A free handy utility crafted by my own fair hand...

RichT · 12th October 2004, 05:21 PM

It occurred to me a little while back that turning off the PC's VDUs now and again whilst mixing really helps you focus your attention on whats coming out of the speakers (and whether it's actually any good) rather than those pretty dancing lights.

Being a lazy kinda guy I thought I'd look for a program to save me stretching across the console to turn the displays on and off.

I couldn't find anything that wasn't too pricey or too bloated to go on the DAW so I dusted off my copy of VB6 and knocked up this little app called 'BlackOut'. (Oh yeah, sorry Mac guys, Windows only!)

The program itself is only 24k big and only runs when you tell it to so it doesn't hog memory or CPU cycles.

Chuck it on your Quick Launch bar and click on when you want to 'Fade To Black' and double click to go back to your mixing app. Easy.

It's freeware and also has built in Gearslutz advertising too.

I've attached the .ZIP version with the executable and README.TXT to this message.

Enjoy!

bobby_z · 12th October 2004, 09:03 PM

Awesome! Awesome to the max! ^_^

aussie_techie · 13th October 2004, 01:40 PM

now try build it in VB .NET and see how many errors you get
damn .net ment the end of devopment for my nice little midi apps - but needs have changed so i dont need to use them anymore

the question of why go to the trouble of building an app to do it when u can just turn off ur monitor - but its always good
good job on such a simple thing

RichT · 13th October 2004, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aussie_techie
now try build it in VB .NET and see how many errors you get
damn .net ment the end of devopment for my nice little midi apps - but needs have changed so i dont need to use them anymore

the question of why go to the trouble of building an app to do it when u can just turn off ur monitor - but its always good
good job on such a simple thing

I wouldn't have bothered if it hadn't of been as easy to code as to reach across the console and switch the monitors off

I also realise there is an extremely small niche market for this app.

I'm just glad if someone else finds this thing useful too. Makes it all worth it then.

initialsBB · 13th October 2004, 10:33 PM

Cool idea! I hate actually switching off my monitor and I'm sitting right in front of it. Since I'm on OS X I created a simple little Flash movie that does the same thing (in a much more bloated way). Thanks for the idea.

FaderSlaveDave · 14th October 2004, 12:12 AM

simple. effective. and it actually does fill a neat little niche. Cool, thanks.

aussie_techie · 14th October 2004, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by initialsBB
Cool idea! I hate actually switching off my monitor and I'm sitting right in front of it. Since I'm on OS X I created a simple little Flash movie that does the same thing (in a much more bloated way). Thanks for the idea.

there is a very simple linux app that does a similar thing, the name escapes me atm, would be smaller than a flash movie
if you can find the name just complie it under OS X

BevvyB · 14th October 2004, 10:06 AM

If you're on a MAC and you want to do something like this, simply create a completely black picture and set it as your screen saver. Then have the screensaver come on using a hotpoint on the screen or a hotkey.

To do the thing with the one black picture, after creating it drag it into iPhoto, then create a new folder in iPhoto. Drag this one picture into it so you have a folder with just this picture in it.

Then in the system preferences choose that folder in the screen saver options and it will only have that one black picture to cycle.

Bev

RichT · 14th October 2004, 10:25 AM

Cooool. Mac users can join in the vision-less fun.

Blank screen Nirvana!

starseed · 4th November 2006, 03:58 AM

Thanks !

Very nice.

I wonder if maybe you have one that will silence my beeping monitor...it has a quirky noise in it which has me considering replacement of both my monitors.

DontLetMeDrown · 4th November 2006, 04:29 AM

Pretty cool idea, but it doesn't seem to work on a dual-monitor setup-- only the left monitor gets shut off.

RichT · 4th November 2006, 07:55 AM

Wow thread from the dead.

I recently updated my Matrox drivers and the current version of Black Out doesn't work with it. If I get a chance I'll dust off VB and tweek it.

Cheers,
Rich

**George Necola** · 4th November 2006, 08:11 AM

I can help ya if I have time. VB guy here..

el jorge

RichT · 5th November 2006, 01:48 PM

Ok, so this is weird.

