Debian

drydo · 12-15-2009, 04:30 AM

I'm currently experiencing some problems when plugging my linux box into a Widescreen monitor / HDTV (using the VGA slot). The problem is that it the driver only seems to support 640x480 and 800x600 resolutions on this Full HD TV / Monitor; however, when plugged into a standard monitor the 'xrandr -q' command shows a vast array of resolutions from 640x480 upto 1280x1024.

This is a pretty skinny install of Debian Lenny using just LXDE desktop and hardly anything else.

As a relative newbie to Linux...

Can Linux support widescreen / HD resolutions and if so, how do I configure this install to work with my spanking HDTV using the VGA port?

Thanks in advance - M

evo2 · 12-15-2009, 04:53 AM

Something like the following should work for 720p:

Code:

xrandr --output VGA --mode 1280x768 --rate 60 --leftof LVDS

I could probably be more helpful if you post the output of xrandr when the machine is connected to your TV.

Evo2.

jim_p · 12-15-2009, 07:04 AM

What vga and what driver are you on?

Vesa, the generic usage driver, can't do widescreen.

drydo · 12-16-2009, 11:27 AM

Sorry for the late reply and the replies are appreciated!

@evo2 - I haven't got the exact list to hand but from memory the options where 800x600 and 640x480, both with options for 60Hz and 75Hz. That was it.

@jim_p - that sounds a bit more like it. I did look into this but couldn't locate where this information is available (and where it can be changed). Sorry, I'm a newbie at the Linux platform so any pointers to obtain this information and react to it would be appreciated.

M

jim_p · 12-16-2009, 03:51 PM

At a terminal do a

Code:

lspci -k

and locate the stuff concerning your vga card, eg in mine

Code:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV36 [GeForce FX Go5700] (rev a1)
	Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 006e
	Kernel driver in use: nvidia

lugoteehalt · 12-17-2009, 12:27 AM

I get widescreen with Lenny, and it is a great improvement on what I had before.

It you are new it is worth simply trying ctrl+alt+keypad + to see what happens.

You might as well post:

Code:

cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf
and
lsmod

as well as above suggestions.

The TV's instructions may say something about the limitations of using VGA.

drydo · 12-17-2009, 04:50 AM

Cheers Guys. Here are the output's...

The 'bit' you probably need from lcpci...

VGA compatible controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. CN700/P4M800 Pro/P4M800 CE/VN800 [S3 UniChrome Prod] (rev 01)

from xorg.conf...

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

and from lsmod...

Module Size Used by
nls_utf8 1792 1
nls_cp437 5504 1
via 34304 1
drm 64672 2 via
vfat 8960 1
fat 40220 1 vfat
nls_base 6528 4 nls_utf8,nls_cp437,vfat,fat
button 6032 0
parport_pc 22436 0
parport 30408 1 parport_pc
snd_via82xx 20248 0
gameport 10504 1 snd_via82xx
snd_ac97_codec 88228 1 snd_via82xx
ac97_bus 1664 1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_mpu401_uart 6400 1 snd_via82xx
snd_rawmidi 18592 1 snd_mpu401_uart
snd_seq_device 6412 1 snd_rawmidi
snd_pcm 60680 2 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec
snd_timer 17668 1 snd_pcm
snd 44964 7 snd_via82xx,snd_ac97_codec,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore 6112 1 snd
i2c_viapro 6804 0
snd_page_alloc 7816 2 snd_via82xx,snd_pcm
i2c_core 19728 1 i2c_viapro
via_agp 7680 1
shpchp 25496 0
pci_hotplug 23204 1 shpchp
agpgart 28336 2 drm,via_agp
pcspkr 2304 0
evdev 7808 4
ohci_hcd 18436 0
squashfs 35976 1
zlib_inflate 14080 1 squashfs
loop 12428 2
aufs 108304 1
exportfs 3712 1 aufs
ext3 103688 2
jbd 35092 1 ext3
mbcache 6656 1 ext3
sd_mod 22032 5
ide_generic 2432 0 [permanent]
usbhid 35712 0
hid 32128 1 usbhid
ff_memless 4232 1 usbhid
usb_storage 75840 3
via82cxxx 6916 0 [permanent]
ide_pci_generic 3844 0 [permanent]
sata_via 6916 0
ide_core 95144 3 ide_generic,via82cxxx,ide_pci_generic
ata_generic 4612 0
ehci_hcd 28300 0
uhci_hcd 18448 0
libata 141088 2 sata_via,ata_generic
usbcore 117616 6 ohci_hcd,usbhid,usb_storage,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
scsi_mod 129804 3 sd_mod,usb_storage,libata
dock 8076 1 libata
8139too 20096 0
8139cp 17024 0
mii 4864 2 8139too,8139cp
thermal 15132 0
processor 28080 1 thermal
fan 4100 0
thermal_sys 10784 3 thermal,processor,fan

-----------------------

@lugoteehalt

This particular TV works fine with other resolutions, albeit using Windows.

jim_p · 12-18-2009, 01:16 AM

Provided that you have the xserver-xorg-video-openchrome package installed, add this bit in your xorg.conf to "force" it as a driver for usage.

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "vesa"
EndSection

and add these to your Screen section if you still dont get widescreen

Code:

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Modes		"1280x800"	(whatever is your widescreen resolution)	
	EndSubSection
EndSection

drydo · 12-18-2009, 05:32 AM

Hey Jim,

That was absolutely spot on! I've now got an issue with the xorg.conf being overwritten on boot but I'll investigate that first before posting a new thread. (Although if you've encountered this before I'll appreciate any pointers).

If not, have a good holiday break.

M

jim_p · 12-18-2009, 11:05 AM

I am a total idiot. With "vesa this and vesa that" in my head, I wrote vesa as a suggestion in xorg.conf. Change it to

Code:

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "openchrome"
EndSection