[APP][2.2+]Yet Another Auto Brightness

Search This thread

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Yet Another Auto Brightness (YAAB)

A small open source application designed to enhance user control over screen brightness. Initially it was developed to make the screen as dim as possible to save battery on old devices. AND to provide a simplest possible user interface without any complicated calibration procedures and so on.

It is Beta version now. It has ascetic interface and very simple in use.

Source code, issue tracker and latest APKs are available here: http://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/yaab/

Google Play link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=biz.gyrus.yaab

Any feedback is highly appreciated, especially from other Android developers :)
 

IIIIkoolaidIIII

Senior Member
Aug 3, 2009
773
308
Cardiff
Google Pixel
OnePlus 6T
Tester initial impressions

A nice small download and a simple and clean interface. Started service and it immediately started dimming my brightness. A few points to begin with:

The manual slider does not seem to work as there was no change in the brightness.
It doesn't seem to alter the brightness in different lighting (unsure if it is supposed to do this or not from documentation).
It is making my screen too dim, I have a GT-I9300 and the auto brightness on it is excellent and always keeps my screen at the good readable and useable settings.

Will run for an hour or so now and update this with further thoughts then.

---------- Post added at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:06 PM ----------

Ok it's keeping my screen to dim to be usable so have had to uninstall for now. A few further points though:

Application Force Closes when you stop the serverce.

The manual slider does not work.

Handset - GT-I9300
ROM - Paranoid Android 2.51

OK log wouldn't upload, here's a link for it on dropbox.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mbyfz33b7audtxz/2012-11-02-17-10-36.txt
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Good report, thanks a lot.
Looks like the app incorrectly reads light sensor data on your device and thus brings brightness to minimum.
I'm working on the issue now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jayuse

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Hi!

Let me know when you have a new version and will test again for you.

I did some research tonight and found out that many people have concerns about light sensor behaviour in your ROM.
I wrote a very simple app that shows sensor parameters on the screen and displays all subsequent updates received from the sensor.

APK is here: https://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/lightreader/downloads (sources are available there also)

It doesn't require changing settings and it will not attempt to change screen parameters also. Minimal discomfort :)

Could you please run it on your device and post here its output in a dark room and under strong light?

Thanks.
 

IIIIkoolaidIIII

Senior Member
Aug 3, 2009
773
308
Cardiff
Google Pixel
OnePlus 6T
Hi!



I did some research tonight and found out that many people have concerns about light sensor behaviour in your ROM.
I wrote a very simple app that shows sensor parameters on the screen and displays all subsequent updates received from the sensor.

APK is here: https://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/lightreader/downloads (sources are available there also)

It doesn't require changing settings and it will not attempt to change screen parameters also. Minimal discomfort :)

Could you please run it on your device and post here its output in a dark room and under strong light?

Thanks.

Details bellow, Sensor name - CM36651 Light sensor

Darkened Room:
Accuracy 3, MAX 121240, last 0.0

Bright light:
Accuracy 3, MAX 121240, last 3700.0 (fluctuating around this point)

I've not read much in relation to sensor issues on this ROM, will do some digging myself now. Hope this information is useful to you.

B

---------- Post added at 11:05 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:48 AM ----------

I have just done some digging and found no Liight sensor issues mention in the CM10 threads or known bug list. There was a light sensor issues back in September for Paranoid Android but this was fixed back then. Where have you seen the information about peoples concerns with the light sensor?

I have attached a link to the CM10 known issues bellow.

http://teamhacksung.org/wiki/index.php/CyanogenMod10:GT-I9300:Nightly:Known_issues
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
I saw several mentiones of light sensor problems here on the forum, like this: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=31801837&postcount=2862 or this http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=31801837&postcount=2862
Some other mentiones on other forums/blogs.

But anyway your readings are very good, so the sensor isn't a culprit any longer.
I just had to make sure that the app has valid input data and the problem is somewhere in the algorythms. Because in the log file you submitted yesterday contains very strange values.

