HDMI cable with linux

jazzo · 11-11-2012, 01:23 PM

Hi there, I am having problems connecting my laptop dell xps17 ubuntu 12.04 to my tv with a HDMI cable. My lappy has dual booting, and the cable works ok with windows7. When I switch to ubuntu, it doesn't work. I plug the cable in, then to the tv but nothing happens, no message or anything. Does anybody know what to do please?
thanks

SteveThePirate87 · 11-11-2012, 02:56 PM

Hi,

You might need to download the graphics drivers for your particular card. What make/model is your graphics card?

If you don't know run

Code:

lspci | grep -i graphics

in terminal to find out

Steve

jazzo · 11-11-2012, 03:16 PM

Hi thanks for that. I didn't realized the graphic card was involved...I had some problems with it a while ago http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post4782466 a bit of a nightmare really...
this is what I got running the command above:

Code:

antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$ lspci | grep -i graphics
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$

I think the drivers are already installed but the screen on the tv is black...also I imagine that the sequence of keys on the keyboard won't work in ubuntu (it's fn f1 in windows)

Peverel · 11-12-2012, 10:42 AM

Have you tried Linux failsafe? If that works, you may need "nomodeset" among your kernel options.

jazzo · 11-12-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Have you tried Linux failsafe? If that works, you may need "nomodeset" among your kernel options.

No I haven't, what is it and how does it work please?
thanks

TobiSGD · 11-12-2012, 02:54 PM

If it doesn't work out of the box you may be able to activate the HDMI out with using xrandr. Plugin the cable into the TV and the laptop and post the output of

Code:

xrandr

Peverel · 11-13-2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzo

No I haven't, what is it and how does it work please?
thanks

Modesetting sometimes causes difficulties when booting with a single monitor, giving a blank screen: whether this is likely with your second monitor I don't know. Failsafe was a red herring.Easy to test. I assume you boot via a Grub menu. When the menu appears, type "nomodeset" (without the quotes, of course, and there is no prompt), the word appears with any other kernel options at the bottom of the screen. Then hit return to boot as normal. If your second screen now appears, you are OK, otherwise you have wasted about as much time as I have in typing this!

jazzo · 11-13-2012, 02:07 PM

thanks, xandr gives this output:

Code:

antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1600 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 382mm x 214mm
   1600x900       60.3*+
   1440x900       59.9  
   1360x768       59.8     60.0  
   1152x864       60.0  
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$

the tv keeps saying "No signal" though.

@Peverel Right, so I rebooted and the grub menu gives me few options: the usual OS and then "e" to edit the commands or "c" to get into the command mode. I have done both and typed "nomodeset", but the command is not recognized. I have also tried to type it when the menu comes up, but it doesnt' let me type

JaseP · 11-13-2012, 02:20 PM

This is going to sound really stupid, but here it is anyway...

Does the laptop have a function key to change the display? If so, have you tried it? If yes, have you tried it while at the BIOS nag screen, before grub's started?

I know it sounds ridiculous,... but I've had similar issues with a wireless card, and some of these keys have a hardware tie-in that functions independent of the OS (but not after the OS has loaded and is controlling the keyboard).

jazzo · 11-13-2012, 02:23 PM

Hi JaseP, it's not stupid at all. i have tried the fn f1 compbination, but it doesn't work, but I haven't tried that before the grub screen, I assume it won't work, but I will certainly give it a try

Peverel · 11-13-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzo

thanks, xandr gives this output:

Code:

antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1600 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
LVDS1 connected 1600x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 382mm x 214mm
   1600x900       60.3*+
   1440x900       59.9  
   1360x768       59.8     60.0  
   1152x864       60.0  
   1024x768       60.0  
   800x600        60.3     56.2  
   640x480        59.9  
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
antobbo@antobbo-xps17-ubuntu:~$

the tv keeps saying "No signal" though.

@Peverel Right, so I rebooted and the grub menu gives me few options: the usual OS and then "e" to edit the commands or "c" to get into the command mode. I have done both and typed "nomodeset", but the command is not recognized. I have also tried to type it when the menu comes up, but it doesnt' let me type

I think you misunderstood. When you boot, you get a couple of screens of details of hardware, then (given, I think, that you dual boot) a screen with the menu from which you choose Linux or Windows, maybe other options. At the bottom are any kernel options. That is where you type nomodeset, then boot. At least, that is how it works with SUSE. If it works, you can then edit the menu you were looking at. This may give more help than I can offer:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132

jazzo · 11-13-2012, 02:51 PM

Oh I see sorry. The post suggested to add nomodeset after quiet splash, but after that I have something else (which is not in the screenshot provided). Mine goes

Code:

quiet splash $vt_handoff_initr /boot[etc]

so where should I put it? should I have it like this

Code:

quiet splash nomodeset_$vt_handoff_initr /boot[etc]

thanks

JaseP · 11-13-2012, 02:51 PM

Oh,... Man!!! That machine has a hybrid Intel/Nvidia graphics chipset...

You'll have to use Bumblebee,...

See here;
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...7#post12146057

jazzo · 11-13-2012, 03:18 PM

Ok installed, what should I do now?

JaseP · 11-13-2012, 03:48 PM

Bumblebee tutorial here;

http://eternalvoid.net/tutorials/linux-optimus-gt650m/

Note that it's for the GT650, and I think your Dell has the GT500 series chipset...