The portable application runs silently in the background upon startup. It can be configured with a right-click on its system tray icon and the selection of Show / Hide Configuration menu from the context options.

All available options are listed on the same page. Available for selection are:

• Toggle mute: Mutes the computer.
• Toggle show desktop: This minimizes all open windows automatically when the computer enters idle stage so that the desktop is shown.
• Toggle taskbar icons: Hides the taskbar and icons when the computer is idle.
• Toggle desktop icons: Hides the desktop icons on idle.
• Hide window(s): Option to select specific windows that are then hidden by System Silencer on idle.
• Kill process(es): Terminates the selected processes
• Run program / file(s): Launches specified applications or files.
• Turn of monitor(s)
• Lock workstation
• Shutdown, reboot, log off or reboot the computer

Some options can be reverted when the idle state of the PC ends. It is furthermore possible to specific actions individually for desktop and battery mode. The idle time can be configured individually for each action as well.

System Silencer offers several interesting options. Especially the ability to hide elements on the screen, configure different idle times for actions and the option to revert changes should make it interesting for the majority of users.

The application can be downloaded from the developer website over at Nozavi.

But what exactly does it mean, idle? I had troubles answering that question. I knew that it had to do with the resource utilization and user interaction, but was not able to provide exact figures.

That sparked my interest and I managed to get the data. Here is the definition of idle in the Windows operating system:

The computer is considered to be idle by Windows if there has not been user interaction via the mouse or keyboard for a given time and if the hard drives and processors have been idle more than 90% of that time.

The Task Scheduler in Windows 7 for instance considers the computer to be idle if the above states returned true for a period of ten minutes.

There are a few exceptions to that rule. Applications may set a flag that prevents the computer from idle mode. Another possibility are low priority processes that may be ignored by the Windows 7 Task Scheduler. But that appears to be a Windows 7 only rule.

To paraphrase; The computer enters idle mode if

• users have not interacted with it for a period of ten minutes
• and if in the same time period the processor and hard drive utilization has been idle as well for at least 90% of the time

Additional information about Task Idle conditions are available at a Microsoft MSDN Library page.

System Silencer is a versatile highly configurable program to set PC idle state actions. The program offers options to configure actions for idle states in desktop and battery mode.

One interesting aspect of the portable application is that it offers to set the idle time for actions individually.

system silencer

The program can perform the following actions when the computer is idle:

• Toggle mute
• Toggle show desktop
• Toggle taskbar icons
• Toggle desktop icons
• Hide windows
• Kill processes
• Run programs / files
• Turn off computer monitors
• Lock the workstation

Each action can be configured individually in the program for desktop mode and battery mode, including the option to set idle times for each action individually as well.

It is for instance possible to activate the hide windows action and configure window names that the program should hide when the computer is in idle state for the specified time.

The same is possible for running background processes, and programs that could be run in idle state.

The main advantage of System Silencer over comparable applications is its customizability, which exceeds that of the other programs.

A click on the save and apply button saves the configuration and minimizes the program to the system tray.

System Silencer is an excellent program for Windows users who want as much control as possible over their computer in idle state. (via Cybernetnews)

The test compared the on, off and idle states of the devices if applicable listing the weekly, monthly and yearly energy consumption and costs in a table. The Playstation 3 is by far the most energy hungry device in the test followed by a 42″ Plasma TV and the Xbox 360 while the Nintendo Wii consumes only a tenth of the energy the Playstation 3 needs.

I could go on but the essence, the real important information can be found when comparing the idle energy consumption with the one when the device is turned off. Lots of money can be saved by turning the devices off instead of leaving them in idle mode. The Playstation 3 for instance consumes 1655.20 Kwh per year in idle mode but only 15.53 Kwh when turned off.

It does not make much sense to turn off the gaming console the whole year to save energy but it makes perfectly sense to turn it off when no one is playing. If you want to cut all costs you simply disconnect the power supply from the device.

Someone with a Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 would pay more than $420 per year for both devices even if they would be in idle mode most of the time. Please note that you have to check the local costs of 1 Kwh and calculate the expenses this way. It could very well be that you would be paying more or less depending on the energy costs in your country.

I usually cut the power supply that powers my LCD TV, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, Playstation 2 and Xbox whenever I’m not using those devices to save energy. I do not cut the power supply on my computer though, mainly because it does not make a huge difference.

Are you saving energy, if so how ?