screen resolution and refresh rate
 

Hello all,

I have an acer laptop with a widescreen that should be at a resolution of 1280x800 @ 60hz. when running mepis 6.0 i get a resolution of 1024x768 @ 70hz

here's a copy of my xorg.conf file:

hopefully this is the info needed to see the problem,

thanks
ron

You have an intel video card. It' using the i810 drive. You need to install either 855 or 915 resolution that's mentioned in several hundred posts identical to yours already on this forum...

ok i will look for the hundreds of other threads then, it is just when i clicked on 'find similar threads' i couldn't see any that could help me. sorry for not being so smart, i just came here for a little help.

thanks
ron

If that doesn't help, try using the gft program: "gtf 1280 800 56 -x" for example will produce a modeline for 1280x800 at 56 Hz. Compare it with what you have or even add it to your modelines.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=496953

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=461583

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=461901


Here's 3 threads out of 95 pages of threads on widescreen resolution. Coming for help is one thing, not bothering to check that it's been helped already doesn't make other people "smart."

The only search terms needed to find these were "i810 widescreen" and "intel graphics widescreen"

Thanks ehsan_expert, it worked for me, after two days of intensive searching and reading long stories, you gave the simple answer i was looking for. in my case dm.sh file was kdm.sh and it would be handy to say where it is located: /etc/init.d/kdm

installing 915resolution was a piece of cake and adding that line 915resolution 38 1280 800 24 (after doing the right pick (58 in my case) from the list generated by '915resolution -l') to the top of the kdm.sh file is easy enough too.

just ctrl+alt+bckspc wasn't enough but a reboot did the trick

thanks
ron

see: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=496953

and to Caeda, thanks too for your help, i eventually came accross a link that you also put in your 2nd reply to this thread. i would just like to use this opportunity to say that yes, there are many threads covering this issue, some of them very long, explaining all things that are just way over my head. i was hoping for a solution that i can understand without being a rocket scientist, and i got it. mind you, living a life with three kids and all responsibilities that come with that don't always make it easier for the average house father to find time (lots of it) to browse the web and read long stories. i know, it is only my problem (and joy!) and not that of the linux community, doesn't mean that it doesn't play part in my linux life. i have said it before and i will say it again now: there is life outside the (linux) box! enjoy it, while you still can!

regards
ron

May be I have been cheering to early because now when I switch to a VT i can't read a thing! everything looks garbled, not even random characters, just unreadable jibberish. now x looks perfect but the VT have become useless in the process.

Try a vga setting in your kernel parameters in Lilo or grub. It could also be a matter of the video driver itself. With an earlier nvidia driver I had the same problem.

after putting that 915 resolution in I got a refresh rate of 58hz, then I did that gft thing (i forgot what exactly) and i added the generated line in xorg.conf which in combination with the 915 resolution produces a 1280x800@60hz resolution (which is what i want) instead of the 58hz. without the 915 resolution, but with that gft line still in xorg.conf, it is all back to 1024x768@70hz, which is pretty standard for Mepis and no options to change it to 1280x800@60hz. but now you, jschiwal, have said to try and do this in the kernel parameters. er, how does one do this? it sounds like something worth trying but i don't know how. this 915 resolution is more a compromise than a true solution for the problem as it stuffs up the VT's (after X has loaded and 915 res. is applied by the script)

thanks
ron

You mentioned that the virtual terminals wouldn't show up. Look in your /boot/grub/menu.lst or /etc/lilo.conf file. You can change the resolution of the VT by adding an option like vga=791 to the end of the line that selects the kernel.

On my 1280x800 Laptop, I need to use 1280x800 at 56 hz. Only 4 hz shouldn't be very noticable, and if it works it works. You can add the modeline instead of replacing it. Use the names 1280x800_56 and 1280x800_60. In my experience X Server doesn't seem to like the ".00" part that gtf produces. Then in the "Display" section, use the line:
Modes "1280x800_56" "1280x800_60" "1024x768". If one of them works you can get rid of the other.

I have also checked out this thread:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...54#post2503154

and learned a few things there too, all works fine now.

Mepis already has that line with the option 'vga=791' added by default. i found out how to use the 915resolution in a better way. it is a workaround but when applied properly, it works like a charm. quiet happy with the result.