I'm trying to get my laptop, running Ubuntu 7.10, to display on my LCDTV, a Samsung LNT4065F if that matters. My graphics card is a nVidia Go 7800 and I'm running the restricted driver for it. I'm not sure how to identify the driver more properly. The laptop is connected to the TV with a HDMI to DVI cable.

From what I can see in the other places I checked before posting, the old Function F8 thing doesn't work for anybody ever, which is a shame since it's so easy. I've tried as best I could to do a few of the solutions that didn't involve editing the xorg.conf file, but none of them have worked. I'm a little squeamish about touching the xorg.conf because last time I tried that (to fix an unrelated problem) I believe I ruined everything and had to reinstall the OS. So if the fix has to be a xorg.conf edit I'd like to be as sure as I can before messing with it that it'll work.

Ok, I tried doing something I found in the Ubuntu community documentation here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/NvidiaTVOut

It didn't work, however, though it's certainly possible that I just did something wrong. I'll post the xorg.conf file below with the changes that I made to it in red. This is from a backup I made of the edited file before I reverted to the backup I made of the original. I had to undo the changes I made to xorg.conf because after I rebooted, not only did the external monitor not display but the laptop monitor switched to look-like-crap mode. I hope someone can point out what I did wrong now that I've got the xorg.conf file up.

=====================================================================

# xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "stylus"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "stylus"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "eraser"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "eraser"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4"# Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "nVidia Corporation G70 [GeForce Go 7800]"
Driver "nvidia"
Busid "PCI:1:0:0"
Option "AddARGBVisuals" "True"
Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
Option "NoLogo" "True"
Option "ConnectedMonitor" "LCD, TV"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
Option "DPMS"
Horizsync 28-72
Vertrefresh 43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "nVidia Corporation G70 [GeForce Go 7800]"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
Defaultdepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Modes "1440x900"
Option "TwinView"
Option "TVOutFormat" "DVI"
Option "TVStandard" "NTSC-M"
Option "MetaModes" "1920x1080,800x600; 1440x900,NULL; 1024x768,NULL; 800x600,NULL; 640x480,NULL"
Subsection "Display"
Modes "1920x1080" "1440x900" "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
screen "Default Screen"
Inputdevice "Generic Keyboard"
Inputdevice "Configured Mouse"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
# InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
# InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
Inputdevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection
Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

I might have something workable now. Using the nvidia control panel, which I was unfortunate enough not to find out about until just a few minutes ago, I can now make the external monitor display. I haven't figured out how to make the external and the laptop display properly at the same time, but even if that never happens I think this will work well enough.