It’s not that we find this functionality useful since most monitors sleep after a few minutes of inactivity, but we like the methodology. For this to work, your phone must be WiFi enabled and connected to the same network as your PC. Of course you will use an iPhone, but any phone able to use WiFi should work…
Here’s what you need:
- NirCmd: This command line utility is used to put the monitor into sleep. Download – Website
- QuickPHP: You need to run a web server that supports PHP on your computer. Any server will work. this particular one, it’s lightweight and quick and easy to setup. QuickPHP- Website
- PHP Source Code: Download
How to:
- After downloading NirCmd, unzip it and place nircmdc.exe in your system32 directory, i.e. C:\Windows\System32\. Note: Placing an executable in system32 directory is great because then you can access the files from any directory within command line, no need to find the directory first.
- Create two new folders. One for the PHP Server and one for your web files. I will use the following directories: C:\PHPServer and C:\PHP
- Download QuickPHP and unzip. This program will not install, you must place the program files somewhere. I moved them to C:\PHPServer for easy access.
- Download the source code and place it in C:\PHP.
- Go to the QuickPHP directory and run QuickPHP.exe – Change the “Root” folder to whatever you choose above as the web file directory (C:\PHP). Note the server port, default 5723. Hit Start.
- For the next step you need to know your local IP address. To get this go to the start menu. Type in “Run” in the search bar and hit enter or simply click the run icon. Where it says “open” type in “cmd” – You now have a command prompt open. You should see something like C:\… type in “ipconfig” – Now look for your the number labeled IPv4 address. It will likely start with 192.168 – This is the number you will use in YOU_IP in the next step.
- Get your iPhone and open up Safari. In the address bar, type in http://YOUR_IP:5723 – i.e. http://192.168.1.2:5723
- Click the + sign and select “Add to Home Screen”
- You will get a new icon on your SpringBoard ( like the one in the pic below ). Now, when you want to turn your monitor off, all you need to do is tap on the new icon.
[via Mike Silverman]
