Surface Tweak Tool for Surface Pro 2 - Release!
- Thread starter GoodBytes
- Start date
Well the Surface Pro 2 is not Windows 10 ready yet, and I think same for the Surface Pro 3 from what I read on teh internet. Not sure if it true or not.
But I am looking into it. Believe me it annoys me like crazy this stupid features. I wish Intel would just drop it. Looking over the web, this issue is one that a great number of people complain about on all their devices. The difference is that they can turn it off. We can't! And I think the reason why Microsoft is not disabling it by default, and not giving the control panel, is that they are afraid that it will genuinely affect battery life, and people might complain about the reduced battery life. That is the only explanation I have, especially that in 1 firmware of the Surface Pro 2 (before the Pro 3 was released), the Intel Control Panel was there. However, I am not losing hope.
I'm currently running the Windows 10 release and it's pretty great. (I did a complete reset before the upgrade though, wiping all files and programs. Seems like people were having issues and a clean upgrade certainly helped avoid that.) For the few hours after the install, the adaptive contrast didn't kick in and I was in bliss. Then it came back.
I just want them to let us have a frakking check box or something. I've certainly tried asking many times, to no avail. Power users can understand a slight loss of battery life. Hide the setting deep in the control panel or something so average users don't know it exists. I really don't understand why not.
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Hey Goodbytes! Just wondering since all of the changes with WIN10, if it is possible to post the registry keys and the changed values to turn the adaptive contrast setting on/off. I THINK after doing the update to Win10, the setting is still off (display looks good) but I am going to clean install and know I will lose this (though I can try your tool again and see if it works still).
Also, from another post, there is a way to not get the forced display updates I think (for those that have not seen this yet)...I will do this AFTER I get the display how I like it: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930
Also, from another post, there is a way to not get the forced display updates I think (for those that have not seen this yet)...I will do this AFTER I get the display how I like it: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3073930
Hey!
That Microsoft tool is only temporarily hide the drivers, Windows 10 will still force install it.
Next weekend I'll install Windows 10 on my Surface Pro 2, even if Microsoft says it is not ready, and see if I can work out a new solution for Intel graphics.
I can't post the registry keys as they change the values and settings each time. So it on figuring out what these values are. Sometimes I need to change the inf file the registry links to, change the value, and restore back the inf value to what it was so that it doesn't revert back. Also, the driver GUID changes at every driver installs, and is different for each users. So it is a bit complicated. That is why I did the software, else I would have simply done a .reg file to double click and apply, and be done.
That Microsoft tool is only temporarily hide the drivers, Windows 10 will still force install it.
Next weekend I'll install Windows 10 on my Surface Pro 2, even if Microsoft says it is not ready, and see if I can work out a new solution for Intel graphics.
I can't post the registry keys as they change the values and settings each time. So it on figuring out what these values are. Sometimes I need to change the inf file the registry links to, change the value, and restore back the inf value to what it was so that it doesn't revert back. Also, the driver GUID changes at every driver installs, and is different for each users. So it is a bit complicated. That is why I did the software, else I would have simply done a .reg file to double click and apply, and be done.
Bummer on all counts lol...but thanks for the extra info (did not know win10 still force installs and also did not know reg settings changed on each update). If I was a rich man I'd send you an SP3! I can't calibrate my monitor until I get that setting turned off (it does some funky things to it with it on). Good luck on the Win10 install...I'm still going through all the settings but I'm on an SP3, not SP2 - but so far all is going ok....hope it works for you! I'll try and keep an eye on this thread and thanks for all that you do 
Hello everyone!
It has been a while!
I have updated Surface Tweak Tool for support for the latest Surface line Intel drivers (Windows 10.1 TH2 with the latest firmware of the system), to enable more colors, and disable the dynamic contrast ratio effect the Intel drivers does when on battery ('Display Power Saving Technology').
You can get the latest version, but hitting the Download button here:
Download: Surface Tweak Tool - Download
(Direct link to downloads is not allowed on this forum. Sorry).
It has been a while!
I have updated Surface Tweak Tool for support for the latest Surface line Intel drivers (Windows 10.1 TH2 with the latest firmware of the system), to enable more colors, and disable the dynamic contrast ratio effect the Intel drivers does when on battery ('Display Power Saving Technology').
You can get the latest version, but hitting the Download button here:
Download: Surface Tweak Tool - Download
(Direct link to downloads is not allowed on this forum. Sorry).
odessamarin
New Member
Hi,
thank you for this fantastic tool!
I use it with my Surface Pro 4 to disable intel autocontrast.. and it works fine!
Seems it support even last SP4!
Could you tell me, do i need to save some settings to be able to undo applied driver fix?
I mean, where program saved a original parameters?
