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h1. Configure terminal via setterm

h2. Requirements

To configure the terminal via @setterm@ you will need the following:

* a installed and supported operating system (e.g. CentOS)

* root-access

h2. Preliminary Note

While in the past it was graceful to the crt-monitor not to display the same content for ages this behaviour is not necessary any more, especially with virtual screens

Therefore we disable powersaving and blanking of the screen.

This information is taken from [[http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/linux-disable-screen-blanking-screen-going-blank.html]] other @setterm@ related information may be found also in the setterm and terminfo man pages.

h2. Configure terminal

h3. short version

add following to @/boot/grub/menu.lst@ at @kernel@

<pre><code class="bash">

consoleblank=0

</code></pre>

h3. long version

<pre><code class="bash">

setterm -powersave off -blank 0

</code></pre>

If it dumps back you with an error that read as follows:

@cannot (un)set powersave mode@

You need to shutdown X window system and rerun the above command. Better, add following two commands to your ~/.xinitrc file:

<pre><code class="bash">

setterm -blank 0 -powersave off -powerdown 0

xset s off

</code></pre>

You can verify what timeout the kernel uses for virtual console blanking via:

<pre>

$ cat /sys/module/kernel/parameters/consoleblank

600

</pre>

This file is read-only and the timeout is specified in seconds. The current default seems to be 10 minutes.

You can change that value with entering the following command on a virtual console (if you are inside an xterm you have to change to a virtual console via hitting e.g. Ctrl+Alt+F1).

<pre>

$ setterm -blank VALUE

</pre>

Where the new VALUE is specified in minutes. A value of 0 disables blanking:

<pre>

$ cat /sys/module/kernel/parameters/consoleblank

600

$ setterm -blank 0

$ cat /sys/module/kernel/parameters/consoleblank

0

</pre>

setterm has other powersaving related options, the must useful combination seems to be:

<pre>

$ setterm -blank 0 -powersave off

</pre>

Thus to permanently/automatically disable virtual console blanking on startup you can either:

* add consoleblank=0 to the kernel parameters (edit grub configuration)

* add the setterm -blank 0 command to an rc-local or equivalent startup script

* add the setterm output to /etc/issue since /etc/issue is output on every virtual console:

<pre>

# setterm -blank 0 >> /etc/issue

</pre>

Choose one alternative from the above.