How to cut off laptop screen ?

You can enable a screen saver / timeout via vidcontrol (https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?vidcontrol(1))

Also, check out saver and blanktime in rc.conf (https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?rc.conf(5))

Some things to note:
  • Avoid closing the lid. Many laptops aren't meant for this whilst they are on and may overheat
  • Consider running Xorg and blank the screen there for the additional power management features that it (and the drivers) provide. This can help the machine run cooler.
 
You can enable a screen saver / timeout via vidcontrol (https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?vidcontrol(1))

Also, check out saver and blanktime in rc.conf (https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?rc.conf(5))

Some things to note:
  • Avoid closing the lid. Many laptops aren't meant for this whilst they are on and may overheat
  • Consider running Xorg and blank the screen there for the additional power management features that it (and the drivers) provide. This can help the machine run cooler.
Thank you for your reply,
This is what I did:
- in /etc/rc.conf
blanktime = "10"
It does not work.

I would just like to turn off the screen.
I looked at vdicontrol but I don't know which config file I should use it in.
 
Worst case, use duct tape. :p (To hold a piece of cardboard over the screen)
I will think about it ;-) :)

But the problem is if I have to do a remote reboot my arm will never be long enough to go to the box !
 
you can suspend/resume your vga device with:

Code:
devctl suspend vgapci0
devctl resume vgapci0

Note: you need to ssh into box as you can not resume display device from laptop itself

you can also check man 8 devctl for other options
 
Not a bad idea - if the laptop actually cooperates with that. Laptops are famous for being rather uncooperative with FreeBSD. You can get FreeBSD going OK on a laptop, generally speaking, but when it comes to making this hardware button or that hardware button to work (beyond the power button) - that is a bit of a tossup.
 
you can suspend/resume your vga device with:

Code:
devctl suspend vgapci0
devctl resume vgapci0

Note: you need to ssh into box as you can not resume display device from laptop itself

you can also check man 8 devctl for other options
Thank you.
I tested this according to the devctl man:

Code:
devctl suspends vgapci0
devctl disable vgapci0
devctl detach vgapci0

Nothing is happening.

On one of my other machines running OpenBSD I add this to /etc/wsconsctl.conf.
Code:
echo "display.screen_off = 60000" >> /etc/wsconsctl.conf
After the time indicated the screen stops.

Here I am looking for a way to run it but under FreeBSD.
I also have an error:
Code:
CPU0: local APIC error 0x40
In BIOS it is not possible to configure or disable it.
Could this be a problem?
 
In case your laptop uses Intel graphics, I noticed (but didn't try) the sysctl hw.i915kms.disable_display. Requires a reboot.
There may be similar sysctls for other drivers.

From Xorg, you can use xset dpms force off.
 
Not an answer, but it seems that I can not have the case (lid) closed to cut off the screen of a notebook, where external displays are in use:

 
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