Also is it possible to fix just the autocontrast, without color changes.. what is exactly is changed but this fix btw? Gamma? Intencity..?
Thank you
thank you for this fantastic tool!
I use it with my Surface Pro 4 to disable intel autocontrast.. and it works fine!
Seems it support even last SP4!
Could you tell me, do i need to save some settings to be able to undo applied driver fix?
I mean, where program saved a original parameters?
Also is it possible to fix just the autocontrast, without color changes.. what is exactly is changed but this fix btw? Gamma? Intencity..?
Thank you
Oh awesome! Glad it works for the SP4!
Thank you very much for the feedback! It is what fuels me to continue!
To answer your questions:
You'll need to re-apply the fix anytime the Intel graphics drivers are updated or re-installed, or when there is a firmware update (which usually includes Intel latest drivers for its integrated graphics solution), just something to keep in mind.
The easiest way to undo the driver fix that my software does, is to uninstall the Intel's integrated graphics from Device Manager, restart your system, and let Windows Update re-download them and re-install them. You'll be back as it was before using Surface Tweak Tool.
Currently, the program doesn't do any backups of the drivers setting.
As for being able to disable autocontrast, without color changes. I am not sure I follow you. I do know that, at least on the Surface Pro 1 and 2, that the Intel drivers are miss configured, and limits the colors of the display. So it changes that to allow full colors being displayed, boosting the visuals.
Now, if Microsoft limited the colors of the display to color adjust them, it is clearly the wrong the way to do it from Microsoft part, as they should adjust the color of the panel (or get a better panel) and not use software color manipulation method to try and get more accurate colors, as software method always limits colors. Meaning your gradients aren't smooth. Some colors are shifted to the color next to it. That is the problem with software methods, you need to apply a hardware method. For example, if you buy a Dell monitor that has the panel manufactured color calibrated (done via profile, ready to be selected once you plug in the monitor), the calibration is done on the hardware level. So, you have full colors being displayed, and accurate.
I am not sure if I can split them, as I don't know what exact option causes the issue you are having.
The software being designed for the Surface Pro 1 and 2 (and many testers reports that the Pro 3 works great with it, minus the pen calibration due to technology changes, mostly due to the very similar hardware that it shares with the Surface Pro 2), the display was color limited, because drivers configuration were miss configured. So the goal was to solve this. The way I see it, is that the panel used in the Surface line are 6-bit panel per channel with FRC to emulate 8-bit colors per channel, which is what the graphics card output (8-bits per channel), and that is how 99% to 100% of the content most people sees is encoded as, and what software supports. So, if you plan to do color accurate work, get a true 8-bit panel monitor (IPS panel (or OLED if you have the funds)), get your color calibrator to calibrate the monitor, and do your color accurate work.
6-bit panels are commonly used due to the lower production cost. As it output a satisfactory image for most people, people tend to be fine with it.
Are the color really off on your Surface Pro 4? Do you do color accurate work on it? If the colors are wrong, in what way they are shifted to be wrong?
odessamarin
New Member
Thank you for detailed reply!
Yes, tool starts and shows all information without any problem on SP4! Complements for such forward compatibility!
Then i tried just intel driver fix. Bot sure if other options will work.
I was looking for tool to desable adaptive contrast. And it works!
What i ment is that this fix is named also to correct color problem.
So i was ask is it possible to apply just the adaptive contrast fix alone.
Or it is same things? Generally in normal intel driver panel i was disabling
Display Power Saving Technology... to get rid this adaptive brightness.
Anyway, thank you very much, i don't see any problem after fix applied.
Yes, tool starts and shows all information without any problem on SP4! Complements for such forward compatibility!
Then i tried just intel driver fix. Bot sure if other options will work.
I was looking for tool to desable adaptive contrast. And it works!
What i ment is that this fix is named also to correct color problem.
So i was ask is it possible to apply just the adaptive contrast fix alone.
Or it is same things? Generally in normal intel driver panel i was disabling
Display Power Saving Technology... to get rid this adaptive brightness.
Anyway, thank you very much, i don't see any problem after fix applied.
Ah ok, now I understand you better.
It's not the same thing, but you want to apply both in any case to display full colors (at least on the Surface Pro 1 and 2), if the Pro 4 doesn't have this problem, then the color changes should have no effect on this, as it would be changing the values to the same one.
Thank you SOOOO much for this tool. It's been majorly irritating having my screen brightness go up and down every time I switch between bright and dark applications. The Intel graphics fix worked perfectly on my Surface Book, and I'm even running the latest Win10 insider build (14279) and Intel driver (Beta_15.40.18.64.4380).
I hope more people find this page and are saved from the terrible auto contrast power saving garbage that our devices ship with.
Great work!
I hope more people find this page and are saved from the terrible auto contrast power saving garbage that our devices ship with.
Great work!
