This is NOT a question of how to fix the video, but what the difference between the two.

About 15 Linux distros and DE's all have monitor problems. The most amazing thing happened when I took the new Xubuntu 16.10 for a spin. It started with the desktop showing on the right screen!!!!! Unbelievable!!!

I then took Ubuntu MATE for a spin, and had the same monitor problem as the others. This tells me out of all the distros, there is something different with the video of Xubuntu then MATE (16.10).

Please, this is not a trouble shooting the video problem, Something is different between xubuntu and Ubuntu MATE display.

Does anyone know what it is?

Thank you,
Chris.

There should be no underlying differences between Ubuntu and Xubuntu, as they are both *buntus and the difference is superficial, that is, the GUI environment. Accordingly, more information would help:

Can you define this problem more specifically? Does this have to do with the graphical display on the monitors or does it have to do with playing video media (e. g., *.avi and *.mkv files)?

What, precisely, is not happening that you think should be happening?

What is make/model of monitors and what is/are the graphics chipset(s)?

Attaching a screenshot of the problem behavior might help (click the "Go Advanced" button under the compose post window to reach a dialog that allows attaching files).

The reason I didn't post the video problem is because I've had the problem for coming up on a year. Exhausted, spent to much time on it. It has been said over and over their is no fix. I have the AMD GPU common problem. I have two monitors, one, the computer (DVI), the other (VGA) to my HDTV.

All Linux distros go to the TV and not the computer monitor. The only one I got to work was Mint 17.3 (boot with TV unhooked, then plug it in. Go to display and set it up). Mint 18 and most others doesn't work because you can't use the fglrx drivers because of xorg 1.18.

I was surprised that it booted up in Xubuntu. Shocked more like it. The one I really, really wanted to use was Salix. Came close to it, by running;

This made it work, but never got a fix how to keep it that way. Having to turn on the TV across the room, fiddle around back and forth (wireless key and mouse don't go that far) every boot, got ridicules.

Was going to make one last thread on it, offer $20 donation to a distro of your choice for anyone who could fix it, but I'm exhausted dealing night after night for months. Also, what if one helped a little, another helped a little, it would be an argument of who should get to chose, so I gave up on that.

Been told by the best Linux Experts about using fglrx with xorg 1.18, "no way no how."

The only one that works, every time, all the time, with no problems at all is Windows.

Chris.

Update, I installed Ubuntu MATE, it doesn't even boot up with both monitors. Not sure which one is worse, having a blank screen, or not being able to boot up?

Chris.

Does it boot up with one monitor?

I installed Xubuntu. This one boots up, then I hook up the TV. I go in and set it up in "Display." After that, it works. When I shut down, then boot back up, it works on the computer monitor but no signal on the TV.

Xubuntu has another amd proprietary driver. Haven't tried that one. Hopefully want to get it going with the one that comes with it.

Chris.

What graphics card is in that machine? I don't know that that has any bearing on this, but it's crucial information, if only to rule it out.

I don't use dual monitors (that is, with separate content on each monitor), but I do connect to the television for viewing videos. If the television is not connected at the time X starts (usually on login), X won't know it's there and will not see it to send a signal to it. If you haven't already done so, try connecting the television before you boot or login.

It's amd gpu A-4 onboard HD Video. I don't have separate content on each monitor. I use the computer monitor. If I have a video file, or streaming, I watch it on the TV. I did boot with both hooked up, no video shows up on the TV (Every Linux distro shows up on TV, not computer monitor, so this is a great improvement).

I rebooted with both hooked up and had no video on TV, the desktop log-in box flickering with desktop jerky. Unhook TV, boots up fine.

Thank you for helping,
Chris.

Video got worse the last day. Did an xrandr command and now it's messed up.


Chris.