Find Monitor Model etc
 

Hi guys,

How do I find the monitor model infomation on Linux?
I tried dmesg and lspci, but what I get is irrelvant. I get video card rather than the monitor name. Is there a way to get the monitor info?

Thanks for help!!
yongtin

Your X configuration file would have that information although Linux only knows what monitor you have by the information you provided, so it's not going to tell you anything you did not know during the installation...

cat /etc/X11/XF86Config
or
cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf

KC

I used kickstart to install my machines. I want to find out the monitor type info to decide what XF86Config I should use.

Is there any way to find the monitor type without going to the XF86Config as this file is what I want to change?

Thanks a lot.

If your wanting the supported hsync and vsync ranges with supported resolution, you most likely need to refer to the technical documentation the monitor manufacturer provides.

I can find the hsync and vsync ranges from MonitorDB if I can get the monitor type. Unfortunately, I cannot find the monitor type/model name.....

Make and Model you can usually find on the back or bottom of the monitor, unless of course the tag or sticker has been removed, etc.

As I said before, I want to write a script to tell what XF86Config I want to use depending on the monitor name. So that script must know the monitor name.

Obviously, a script cannot read the back or bottom of any monitor.....

Exactly and almost any monitor works in Linux, depending on the video card your using.

There use to be a program command called 'superprobe' that Redhat used to probe for the monitor type, perhaps you can start your search there to find out what they used to probe for monitor specs, etc.

I am not aware of any programatic way to determine an actual monitor name. Programs like superprobe just test vsync/hsync/etc. combinations to see if they work.

Keep in mind, the only connection between the computer and monitor is a VGA connection. (Analog) :) Even with DVI, this may not be possible.

I agree, programs like superprobe in the end still needed input from the user to determine if the probing worked... Like you said connection, being either anolog or digital in order to communicate with the sofware would have to use a BI-Directional interface! The monitor would have to be able to send out signals not just receive them...

KC

Don't discourage me so easily, guys!

Kudzu has been able to detect monitor type, even though it doesn't do a perfect job of detecting all monitors. I know they are using ddcprobe to find out the monitor type.

IIRC, windows often correctly identified the make and model of my monitor (when it wasn't called plug and play monitor). I also seem to remember YaST (SaX2 actually) in SuSE correctly "guessing" my monitor type - or pretty damn close.

I don't remember inputting any info.

Also, I have Debian Sarge at work and I would also have to say that the monitor was probed and the correct make and model listed in XF86Config-4 with out my help - although I did have to adjust the settings for refresh and resolution - a matter of taste in that case.

It would seem that some monitors do send out info that can be read by the OS.

Then again, I could be completely wrong.

:D

Slack calls it My Monitor
That seems to work OK too ....

;)