how use widescreen TV as monitor?
 

A widescreen 16:9 TFT liquid chrystal TV. It works also as a monitor but it is widescreen and its own controls wont do much to help this. So everything is stretched sideways. How do I fix this? Please spell it out.:scratch:

Thanks any help.

I think that you have to have a video card that supports the wider format. If you compare you tv's manual to your video cards manual you will probably see a max resolution of something like 1460x768 (tv) vs 1024x768(video card).

lazlow

Say, how are you connecting the computer to this TV? Is it via an S-Video or Composite out connection? Or is it via a 15pin VGA connector? Or some sort of Ati component video dongle? Or SCART?

If it's via a 15pin VGA connector, then there's a good chance you'll be able to use a custom modeline to get what you need.

What model of TV is this? What model of video card are you using? We'll need to know to figure out what can be done.

Thanks girls.:)
It's a VGA connector, assume 15 pin. The television's a Beko. I'll have to get back with the models.... Incidentally, tried putting DisplaySize 200 100, or some other figures, in XF86Config-4, Debian Sarge. This caused the laptop, which is connected to the TV, to go weird or to split the picture in two, but had no effect on the TV.

Are you using more than one display? If you have two monitors defined, then obviously you're going to want to change the settings on the TV monitor for adjusting that.

Either way, post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf. It seems you've got some complex issues going on. We still need to know what video "card" you're using, and knowing what model of TV may be helpful (to look up that TV's manual on the internet).

Unfortunately, when a TV set has a 15pin VGA connector it may be expecting some really weird things. Some TV sets expect only HDTV sync signals, in which case you'll probably have to be satisfied with 1280x720 (standard 720p) which is either scaled or letterboxed in the display. Some TV sets expect only standard computer resolution signals, which means widescreen modes aren't available. It's not clear exactly what your TV is expecting.

Sorry about delay.

Just plugging TV into back of laptop with no change to the X config file.

Okay, I'm not positive what the capabilities of Ati Rage mobility are (I'm assuming that's correct). I did play around with Powerstrip on a Windows XP laptop with Ati onboard graphics...I didn't do very much but I did figure at that at the very least it can't handle interlaced modes. That isn't a concern for you, but that was a deal-breaker for me so I stopped messing with it.

Now then, this looks like a Knoppix hard drive install (debian style)...maybe an older version since it's still using XFree rather than Xorg? No matter; the same advice applies.

Basically, there are three things you may need to modify in order to get your custom resolution to work:

1. Make sure the Monitor has HorizSync and VertRefresh suitable for the desired resolution. This looks good.

2. Put a custom ModeLine in the Monitor section for the desired resolution. It looks like you've tried to add a modeline for "1800x1440". Is that your TV's native resolution? This may be good, or it might need tweaking or recalculation.

and

3. Put the desired custom resolution in the list of "Modes" in the Screen section. Technically, you only need to put it in the Modes list of the DefaultColorDepth. The mode which is used by default is the first one on that list. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHANGED!!! Right now, you've got:

This needs to be changed to:
Otherwise, it will try to use 1024x768 as its default resolution.

Note that I never said that changing the DisplaySize would change the aspect ratio of the screen. It doesn't. X applications assume square pixels.

Oh...I would be really surprised if your TV supports 1800x1440 resolution. I tried looking up "Beko LCD", and I think that the native resolution you want is "1280x768". Using the web based Cola's Free Modeline Generator, I get this:

This assumes a vertical refresh rate of 60hz, which is pretty standard for HDTV sets (sorry, PALs ;) ). Add this Modeline into your Monitor section, and change the list of modelines to:

Sorry to be brain-dead, but I need another
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Section do I??

But this time "Monitor1"??

Then I take your advice after that?

Anyway I'll try that.

No, not unless you want to set up a multi-monitor setup. I doubt your laptop is capable of multi-monitor anyway. Note that you might only do custom resolutions if the laptop boots up with the built-in screen closed. Otherwise, the hardware might force 1024x768 resolution even if the software might want to use a different resolution.

When I was fiddling with my old laptop, I found that if the screen were open at boot-up, the two video outputs would be "mirrored" and the built-in screen would force in 1024x768@60 no matter what. The only way to get any other resolution on the VGA output was to turn on the computer with the screen closed--so only the VGA output was active. After turning on the computer in that mode, opening up the screen would NOT turn on the built-in screen. I suspect that any time the built-in screen is activated, the mode would force to 1024x768. This laptop used Ati Rage Mobility on-board graphics. These are HARDWARE LIMITATIONS, and you can't get around them with software.

Note that I'm making some assumptions about what you're trying to do based on what little you've described so far. It would have been helpful if, at the start, you mentioned that you were using a laptop computer with Ati Rage Mobility graphics (I'm guessing that's what your graphics is, based on what Knoppix guessed). Also, it would have been helpful to know that you're using a Knoppix install (again, I'm guessing this, based on your XF86Config-4--oh, I'm guessing that it's /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, based on what your posted config file says)...

So anyway, I'm also guessing that what you're trying to do is use a single display--just the TV--and you do NOT want to also use the built-in display. I'm just guessing this, because you never said. If you're hoping to use both displays, with the built-in display mirroring, then I'm pretty sure it can't be done. But again, I'm just guessing because I don't actually know what graphics chipset you're using (you never said). If you're hoping to use both displays, with different output to the TV as the built-in display, then I'm pretty sure it can't be done. But again, I'm just guessing because I don't actually know what graphics chipset you're using (you never said).

As I've said before, we need to know what hardware you're using, and what operating system you're using, in order to troubleshoot video problems.

Very good idea - booting with the lid sown. You could go for a year and not think of that.

It's a Debian Sarge installation. I couldn't be bothered configuring X during the install so I just ran the Knoppix live CD afterwards and then pasted in the monitor-type stuff from its XF86Config file.

The video card is: pci bus 0x0001 cardnum 0x00 function 0x00: vendor 0x1002 device 0x4c46
ATI Technologies Inc Rage Mobility M3 AGP 2x.

Was thinking of just plugging the wide-screen TV into the VGA female on the back of the laptop, doesn't really matter if the laptop screen works as well.

Thanks for your help.