brightness?????

I have my macbook pro connect to a t.v, so when it is connected, I put the brightness all the way down, and then close the lid.
When I open the lid it's still dark. I used to be able to make it brighter by pressing F2, but now it doesn't work. I have to press 'fn key + F2' to make it brighter. How do I make the setting like how it way before? I want to be able to just press F2, and then get it brighter.

Someone please help.

Thanks

Don't know either.

On my MBP, I have to use the 'fn' key to operate the brightness and the volume controls.
My wife's MB does not.

You may have installed another program that uses those function keys that made the change. I use Opera which uses the F1 - F5 keys for shortcuts.

In System Preferences, under Keyboard & Mouse/Keyboard, there's a checkbox ("Use F1-F12 keys to control software features") that switches this behavior.

Just out of curiosity, though, why turn the brightness off when you're shutting the lid anyway? It should turn off by itself when the lid closes all the way.