Bug 510483 - External HDMI dock monitor dims to 30% brightness and can't be recovered
Summary: External HDMI dock monitor dims to 30% brightness and can't be recovered
Status: NEEDSINFO WAITINGFORINFO
Alias: None
Product: plasmashell
Classification: Plasma
Component: Power management & brightness (other bugs)
Version First Reported In: 6.4.5
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: 1.0
Assignee: Plasma Bugs List
URL:
Keywords: multiscreen
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2025-10-11 09:01 UTC by disp1_kde
Modified: 2025-12-29 23:33 UTC (History)
2 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
coredumpctl output (245.31 KB, text/plain)
2025-10-31 06:44 UTC, disp1_kde
Details

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Description disp1_kde 2025-10-11 09:01:03 UTC
SUMMARY

Every now and then, KDE Plasma decideds to dim my external monitor brightness to 30% even if I'm in the middle of typing--which would normally be no big deal except ...

ddcutil cannot detect my external HDMI monitor connected to my Thunderbolt Dock.  Consequently, the only way for me to undo the dimming is to use the controls on the monitor itself.

KDE is somehow sending a DDC command to set my external dock HDMI monitor brightness in spite of the fact that ddcutil can't actually detect it.


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Work for a while
2. Monitor will dim to 30%
3. Monitor can't be reset except with physical monitor controls

OBSERVED RESULT
30% brightness setting not adjustable from KDE

EXPECTED RESULT
Preferably, no dimming, but at least the ability to reset brightness without using physical monitor controls.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Fedora Linux 42
KDE Plasma Version: 6.4.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.18.0
Qt Version: 6.9.2
Kernel Version: 6.16.10-200.fc42.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1355U
Memory: 32 GiB of RAM (31.0 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor: Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics

Hardware:
Processors: 12 × 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-1355U
Memory: 32 GiB of RAM (31.0 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor: Intel® Iris® Xe Graphics
Manufacturer: LENOVO
Product Name: 21HMCTO1WW
System Version: ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11
Lenovo Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
```% ddcutil --version
ddcutil 2.2.1```

```% ddcutil detect
Invalid display
   I2C bus:  /dev/i2c-10
   DRM_connector:           card1-eDP-1
   EDID synopsis:
      Mfg id:               SDC - UNK
      Model:
      Product code:         16787  (0x4193)
      Serial number:
      Binary serial number: 0 (0x00000000)
      Manufacture year:     2020,  Week: 35
   This is a laptop display.  Laptop displays do not support DDC/CI.```

EDID:
# card1-DP-6 #######################
Block 0, Base EDID:
  EDID Structure Version & Revision: 1.3
  Vendor & Product Identification:
    Manufacturer: GSM
    Model: 30543
    Serial Number: 496572 (0x000793bc)
    Made in: week 8 of 2020
  Basic Display Parameters & Features:
    Digital display
    Maximum image size: 70 cm x 40 cm
    Gamma: 2.20
    DPMS levels: Standby Suspend Off
    RGB color display
    First detailed timing is the preferred timing
  Color Characteristics:
    Red  : 0.6806, 0.3115
    Green: 0.2675, 0.6630
    Blue : 0.1503, 0.0488
    White: 0.3125, 0.3291
  Established Timings I & II:
    DMT 0x04:   640x480    59.940476 Hz   4:3     31.469 kHz     25.175000 MHz
    DMT 0x09:   800x600    60.316541 Hz   4:3     37.879 kHz     40.000000 MHz
    DMT 0x10:  1024x768    60.003840 Hz   4:3     48.363 kHz     65.000000 MHz
  Standard Timings:
    DMT 0x52:  1920x1080   60.000000 Hz  16:9     67.500 kHz    148.500000 MHz
    DMT 0x10:  1024x768    60.003840 Hz   4:3     48.363 kHz     65.000000 MHz
    DMT 0x09:   800x600    60.316541 Hz   4:3     37.879 kHz     40.000000 MHz
  Detailed Timing Descriptors:
    DTD 1:  3840x2160   60.000000 Hz  16:9    135.000 kHz    594.000000 MHz (697 mm x 392 mm)
                 Hfront  176 Hsync  88 Hback  296 Hpol P
                 Vfront    8 Vsync  10 Vback   72 Vpol P
    Display Range Limits:
      Monitor ranges (GTF): 40-60 Hz V, 30-135 kHz H, max dotclock 600 MHz
    Display Product Name: 'LG HDR 4K'
    Display Product Serial Number: '008NTJJEL572'
  Extension blocks: 1
Checksum: 0x08

