ScreenSleeper

Turning the monitor off is a great alternative to any screensaver, especially if you are trying to be careful in the power consumption aspect. There are internal ways to influence the behavior of your monitors, but those can become null depending on how old or damaged the operating system is. in that sort of scenario, a tool like ScreenSleeper could prove handy.

This mostly CMD-based program can turn off your monitors in an instant, or follow a strict schedule derived from the PC's idle status.

Unzip the archive to access the app's executable. Run the EXE to cause the monitors to turn off on the spot. This is the executable-only role, meaning there is no dashboard to work with. To set up a more complex schedule, the command-line UI is required.

What can ScreenSleeper do is enforce a series of commands that disable the monitor's following specific criteria. For example, you can instruct the machine to wait a certain amount of time after it went idle, then cut the power. There is also the possibility to add a delay time to the action. After the idle time is registered, you can decide to add an extra interval to the recipe.

Besides powering off the monitors, the tool can also lock your PC if instructed. All the commands and detailed information on how to use the app can be found here.

ScreenSleeper is the type of application you go to when your OS is cranky and not as responsive, at least with regard to putting the monitors to sleep. In order to operate the program, one needs basic knowledge of CMD. Still, the commands are so simple and well-presented that even a rookie can have a go at it.