Google Nexus 5 - auto brightness issue

[logicalform]

The auto brightness on my N5 is really wonky, constantly adjusting up and down with no apparent change in ambient light. Is anyone else having this issue? I'm inclined to believe (and hope) that it's just a software issue, as things are much better with Lux installed.
So... any input?

 

[Magnus Cappelen Solvang]

I'm setting the same behaviour. It's like it pulsates up and down in brightness, really slowly, when I'm sitting on the couch reading an article. The light in the room is unchanged. I have not adjusted the screen settings.

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I may wipe down the whole front panel. Get some water and clean that thing. Do a reboot. Cycle auto on and off. Then, if it's still doing it, boot into safe mode. If it's still doing it RMA.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[N4Newbie]

I have had the same problem with every auto-brightness capable phone I have ever owned. Have it with the Nexus 5, had it with the Nexus 4, had it with an HTC Evo 4G. Etc.

The reality, in my opinion, is that auto-brightness is a good idea which just doesn't work well in real life. I have found that the slightest change in ambient lighting can trigger a response to the point of major annoyance. For example, if the room lighting is behind me, simply raising the phone from a table top so that I can look at it (or, alternatively, leaning over to look at the display) is enough to throw a slight shadow across the phone's sensor and thus initiate a brightness change. Or, in a dimly lit room while watching TV, the variation in light output from bright and not-so-bright scenes will also trigger the sensor. Heck, when lit from the front or above, even the reflection off my forehead seems to be able to trigger the sensor.

To sum up, do what I do: turn auto-brightness off and be done with it.

 

[mrsmumbles]

I had the temporary brightness too one time last week. I have auto brightness turned off and the brightness between 20% and 30%.

Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

 

[wpbfjr]

I am wondering if the lighting source makes a difference? incandescent bulbs vs led bulbs vs fluorescent vs energy efficient bulbs?

Sent from my TRS-80 using Tapatalk

 

[palandri]

I have had the same problem with every auto-brightness capable phone I have ever owned. Have it with the Nexus 5, had it with the Nexus 4, had it with an HTC Evo 4G. Etc.

The reality, in my opinion, is that auto-brightness is a good idea which just doesn't work well in real life. I have found that the slightest change in ambient lighting can trigger a response to the point of major annoyance. For example, if the room lighting is behind me, simply raising the phone from a table top so that I can look at it (or, alternatively, leaning over to look at the display) is enough to throw a slight shadow across the phone's sensor and thus initiate a brightness change. Or, in a dimly lit room while watching TV, the variation in light output from bright and not-so-bright scenes will also trigger the sensor. Heck, when lit from the front or above, even the reflection off my forehead seems to be able to trigger the sensor.

To sum up, do what I do: turn auto-brightness off and be done with it.

I had the temporary brightness too one time last week. I have auto brightness turned off and the brightness between 20% and 30%.

Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

I think you two are spot on. I've experienced the same thing with auto brightness on Symbian, Windows and Android. The best solution is to shut it off.

 

[palandri]

I am wondering if the lighting source makes a difference? incandescent bulbs vs led bulbs vs fluorescent vs energy efficient bulbs?

Sent from my TRS-80 using Tapatalk

Probably, but if you turn auto brightness off you eliminate the problem

 

[mrsmumbles]

I am wondering if the lighting source makes a difference? incandescent bulbs vs led bulbs vs fluorescent vs energy efficient bulbs?

Sent from my TRS-80 using Tapatalk

When it happened on mine the lighting source in the room is fluorescent.

Sent from my LG870 via Tapatalk 2

 

[gidgiddonihah]

I have never liked auto brightness. It never picks the right brightness and I hate that it's always changing. It shouldn't be changing without any movement or change of lighting.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk