To Screen-save or not to screen-save?

Author	Message
Gloves Q Send message Joined: 17 Jan 08 Posts: 15 Credit: 1,008,869 RAC: 0	Message 739146 - Posted: 14 Apr 2008, 23:16:34 UTC To Screen-save or not to screen-save? Does anyone have any stats on if it's faster to run the Boinc screen-saver or to have no screen saver load? The Boinc screen saver seems to take some 'resources' while it's running. I find it a hassle sometimes when I have to wait for the screen saver to 'shut down' after I jostle the mouse around a bit. Personally, I think if I change my windows settings to: . . - no screen saver . . - turn off monitor after 10 min Boinc might be able to get more computing done because it's not having to load yet another program and that program has a lot of 3D calculations it uses that might be better spent on processing tasks. ID: 739146 ·

hiamps Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 23 May 99 Posts: 4292 Credit: 72,971,319 RAC: 0	Message 739149 - Posted: 14 Apr 2008, 23:19:42 UTC - in response to Message 739146. Last modified: 14 Apr 2008, 23:21:41 UTC To Screen-save or not to screen-save? Does anyone have any stats on if it's faster to run the Boinc screen-saver or to have no screen saver load? The Boinc screen saver seems to take some 'resources' while it's running. I find it a hassle sometimes when I have to wait for the screen saver to 'shut down' after I jostle the mouse around a bit. Personally, I think if I change my windows settings to: . . - no screen saver . . - turn off monitor after 10 min Boinc might be able to get more computing done because it's not having to load yet another program and that program has a lot of 3D calculations it uses that might be better spent on processing tasks. Been discussed a thousand times...Screensaver is a bit slower but not much. If you are trying to squeeze all you can then don't use the screensaver, or anything else you don't need... EDIT...PS welcome to the boards... Official Abuser of Boinc Buttons... And no good credit hound! ID: 739149 ·

Fred W Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 13 Jun 99 Posts: 2524 Credit: 11,954,210 RAC: 0	Message 739151 - Posted: 14 Apr 2008, 23:23:40 UTC - in response to Message 739146. To Screen-save or not to screen-save? Does anyone have any stats on if it's faster to run the Boinc screen-saver or to have no screen saver load? The Boinc screen saver seems to take some 'resources' while it's running. I find it a hassle sometimes when I have to wait for the screen saver to 'shut down' after I jostle the mouse around a bit. Personally, I think if I change my windows settings to: . . - no screen saver . . - turn off monitor after 10 min Boinc might be able to get more computing done because it's not having to load yet another program and that program has a lot of 3D calculations it uses that might be better spent on processing tasks. Adding to hiamps reply; if you are "really" trying to squeeze the max crunching then load an Optimised App. That will make a much bigger difference than whether or not you run the screensaver. F. ID: 739151 ·

Odysseus Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 26 Jul 99 Posts: 1808 Credit: 6,701,347 RAC: 6	Message 739209 - Posted: 15 Apr 2008, 1:30:36 UTC Unless the host system drives its display directly through the CPU, lacking a separate graphics board, the screensaver uses a pretty insignificant amount of resourcesÃ¢â‚¬â€especially if set to go blank after a minute or two. I also agree with the others that an optimized application will increase productivity more than any streamlining efforts with the stock app, but there is the caveat that it wonÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t update itself automatically like the latter, requiring the user to keep current with developments. ID: 739209 ·

Keck_Komputers Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 1575 Credit: 4,152,111 RAC: 1	Message 739280 - Posted: 15 Apr 2008, 6:39:27 UTC Studies made in beta showed that running the screensaver increased run times less than 1% on systems with separate openGL compatible cards. There is a preference in the SETI specific settings that allow you to limit the amount of CPU time that will be used to process graphics. BOINC WIKI BOINCing since 2002/12/8 ID: 739280 ·

Gloves Q Send message Joined: 17 Jan 08 Posts: 15 Credit: 1,008,869 RAC: 0	Message 739592 - Posted: 16 Apr 2008, 0:03:24 UTC Good info guys. I thought there might be a chance that when the Screen Saver is runnig it curnches numbers even faster. I say this is good news because I needed to take off that screen saver. Seems to be some sort of bug; When I leave the Boinc screen saver on over the weekend and I leave my AOL account logged in. Occasionally, when I come back in on Monday, I can't get my computer to send a signal to the monitors at all. I think this happens when I sign onto AOL from another location and it auto-logs me off from this location. In any case we'll see if turning off the screen saver helps or if it's Just AOL being dumb again. ID: 739592 ·

1mp0Â£173 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 8423 Credit: 356,897 RAC: 0	Message 739597 - Posted: 16 Apr 2008, 0:08:42 UTC Is it even possible to "save" LCD displays? Seems to me that "screen savers" date back to the age of the CRT.... ID: 739597 ·

Keck_Komputers Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 4 Jul 99 Posts: 1575 Credit: 4,152,111 RAC: 1	Message 739694 - Posted: 16 Apr 2008, 5:18:03 UTC - in response to Message 739597. Is it even possible to "save" LCD displays? Seems to me that "screen savers" date back to the age of the CRT.... Yes. Screen savers are not as needed as they were years ago. Plasma screens need savers just like the old days. Other display types can still suffer from burn in however it takes so long now that it is not worth mentioning. BOINC WIKI BOINCing since 2002/12/8 ID: 739694 ·

Fred J. Verster Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 21 Apr 04 Posts: 3252 Credit: 31,903,643 RAC: 0	Message 739813 - Posted: 16 Apr 2008, 13:53:34 UTC - in response to Message 739694. Last modified: 16 Apr 2008, 13:55:14 UTC Is it even possible to "save" LCD displays? Seems to me that "screen savers" date back to the age of the CRT.... Yes. Screen savers are not as needed as they were years ago. Plasma screens need savers just like the old days. Other display types can still suffer from burn in however it takes so long now that it is not worth mentioning. Yes, turn them off ;). Screensavers had their use with the early E.G.A (Enhanced Graphics Adapter)(before V.G.A) and a Catode Ray Tube or CRT. But sometimes i like to watch the 'screensaver option', it DOES look nice and i use it to 'screendump' TRIPLETS or other phenomania . ID: 739813 ·

AlphaLaser Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 6 Jul 03 Posts: 262 Credit: 4,430,487 RAC: 0	Message 739840 - Posted: 16 Apr 2008, 15:28:49 UTC Probably best to just have the monitor cut off and save a little bit of energy ;) ID: 739840 ·

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