* Asus N61JQ Owners Lounge *

[Deathwinger]

I downloaded a program called battery care that automatically changes the profile when on AC and battery power. My settings are AC is balanced (because you still get the turbo boost without burning your system like High performance power4gear mode) and battery is quiet office (unless anyone has found another profile that gives better battery life than this and still looks good).

[LordDavon]

Any news with backlit keyboard? I was thinking i could power it from usb?)

I honestly just haven't had time to work on it. I am not sure about the other guys.

As for the USB port, it could power it. I don;t think it is the best place since there is probably a light sensor attached to something on the system and that would be the ideal place.

I did toss around the idea of creating a little app to control a USB port in order to turn the keyboard on and off but, I would like to think of that as a last resort idea. Also, I'm not even sure if you can turn the power off to the port.

[daniel_san]

The usb port can be turned off from device manager i think.

[LordDavon]

The usb port can be turned off from device manager i think.

I believe that disables the port from Windows using it but I don't know if it stops the power flow.

[PaulW]

I did some research on this because I'm doing the same with a N71JQ. You cannot switch off the power of a USB port because the USB protocol simply doesn't allow for it. It is possible to switch off the drivers of a hub using the devcon command in DOS (which you could link to the Fn-F5/F6 for instance), but the port needs power because it sends data before switching on/off. If you can using the data signal in some way you're in but that goes well beyond my knowledge.

[PaulW]

BTW devcon is basically the DOS version of Device manager. There's a version compatible with win7 x64 in the Windows Driver Kit.

[2MNY]

I did some research on this because I'm doing the same with a N71JQ. You cannot switch off the power of a USB port because the USB protocol simply doesn't allow for it. It is possible to switch off the drivers of a hub using the devcon command in DOS (which you could link to the Fn-F5/F6 for instance), but the port needs power because it sends data before switching on/off. If you can using the data signal in some way you're in but that goes well beyond my knowledge.

What about the advanced windows power management feature to disable PCI and USB ports when not in use? I don't see how this would help battery life if the USB port is still active and drawing power.

[daniel_san]

I believe that disables the port from Windows using it but I don't know if it stops the power flow.

Try with an optical mouse and you will see the laser ray turned off(will stop the power flow).

[LordDavon]

Try with an optical mouse and you will see the laser ray turned off(will stop the power flow).

Are you sure this is the power flow stopping or the mouse reacting to the driver being removed? If I write an app to turn on and off the port, I want to be sure.

Doesn't the N61JQ have a light sensor in the display? Wouldn't this be the preferred source?

[PaulW]

That's the power inside the mouse, not the USB port.