AFAIK it depends on the DPMS implementation.
For instance: My laptop honours the settings but my desktop doesn't.
There are several ways around it.
You can set it for the current user:
either:
- Go to startup preferences (in control panel) and create an entry by clicking the add button. Then fill that entry with the following information:
Name: Stop Screen Blanking
command: xset -dpms s off s noblank s 0 0 s noexpose
comments: This prevents the screen from going blank.
Delay: 0
or
- Add to your
~/.xinitrc
file any or all of the following lines:
xset s off # don't activate screensaver
xset -dpms # disable DPMS (Energy Star) features.
xset s noblank # don't blank the video device
Or you can disable it systemwide:
Edit '/usr/share/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/50-xserver-command.conf'
change:
[Seat:*]
# Dump core
xserver-command=X -core
to:
[Seat:*]
# Dump core
xserver-command=X -dpms -core