Thanks again. I'm going on with my investigation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rednaxelz

IIIIkoolaidIIII

Senior Member
Aug 3, 2009
773
308
Cardiff
Google Pixel
OnePlus 6T
I saw several mentiones of light sensor problems here on the forum, like this: http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=31801837&postcount=2862 or this http://xdaforums.com/showpost.php?p=31801837&postcount=2862
Some other mentiones on other forums/blogs.

But anyway your readings are very good, so the sensor isn't a culprit any longer.
I just had to make sure that the app has valid input data and the problem is somewhere in the algorythms. Because in the log file you submitted yesterday contains very strange values.

Thanks again. I'm going on with my investigation.

Yeah those were two months ago and the bug was fixed in a few days, there have been about 10 version updates since then as well.

Let me know when you're new version is available and will test again.

B
 

GermainZ

Inactive Recognized Developer / Retired Forum Mod
Aug 3, 2012
6,170
8,805
Maybe you should restrict app installation to devices that have a light sensor? Because Google Play allows me to install it even tho I don't have one.
 

kobredabre

Senior Member
Dec 14, 2011
100
53
Novi Sad
HTC Wildfire S (Marvel)

Works as intended on HTC Wildfire S (Marvel) 510e.
Brightness is applied 1/2 secconds after screen is on and with correct levels acording to the external light and manual adjusment seting.
I like the simplicity (pls don't change that) and, so far, I didn't noticed any bad impact on battery life.

I'm curently on custom SENSE 2.1 rom but I switch often so will test this one on them too.

Tnx,
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Works as intended on HTC Wildfire S (Marvel) 510e.
Brightness is applied 1/2 secconds after screen is on and with correct levels acording to the external light and manual adjusment seting.
I like the simplicity (pls don't change that) and, so far, I didn't noticed any bad impact on battery life.

Thanks for the update.

We are working on automatic/manual "night reading" mode and manual range adjustments now, but we intend to keep the main screen and the defaults in this way, so most of the users would not even need to open menus and dig deeper into the settings.
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Let me know when you're new version is available and will test again.

I've uploaded current version to the downloads section: https://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/yaab/downloads
Check this one please when you have time.

To be honest I still don't know why did it set brightness to minimum on your phone and didn't ever rise it again.
But your log revealed a number of thread synchronization issues that I fixed in this version. I believe there could be connection between these issues and your dark screen.

UI is a bit different, it is my current development version. But start/stop buttons still do the same.
Don't wait long, 10-15 seconds is enough, if it doesn't track ambient light changes right from the beginning - it will not start after some minutes.

Thanks.
 

benkxda

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,157
3,604
Hi andrvo,

Yaab works on my Nexus 7. It is also very easy to use. But I have two remarks.
First the app starts in portrait and I only use me tablet in horizontal view. The app not only starts in portrait, it does also not change to horizontal. This would be nice, if the app would start with mentioning the position.

The other point is, that it only needs one more option in my case. There is automatic and manual brightness. If I can use the manual slider in the automatic mode to set a basic brightness, this would be handy. Hope you know what I mean.

Thanks for your work. Would be nice to find Yaab on Google Play to get updates automatically.
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
First the app starts in portrait and I only use me tablet in horizontal view. The app not only starts in portrait, it does also not change to horizontal. This would be nice, if the app would start with mentioning the position.
Yes, it is my fault. I didn't have enough time to test those layouts on tablets.
I plan creating layouts for tablets from scatch since existing were designed mostly for phones.

The other point is, that it only needs one more option in my case. There is automatic and manual brightness. If I can use the manual slider in the automatic mode to set a basic brightness, this would be handy. Hope you know what I mean.
Well, it works almost as you describe. "Manual adjustment" actually set the base line for the automatic brightness formula.
I'm preparing new release right now, will be available today or tomorrow. New version also allows to limit top and bottom values of brightness, maybe it will fit your need :)

Thanks for your work. Would be nice to find Yaab on Google Play to get updates automatically.