Turns out someone had the same idea as me, only 3 years earlier in 2001 and wrote a utility and called it Blackout (!), it's freeware and it might actually work over dual screens and stuff!

You can download it from here:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/...Blackout.shtml

Let me know how you get on, I've only tested it on my laptop so far.

My only niggle with it is the flashing text every now and again. Ah, who am I to complain!

12th October 2004, 09:03 PM	#2
bobby_z Gear Head Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Stockholm Posts: 66	Awesome! Awesome to the max! ^_^ __________________ "Halb Wesen und halb Ding."

14th October 2004, 12:12 AM	#6
FaderSlaveDave Gear interested Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa FL USA Posts: 10	simple. effective. and it actually does fill a neat little niche. Cool, thanks. __________________ "In the event of an actual emergency....you're screwed"

14th October 2004, 10:06 AM	#8
BevvyB Mindreader Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: London Posts: 2,590	If you're on a MAC and you want to do something like this, simply create a completely black picture and set it as your screen saver. Then have the screensaver come on using a hotpoint on the screen or a hotkey. To do the thing with the one black picture, after creating it drag it into iPhoto, then create a new folder in iPhoto. Drag this one picture into it so you have a folder with just this picture in it. Then in the system preferences choose that folder in the screen saver options and it will only have that one black picture to cycle. Bev __________________ Julian Moore \| Georgia Wonder \| 'Made In Nevada' Project - we're recording our next album in a music store

14th October 2004, 10:25 AM	#9
RichT Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 1,456	Cooool. Mac users can join in the vision-less fun. Blank screen Nirvana! __________________ www.oldblacksmiths.com www.myspace.com/theoldblacksmiths

4th November 2006, 03:58 AM	#10
starseed Gear maniac Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Sweden Posts: 270	Thanks ! Very nice. I wonder if maybe you have one that will silence my beeping monitor...it has a quirky noise in it which has me considering replacement of both my monitors. __________________ - When a cat is dropped, it ALWAYS lands on its feet; and when toast is dropped, it ALWAYS lands with the buttered side down. Therefore, I propose to strap buttered toast to the back of a cat. When dropped, the two will hover, spinning inches above the ground, probably into eternity. A "buttered-cat array" could replace pneumatic tires on cars and trucks, and "giant buttered-cat arrays" could easily allow a high-speed monorail to link between New York with Chicago.

13th October 2004, 01:40 PM	#3
aussie_techie Lives for gear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Perth, Australia Posts: 2,647	now try build it in VB .NET and see how many errors you get damn .net ment the end of devopment for my nice little midi apps - but needs have changed so i dont need to use them anymore the question of why go to the trouble of building an app to do it when u can just turn off ur monitor - but its always good good job on such a simple thing

13th October 2004, 10:33 PM	#5
initialsBB Lives for gear Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: LA Posts: 1,099	Cool idea! I hate actually switching off my monitor and I'm sitting right in front of it. Since I'm on OS X I created a simple little Flash movie that does the same thing (in a much more bloated way). Thanks for the idea.

4th November 2006, 04:29 AM	#11
DontLetMeDrown Lives for gear Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Camarillo, CA Posts: 1,767	Pretty cool idea, but it doesn't seem to work on a dual-monitor setup-- only the left monitor gets shut off.

4th November 2006, 07:55 AM	#12
RichT Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 1,456	Wow thread from the dead. I recently updated my Matrox drivers and the current version of Black Out doesn't work with it. If I get a chance I'll dust off VB and tweek it. Cheers, Rich __________________ www.oldblacksmiths.com www.myspace.com/theoldblacksmiths

5th November 2006, 01:48 PM	#14
RichT Lives for gear Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Portsmouth, UK Posts: 1,456	Ok, so this is weird. Turns out someone had the same idea as me, only 3 years earlier in 2001 and wrote a utility and called it Blackout (!), it's freeware and it might actually work over dual screens and stuff! You can download it from here: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/...Blackout.shtml Let me know how you get on, I've only tested it on my laptop so far. My only niggle with it is the flashing text every now and again. Ah, who am I to complain! __________________ www.oldblacksmiths.com www.myspace.com/theoldblacksmiths

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