'm looking for an app that can lower the screen brightness lower than the factory settings. I'm looking to extend my battery life and my screen is still plenty bright when set at its lowest point. I've tried RootDim but it doesn't work.

I'm also looking for an app that can block or control permissions. I realize this may break an app but as long as it doesn't mess something up I'm willing to give it a try.

Also, what is your favorite ad blocker and why do you prefer it over other blockers?

 

[Rxpert83]

I have a rooted Nexus 7 wifi running JB 4.2.1. I'm looking for an app that can lower the screen brightness lower than the factory settings. I'm looking to extend my battery life and my screen is still plenty bright when set at its lowest point. I've tried RootDim but it doesn't work.

I'm also looking for an app that can block or control permissions. I realize this may break an app but as long as it doesn't mess something up I'm willing to give it a try.

Also, what is your favorite ad blocker and why do you prefer it over other blockers?

Adfree is simply the best ad blocker out there.

Are you rooted? If so Ill move this to the root section.

 

[userloser]

The best mix for me is adsaway to remove ads, avast antivirus for managing the firewall, which will let you block net access to all apps that don't need it, and tasker+secure settings for playing with most any aspect if your system in any way you can imagine, including dimming.

Additionally, consider a good kernel and a tool like trickstermod for extra tweaking. And be prepared to see basically the same results you're seeing with the default android

 

[mrhomiec]

+1 adaway.

 

[balloonshark]

Yes, I am rooted. I did email the developer of RootDim and got a very speedy reply. He suggested that I try a trial of his other app, ScreeDim. It didn't help and he suggested that a custom ROM might work. I'm not interested in that option at this time.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Can Tasker really adjust the screen brightness below the factory settings? I really need confirmation that it works on a Nexus 7.

Is there anyone that confirm if it is actually possible to lower the brightness below factory settings on a Nexus 7?

 

[giantpune]

For a quick way to adjust this without any dedicated app or rom modification, you cant write to the sysfs file that sets the backlight brightness. The downside of doing it this way is this doesn't stick the way you would hope. When the android OS decides to put your screen to sleep, or wake it up, it also writes to this file. That means it will unset your value.

Anywho, I've tested this on my nexus7 and it works fine. The values range from 0 (off) to 255 (max brightness). 10 is pretty dim. Values between 0 and 10 dont seem to make it any more dim than 10, which is already the lowest setting that cm10.1 allows me to set.

echo 10 > /sys/devices/platform/pwm-backlight/backlight/pwm-backlight/brightness

 

[balloonshark]

Thanks for your reply giantpune. I appreciate your reply but I have no idea how to write to the sysfs file. I'm really new to mobile devices and android.

Also, is this something that could be setup in tasker so it would be run at startup, on wake, etc.?

 

[Lordvincent 90]

For the brightness try screen filter. Works great for me running paranoid android. I don't see why it wouldn't work on the stock rom.

 

[balloonshark]

For the brightness try screen filter. Works great for me running paranoid android. I don't see why it wouldn't work on the stock rom.

Thanks for the suggestion Lordvincent. Your app if very nice but one of the main reasons I wanted to turn down the brightness was to increase battery life.

 

[Lordvincent 90]

Why wouldn't this achieve that goal? It allows you to turn the brightness down below the lowest setting & it doesn't run in the background...
(Also, its not MY app I just found it on the market)

 

[balloonshark]

I thought that app just draws over the existing screen creating a dimming effect. It also states that it can save battery life on AMOLED screens and I thought that the N7 had an IPS LCD screen. If my hasty search and assumptions are correct I need something to dim the backlight for my device. I could be wrong though as this is all new tech to me.

 

[Lordvincent 90]

Guess I didn't read it carefully... :embarrassed: you're right. But at least its easier on the eyes in a dark environment

 

[Lordvincent 90]

How about root dim?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.pruss.superdim

I just tried it and when I set it to the lowest settings it was completely black... I had to blindly turn it back up... it would appear that the default "minimum" brightness for the n7 according to that app is 20 (out of 255)

(I set it to the min through the settings, and opened the app and it was set to 20)

 

[balloonshark]

Did you read my first two posts?

Yes I have tried it but I'm not getting your results. When you tried did you open other apps to confirm if it worked? I've got RootDim set on 1 and it just looks like the normal default lowest setting.

 

[Lordvincent 90]

Did you read my first two posts?

Yes I have tried it but I'm not getting your results. When you tried did you open other apps to confirm if it worked? I've got RootDim set on 1 and it just looks like the normal default lowest setting.

Lol! *facepalm* don't know how I missed that... I read it I swear... I just didn't RE-read it after I started looking at other options... :banghead: and you are absolutely right... I cant even get it to dim with the app open now

 

[dmrlook]

Hey - not sure if the original question got answered fully so I'll throw in my two cents - Android Permission Blocker can be used if you are rooted to control permissions on a per app basis. It is a paid app, but only 99 cents, and definitely worth it in my opinion to block the many permissions some apps requests to do who knows what with.