nvidia: initialize screen if not connected

barbex · 01-27-2012, 12:11 PM

Hello!

I have a PC that I use as a media center in the living room. It has one small Monitor connected via VGA and the TV as a second screen connected via DVI -> HDMI.

I'm running ubuntu with xfce on it but I need to solve my problem on the X level.

It all works fine if the TV is turned on when the PC boots but I usually have the TV turned off. In that case the nvidia driver doesn't initialize the TV as a second display and I would have to turn it on and then restart X to get it working. (Annoying and not family friendly)

I hunted around in the nvidia driver options but I can't get it to work!

Here is my xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" LeftOf "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "GVC"
    HorizSync       31.0 - 53.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 85.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: unknown, VertRefresh source: unknown
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Toshiba TFT-TV"
    HorizSync       15.0 - 46.0
    VertRefresh     49.0 - 61.0
    ModeLine       "1920x1080" 74.25 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1094 1124 +hsync +vsync interlace
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 6200"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 6200"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: 800x600_60 +0+0"
    Option         "DPI"  "81 x 81"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "UseEDID" "false"
    Option         "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
    Option         "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "TRUE"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    Option         "DPI"  "110 x 110"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

And here is what the log says after booting:

Code:

 24.884] (II) NVIDIA(0): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 6200 (NV44) at PCI:2:0:0 (GPU-0)
[    24.884] (--) NVIDIA(0): Memory: 262144 kBytes
[    24.885] (--) NVIDIA(0): VideoBIOS: 05.44.a2.03.00
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0): Detected AGP rate: 8X
[    24.885] (--) NVIDIA(0): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
[    24.885] (--) NVIDIA(0): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 6200 at PCI:2:0:0
[    24.885] (--) NVIDIA(0):     GVC (CRT-0)
[    24.885] (--) NVIDIA(0): GVC (CRT-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0): Display Device found referenced in MetaMode: CRT-0
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0): Assigned Display Device: CRT-0
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0): Validated modes:
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0):     "CRT:800x600_60+0+0"
[    24.885] (II) NVIDIA(0): Virtual screen size determined to be 800 x 600
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(0): DPI set to (81, 81); computed from "DPI" X config option
[    24.887] (==) NVIDIA(0): Enabling 32-bit ARGB GLX visuals.
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
[    24.887] (==) NVIDIA(1): RGB weight 888
[    24.887] (==) NVIDIA(1): Default visual is TrueColor
[    24.887] (==) NVIDIA(1): Using gamma correction (1.0, 1.0, 1.0)
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "UseEDID" "false"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "TwinView" "0"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "MetaModes" "DFP: 1920x1080_60 +0+0"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "TRUE"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Option "DPI" "110 x 110"
[    24.887] (**) NVIDIA(1): Enabling RENDER acceleration
[    24.888] (II) NVIDIA(1): NVIDIA GPU GeForce 6200 (NV44) at PCI:2:0:0 (GPU-0)
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1): Memory: 262144 kBytes
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1): VideoBIOS: 05.44.a2.03.00
[    24.892] (II) NVIDIA(1): Detected AGP rate: 8X
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1): Interlaced video modes are supported on this GPU
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1): Connected display device(s) on GeForce 6200 at PCI:2:0:0
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1):     GVC (CRT-0)
[    24.892] (--) NVIDIA(1): GVC (CRT-0): 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): Unable to find available Display Devices for screen 1.
[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): No display devices found for this X screen.
[    24.892] (II) UnloadModule: "nvidia"
[    24.892] (II) UnloadModule: "wfb"
[    24.892] (II) UnloadModule: "fb"
[    24.892] (--) Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp
[    24.893] (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized AGP GART.
[    24.903] (II) NVIDIA(0): Setting mode "CRT:800x600_60+0+0"
[    25.005] (II) Loading extension NV-GLX
[    25.229] (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized OpenGL Acceleration
[    25.236] (==) NVIDIA(0): Disabling shared memory pixmaps
[    25.236] (II) NVIDIA(0): Initialized X Rendering Acceleration
[    25.236] (==) NVIDIA(0): Backing store disabled
[    25.236] (==) NVIDIA(0): Silken mouse enabled
[    25.237] (**) NVIDIA(0): DPMS enabled
[    25.237] (II) Loading extension NV-CONTROL
[    25.237] (II) Loading extension XINERAMA
[    25.237] (II) Loading sub module "dri2"
[    25.237] (II) LoadModule: "dri2"
[    25.238] (II) Reloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/extensions/libdri2.so
[    25.238] (II) NVIDIA(0): [DRI2] Setup complete
[    25.238] (==) RandR enabled

From what I read in the nvidia readme Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP" is supposed to do exactly what I want but it doesn't work.

