Same trouble. Apple 20" iMac7,1 ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT fglrx video driver.
command "xset dpms force off" in Ubuntu 9.04 - don`t turn backlight off, only blank screen in Ubuntu 8.04 and Ubuntu 8.10 (updated from 8.04) - works fine
Same trouble.
Apple 20" iMac7,1
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT
fglrx video driver.
command "xset dpms force off"
in Ubuntu 9.04 - don`t turn backlight off, only blank screen
in Ubuntu 8.04 and Ubuntu 8.10 (updated from 8.04) - works fine