It is here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=biz.gyrus.yaab ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: benkxda

jimmod

Senior Member
Nov 9, 2010
254
334
Test it on Galaxy Note 2
Everything looks working. Closing the sensor with my hand causing the screen light dim.
Not sure what idea I can give though, probably you can check 'smart stay' feature at Samsung S3/Note 2. Although it's not a screen auto-brightness thing but it have same objective about saving battery from screen consumption.
 

benkxda

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2012
1,157
3,604
Yes, it is my fault. I didn't have enough time to test those layouts on tablets.
I plan creating layouts for tablets from scatch since existing were designed mostly for phones.


Well, it works almost as you describe. "Manual adjustment" actually set the base line for the automatic brightness formula.
I'm preparing new release right now, will be available today or tomorrow. New version also allows to limit top and bottom values of brightness, maybe it will fit your need :)



It is here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=biz.gyrus.yaab ;)

That new release I get then via Play, thanks for that. Delighted me.
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Test it on Galaxy Note 2
Not sure what idea I can give though, probably you can check 'smart stay' feature at Samsung S3/Note 2. Although it's not a screen auto-brightness thing but it have same objective about saving battery from screen consumption.

Ok, I'll check it, thanks.
 

andrvo

Senior Member
Oct 29, 2012
52
41
Kiev
Version 1.6 is rolling out to the Play store.

What's new:
  • night mode, manual and automatic. The latter will work only on new devices with high quality sensors which are able to provide accurate values in the lower part of the range. Manual works on any device.
  • range controls added. Now it is possible to shrink the actual range of automatic brightness values.
  • bugfix (of course)
Beta testing is still going on, all testers are welcome.

Fresh APK is also available here: https://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/yaab/downloads
 

Top Liked Posts

  • There are no posts matching your filters.
  • 28
    Yet Another Auto Brightness (YAAB)

    A small open source application designed to enhance user control over screen brightness. Initially it was developed to make the screen as dim as possible to save battery on old devices. AND to provide a simplest possible user interface without any complicated calibration procedures and so on.

    It is Beta version now. It has ascetic interface and very simple in use.

    Source code, issue tracker and latest APKs are available here: http://bitbucket.org/gyrussolutions/yaab/

    Google Play link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=biz.gyrus.yaab

    Any feedback is highly appreciated, especially from other Android developers :)
    5
    Guys, thanks a lot for your feedback. I had couple days off and didn't know that the app was mentioned on the portal. Good surprise!
    Reading and analyzing all the feedback now. Not sure that I'll be able to reply to everyone, but believe me, I'll read everything. and not only here, on the forum.

    One quick notice: Sony devices really have light sensor, and it is really not available via Android API, that's why the sensor is absent for the app (and for the Play store). We will try to solve this, but can't promise yet.

    Thanks again.
    3
    Tester initial impressions

    A nice small download and a simple and clean interface. Started service and it immediately started dimming my brightness. A few points to begin with:

    The manual slider does not seem to work as there was no change in the brightness.
    It doesn't seem to alter the brightness in different lighting (unsure if it is supposed to do this or not from documentation).
    It is making my screen too dim, I have a GT-I9300 and the auto brightness on it is excellent and always keeps my screen at the good readable and useable settings.

    Will run for an hour or so now and update this with further thoughts then.

    ---------- Post added at 05:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:06 PM ----------

    Ok it's keeping my screen to dim to be usable so have had to uninstall for now. A few further points though:

    Application Force Closes when you stop the serverce.

    The manual slider does not work.

    Handset - GT-I9300
    ROM - Paranoid Android 2.51

    OK log wouldn't upload, here's a link for it on dropbox.

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/mbyfz33b7audtxz/2012-11-02-17-10-36.txt
    1
    Good report, thanks a lot.
    Looks like the app incorrectly reads light sensor data on your device and thus brings brightness to minimum.
    I'm working on the issue now.
    1
    Wishlist suggestion: allow the user to toggle on/off the new inverted tone night mode. I prefer simple dimming much better than inverted tones, maybe others do too?
    Definitely, I don't like inverted tones and reading on black really tires the eyes.

    Sent from my GT-I9505