----------------

Block 1, CTA-861 Extension Block:
  Revision: 3
  Basic audio support
  Supports YCbCr 4:4:4
  Supports YCbCr 4:2:2
  Native detailed modes: 2
  Audio Data Block:
    Linear PCM:
      Max channels: 2
      Supported sample rates (kHz): 48 44.1 32
      Supported sample sizes (bits): 24 20 16
  Speaker Allocation Data Block:
    FL/FR - Front Left/Right
  Video Data Block:
    VIC   1:   640x480    59.940476 Hz   4:3     31.469 kHz     25.175000 MHz
    VIC   3:   720x480    59.940060 Hz  16:9     31.469 kHz     27.000000 MHz
    VIC   4:  1280x720    60.000000 Hz  16:9     45.000 kHz     74.250000 MHz
    VIC  16:  1920x1080   60.000000 Hz  16:9     67.500 kHz    148.500000 MHz
    VIC  18:   720x576    50.000000 Hz  16:9     31.250 kHz     27.000000 MHz
    VIC  31:  1920x1080   50.000000 Hz  16:9     56.250 kHz    148.500000 MHz
    VIC  32:  1920x1080   24.000000 Hz  16:9     27.000 kHz     74.250000 MHz
    VIC  34:  1920x1080   30.000000 Hz  16:9     33.750 kHz     74.250000 MHz
    VIC  97:  3840x2160   60.000000 Hz  16:9    135.000 kHz    594.000000 MHz
    VIC  96:  3840x2160   50.000000 Hz  16:9    112.500 kHz    594.000000 MHz
    VIC  95:  3840x2160   30.000000 Hz  16:9     67.500 kHz    297.000000 MHz
    VIC  94:  3840x2160   25.000000 Hz  16:9     56.250 kHz    297.000000 MHz
    VIC  93:  3840x2160   24.000000 Hz  16:9     54.000 kHz    297.000000 MHz
  YCbCr 4:2:0 Capability Map Data Block:
    VIC  97:  3840x2160   60.000000 Hz  16:9    135.000 kHz    594.000000 MHz
    VIC  96:  3840x2160   50.000000 Hz  16:9    112.500 kHz    594.000000 MHz
  Video Capability Data Block:
    YCbCr quantization: No Data
    RGB quantization: Selectable (via AVI Q)
    PT scan behavior: Always Underscanned
    IT scan behavior: Always Underscanned
    CE scan behavior: Always Underscanned
  Colorimetry Data Block:
    BT2020YCC
    BT2020RGB
  HDR Static Metadata Data Block:
    Electro optical transfer functions:
      Traditional gamma - SDR luminance range
      SMPTE ST2084
    Supported static metadata descriptors:
      Static metadata type 1
    Desired content max luminance: 89 (343.724 cd/m^2)
    Desired content max frame-average luminance: 89 (343.724 cd/m^2)
    Desired content min luminance: 82 (0.355 cd/m^2)
  Detailed Timing Descriptors:
    DTD 2:  3840x2160   30.000000 Hz  16:9     67.500 kHz    297.000000 MHz (697 mm x 392 mm)
                 Hfront  176 Hsync  88 Hback  296 Hpol P
                 Vfront    8 Vsync  10 Vback   72 Vpol P
    DTD 3:  2560x1440   59.950550 Hz  16:9     88.787 kHz    241.500000 MHz (697 mm x 392 mm)
                 Hfront   48 Hsync  32 Hback   80 Hpol P
                 Vfront    3 Vsync   5 Vback   33 Vpol N
    DTD 4:  1920x1080   59.933878 Hz  16:9     66.587 kHz    138.500000 MHz (697 mm x 392 mm)
                 Hfront   42 Hsync  38 Hback   80 Hpol P
                 Vfront    3 Vsync   5 Vback   23 Vpol N
Checksum: 0x19

----------------

Failures:

Block 1, CTA-861 Extension Block:
  Video Capability Data Block: IT video formats are always underscanned, but bit 7 of Byte 3 of the CTA-861 Extension header is set to overscanned.
EDID conformity: FAIL

# card1-eDP-1 #######################
Block 0, Base EDID:
  EDID Structure Version & Revision: 1.4
  Vendor & Product Identification:
    Manufacturer: SDC
    Model: 16787
    Made in: week 35 of 2020
  Basic Display Parameters & Features:
    Digital display
    Bits per primary color channel: 10
    DisplayPort interface
    Maximum image size: 30 cm x 19 cm
    Gamma: 2.20
    Supported color formats: RGB 4:4:4
    First detailed timing includes the native pixel format and preferred refresh rate
  Color Characteristics:
    Red  : 0.6796, 0.3203
    Green: 0.2373, 0.7226
    Blue : 0.1396, 0.0498
    White: 0.3125, 0.3291
  Established Timings I & II: none
  Standard Timings: none
  Detailed Timing Descriptors:
    DTD 1:  2880x1800   90.001438 Hz  16:10   169.203 kHz    500.840000 MHz (302 mm x 189 mm)
                 Hfront    8 Hsync  32 Hback   40 Hpol P
                 Vfront    8 Vsync   8 Vback   64 Vpol N
    DTD 2:  2880x1800   60.000958 Hz  16:10   169.203 kHz    500.840000 MHz (302 mm x 189 mm)
                 Hfront    8 Hsync  32 Hback   40 Hpol P
                 Vfront    8 Vsync   8 Vback 1004 Vpol N
    Alphanumeric Data String: 'ATNA40YK15-0 '
  Extension blocks: 1
Checksum: 0x62

