Backlight Dimming, TS Calibration, Sound fixes for CF-31

[mklym]

The "CF-31 Linux" thread that kode-niner started on the now defunct NBR had a section about being able to dim the backlight. I had not realized that was a problem.

Previously, I didn't have the time to spend trying the fixes kode documented, but after recently having lost my job, I have had some time to play a bit.

I cannot remember where I found this fix (sort of like I can't remember where I lost my job at ) but it seems to work. You add "acpi_backlight=video" to the kernel parameters, usually right after "quiet splash". This is how my 'grub' file is:

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 GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_backlight=video"  

Update grub after making the change.

On my 31Mk3 the Fn+F1 and Fn+F2 controls the dimming and brightening just like they where meant to.

Hope this works in the distro you are using. I have verified it works in MXLinux, POP_OS! and AlmaLinux.

The TS calibration fix was posted by SHEEPMAN! in a thread he started on NBR, and kode linked to in his 31 Linux thread.

"Spot on calibration CF-31 and ? Linux spoken here.

In this day and age, Toughbooks almost all fit into the category of "older". Which makes sense because Panasonic found something that worked and stayed with it.

Historically, the biggest single thing that occurred with Panasonic Toughbooks, was installing fans when processor speed created more heat than heat sinks could handle.

What I am getting at, is that when you are tweaking Toughbooks you need to look at older distros. Did I mention that I am talking Linux here and touchscreens in particular.

Which brings us to libinput.

libinput does not work right with CF-31. The cure is relatively simple.....two lines in terminal or if you prefer, right clicking in Synaptic Package Manager.

From terminal. As this is a file deletion/addition sudo is necessary.

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apt-get purge xserver-xorg-input-libinput

apt-get install xserver-xorg-input-evdev

Now you can calibrate and the cursor will use the whole screen.

In defense of libinput, it does work extremely well with tablets like FZ-Q1. Basically anything that does multi-touch.


SHEEPMAN!, Mar 24, 2020 "


The sound fix comes from kode-niners NBR CF-31 Linux thread also, but was originally posted by NBR user ToughbreaK.

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Sound Fix
1) Open Terminal
2) sudo gedit /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/analog-output-speaker.conf
3) In the analog-output-speaker.conf file,
CHANGE:
[Element Headphone]
switch = off
volume = off
TO:
[Element Headphone]
switch = off
volume = merge
override-map.1 = all
override-map.2 = all-left,all-right
CHANGE:
[Element Speaker]
required-any = any
switch = mute
volume = merge
override-map.1 = all
override-map.2 = all-left,all-right
TO:
[Element Speaker]
required-any = any
switch = mute
volume = off
4) Save
5) Open Terminal
7) sudo reboot 

Thanks to the work of SHEEPMAN!, kode-niner and ToughbreaK.

Next I am going to go through the section of kode's thread that deals with getting fingerprint reader working.