Anything else I can try?

ukiuki · 01-29-2012, 01:24 AM

I believe there is a way to switch monitors and probably it can be done with some applet, when you say restart X you mean shut it down and restart it? Have you tried to just logout/login? Your xorg.conf seen alright it is just a matter to find a way to switch monitors.

Does this only show in the log when the TV is off?:

Code:

[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): Unable to find available Display Devices for screen 1.
[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): No display devices found for this X screen.

Regards

barbex · 01-30-2012, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukiuki

Have you tried to just logout/login? Your xorg.conf seen alright it is just a matter to find a way to switch monitors.

I just tested it and it is indeed enough! If I turn on the TV and then logout - login the screen does get initialized.

Quote:

Does this only show in the log when the TV is off?:

Code:

[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): Unable to find available Display Devices for screen 1.
[    24.892] (EE) NVIDIA(1): No display devices found for this X screen.

Yes that only appears when the TV is turned off, when it is turned on while the PC boots, the X screen knows where to go.
All I want is, that it does that no matter what is connected.

ukiuki · 01-31-2012, 12:42 AM

Another thing you could try is, open the nvidia settings, there is an option to detect screens/monitors i believe that will work as well, not 100% sure. But give a try !

Regards

barbex · 02-01-2012, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukiuki

Another thing you could try is, open the nvidia settings, there is an option to detect screens/monitors i believe that will work as well, not 100% sure. But give a try !

No it doesn't. It detects the TV (if it's turned on) but then it can't save the configuration cause a new display is to deep in X territory or something.
Sigh, I don't know what to do, logout/login only works for me cause I know the password, I don't want my kids to know that.

ukiuki · 02-01-2012, 02:53 AM

I found this worth take a look: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...detect+monitor
With some tweaking on your xorg.conf you will be able to get that going.

Somelines have to be changed, try this:

Code:

Section "Screen"
...
    Option         "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP-1, CRT-1"
    Option         "UseDisplayDevice" "DFP-1, CRT-1"
    Option         "TwinView" "TRUE"
...
EndSection

Regards

barbex · 02-05-2012, 09:39 AM

No, that doesn't work either.

As the nvidia readme says:

Quote:

When assigning display devices to X screens, the NVIDIA X driver walks through the list of all (not already assigned) display devices detected as connected. When the "UseDisplayDevice" X configuration option is specified, the X driver will only consider connected display devices which are also included in the "UseDisplayDevice" list. This can be thought of as a "mask" against the connected (and not already assigned) display devices.

Note the subtle difference between this option and the "ConnectedMonitor" option: the "ConnectedMonitor" option overrides which display devices are actually detected, while the "UseDisplayDevice" option controls which of the detected display devices will be used on this X screen.

So unless the screen is detected, "UseDisplayDevice" won't use it (Yes, I tried it anyway). Which brings me back to "ConnectedMonitor" that really should do what I want but doesn't.

Now with the second option,I'm not quite sure where to put it. I have two Screen sections in my xorg.conf:

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: 800x600_60 +0+0"
    Option         "DPI"  "81 x 81"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "UseEDID" "false"
    Option         "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
    Option         "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "TRUE"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: 1920×1080_60 +0+0"
    Option         "DPI"  "110 x 110"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

should I write Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP-1, CRT-1" in both sections only switched around?

Would Twinview really change any of this? I'm reluctant to try that, separate X screens work well for me.

ukiuki · 02-05-2012, 02:21 PM

For the second cos DPF-0 would be the first. I dont think you need both.

I did notice that in your file it is using binary for Twinview but over there in the other forum they are using boolean.
Binary uses 1 to say yes or activate and zero to say no or deactivate.
Boolean uses true or false to do the same thing.
I don't think it does use both that isn't how things are usually made. But there is chance to some options use more than one type of flags.

You will need to find which is the correct value for your current xorg, i found this: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/NVidia/Twin_View, you can see there is says "On", so you will have to try to see which one really works.
Here i see different way and here like yours. So yes you have to try.

I hope this helps.

In that Nvidia Readme says:
Option "TwinView" "boolean"

Regards

barbex · 02-08-2012, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ukiuki

For the second cos DPF-0 would be the first. I dont think you need both.

I did notice that in your file it is using binary for Twinview but over there in the other forum they are using boolean.
Binary uses 1 to say yes or activate and zero to say no or deactivate.
Boolean uses true or false to do the same thing.

In that Nvidia Readme says:
Option "TwinView" "boolean"

How can something so simple be so confusing?

Thanks, I'll check it out.