----------------

Block 1, CTA-861 Extension Block:
  Revision: 3
  Native detailed modes: 0
  Colorimetry Data Block:
    BT2020RGB
  HDR Static Metadata Data Block:
    Electro optical transfer functions:
      Traditional gamma - SDR luminance range
      SMPTE ST2084
    Supported static metadata descriptors:
      Static metadata type 1
    Desired content max luminance: 116 (616.884 cd/m^2)
    Desired content max frame-average luminance: 96 (400.000 cd/m^2)
    Desired content min luminance: 7 (0.005 cd/m^2)
Checksum: 0xb7

----------------

EDID conformity: PASS
Comment 1 TraceyC 2025-10-15 20:06:25 UTC
The symptoms sound similar to bug 508982. It's possible that the brightness is changing by itself because of a crash in powerdevil. Can you please run this and see if there are coredumps for powerdevil?

sudo coredumpctl --reverse

Thanks.
Comment 2 disp1_kde 2025-10-16 08:16:14 UTC
(In reply to TraceyC from comment #1)
> The symptoms sound similar to bug 508982. It's possible that the brightness
> is changing by itself because of a crash in powerdevil. Can you please run
> this and see if there are coredumps for powerdevil?
> 
> sudo coredumpctl --reverse
> 
> Thanks.

I don't see any crashes from powerdevil.
Comment 3 disp1_kde 2025-10-16 08:22:27 UTC
(In reply to disp1_kde from comment #2)
> (In reply to TraceyC from comment #1)
> > The symptoms sound similar to bug 508982. It's possible that the brightness
> > is changing by itself because of a crash in powerdevil. Can you please run
> > this and see if there are coredumps for powerdevil?
> > 
> > sudo coredumpctl --reverse
> > 
> > Thanks.
> 
> I don't see any crashes from powerdevil.

I will try to see if I can catch it today with ```journalctl --since "today" | grep -i power``` as well.
Comment 4 disp1_kde 2025-10-16 09:50:52 UTC
I still don't see a crash but journalctl has some odd stuff:

```
Oct 16 04:40:27 fedora kded6[1940]: kf.notifications: Failed to notify "Created too many similar notifications in quick succession"
Oct 16 04:40:27 fedora kscreenlocker_greet[233136]: qml: The backend got an unknown wallpaper provider type. The wallpaper will now fall back to the default. Please check your wallp
aper configuration!
Oct 16 04:40:29 fedora kscreenlocker_greet[233136]: qt.qpa.wayland: Could not create EGL surface (EGL error 0x3000)
Oct 16 04:40:29 fedora kscreenlocker_greet[233136]: qt.qpa.wayland: Could not create EGL surface (EGL error 0x3000)
Oct 16 04:40:29 fedora kscreenlocker_greet[233136]: Failed to write to the pipe: Bad file descriptor.
Oct 16 04:40:53 fedora systemd[1]: fprintd.service: Deactivated successfully.
Oct 16 04:40:53 fedora audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=system_u:system_r:init_t:s0 msg='unit=fprintd comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/syst
emd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Oct 16 04:40:53 fedora audit: BPF prog-id=380 op=UNLOAD
```
Comment 5 Bug Janitor Service 2025-10-31 03:47:52 UTC
🐛🧹 ⚠️ This bug has been in NEEDSINFO status with no change for at least 15 days. Please provide the requested information, then set the bug status to REPORTED. If there is no change for at least 30 days, it will be automatically closed as RESOLVED WORKSFORME.

For more information about our bug triaging procedures, please read https://community.kde.org/Guidelines_and_HOWTOs/Bug_triaging.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 6 disp1_kde 2025-10-31 06:44:03 UTC
(In reply to TraceyC from comment #1)
> The symptoms sound similar to bug 508982. It's possible that the brightness
> is changing by itself because of a crash in powerdevil. Can you please run
> this and see if there are coredumps for powerdevil?
> 
> sudo coredumpctl --reverse
> 
> Thanks.

I said I had no crashes from powerdevil.
Comment 7 disp1_kde 2025-10-31 06:44:51 UTC
Created attachment 186354 [details]
coredumpctl output
Comment 8 disp1_kde 2025-10-31 06:49:55 UTC
Cannot delete attachment.  Please delete and I will reupload a different one.
Comment 9 TraceyC 2025-11-03 19:11:52 UTC
Thanks for the clarification. 

I don't have the ability to delete the existing attachment either. If you create a new attachment, you can use "Obsoletes" and tick the checkmark next to the existing attachment.
Comment 10 TraceyC 2025-12-29 23:32:17 UTC
Setting to NEEDSINFO since we're waiting on new logs