I'm running Mandrake 9.2 and I have an Nvidia Geforce2 MX 200 vid card that has vga out and s-video out. I have the s-video ran to my tv. Can anyone tell me how to configure this? I ran it this way on my other OS, Xp. I have four desktops setup, I'd like it if I could have five, but the fifth one would be my tv. That would be nice. It was easy, of course. I've searched google, but I am still lost. Can someone help me out?

Thanks
Sam

I would like to get the same thing going on my system.

First off, congrats on getting the nvidia drivers working at all. That took me a couple days. Of course, that was with 2.6.1...

You're going to need to add another entry to the "monitor" section of your /etc/X11/XF86Config* file (might be XF86Config-4, or -3, depends on X version), and corresponding modes to your "screen" section. I'm running a Geforce4400Ti, and currently my sections look like this: (lines with # are for reference)

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Generic Monitor"
HorizSync 30-130
VertRefresh 50-160
Option "DPMS"
#insertpt1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Nvidia GeForce"
Monitor "Generic Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1152x864" "1024x768"
EndSubSection
<followed by more display modes>
#insertpt2
EndSection

So, I think the entries would look something like:

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "TV"
HorizSync "<syn-crate>"
VertRefresh "<ref-rate>"
<Options may be needed>
EndSection
^--- at #insertpt1

and

Section "Screen"
Identifier "TV Screen"
Device "Nvidia GeForce"
Monitor "TV"
DefaultDepth "<depth>"
SubSection "Display"
<display modes>
EndSubSection
EndSection
^--- at #insertpt2
----------------------------------------------------

Now, problem is, we haven't ever told the nvidia drivers the "TV" exists, or is associated with the Svideo port.
X may not be smart enough to do it on its own.

Also, there's probably a config tool to do the detection and resolution automatically. I just don't know what it is.

Perhaps someone who's already been through this could help us out?

--Rounan

Hmmm. That sounds about right. Before I go f'ing up my stuff, I want to make sure it will work. I'd like to get a reply from someone who has actually done this succesfully. lol. If I can't get any responses like that, then I will go mess with stuff and try and make it work on my own. I have a general idea now.
Thanks. Oh, and about the Nvida drivers... I'm running Mandrake 9.2 Dual booted with Xp and it found my hardware and drivers by itself, so I deserve no credit.

I am looking at my XF86Config-4 now and I think I have some wrong settings. Well, here, just take a look at what mine says...

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Plug'n Play"
HorizSync 30-71
VertRefresh 50-160

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)"
Driver "nv"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection
EndSection


Where it says driver "vn", shouldnt' that be change to Nvidia? I read something about that.. So I guess my drivers aren't right after all.

Ok, well, I'm screwed. I went in and changed some things around, logged off, and restarted xserver. It took me to a command prompt login intead of the gui type that I use. I entered in my user name and password and typed "startx" and I got a huge error message. There is now way I can type to you the entire thing, but here is what I think is important...

"Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Fri Jan 16 11:43:06 2004
Using Config file: "/etc/X11/XG86Config-4"
a incomplete in file /etc/x11/XF86Config-4
Underinded Monitor "TV" referenced by Screen "TV Screen".
Problem parsing the config file.
Error from xf86HandleConfigFiile()

......

Fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"





Now all I can access is this command prompt. Any idea on how to fix this? Or should I just reinstall Mandrake?

Gleep.
Sorry to make you a guinea pig

Should definately have reminded you to make a backup config file.. Did you?
You did post some of it above, so you should be able to change it back from that. Reset your config file to the way it was! You can just add a # before lines you added to comment them out. But please save the current version first, so we can review it and figure out what went wrong.

If you're not sure how to do that from the command line, do:

cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.borked
pico /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

pico is just a text editor. try also: emacs, pico, vi

in the future, whenever you alter a config file in a way you're not 100% sure of, always do something like:
mv some.config some.config.old
to make a backup copy. (or use an x interface to copy and rename)

Also, once you get things back in order, could you please post a copy of the config file you used, and the /var/log/XFree86.0.log file? We can try to figure it out that way.

Again, sorry, my intention wasn't for you to fly into it right away. :| If I were at home, I would have tried it first before posting.

--Rounan

Don't worry about it. I like to try new things. It was dumb to not back up the file though.

Anway, I got the file opened up and back to how it is supposed to be using vi. My question is, now that it's fixed, how do I save my changes? I have no idea how to get out of the text editor or any of that. Thanks.

Ugh.... I recommended pico or emacs to avoid this. guess you didn't have 'em installed.

vi is, IMHO, a silly editor, although some people love it.

it has two different "modes", command and edit. There are much more complete guides out there: if you want to use vi, google 'em up.

The basics:

it starts in "command" mode. Here are commands you'll need:

i -- Enter "edit" mode, inserts text at cursor location. Backspace and delete work VERY strangely in this editor.

Esc -- exits edit mode

dd -- deletes current line

:w -- saves file

:q -- quits vi

:q! -- quits vi without saving (I end up doing this about 1/3 of the time I try to edit things. stupid vi...)

Cheers,
--Rounan
(I just know I'm going to get some irate vi fanatic yelling at me now. )

All right, I changed the file back in emacs and saved it. I got back to the command prompt and entered "startx" and I got different error message this time around. It says

"Could not init font path element unix/:-1, removing from list!

Fatal server error:
could not open default font 'fixed' "

What does this mean? Nothing else was changed. I had change XF86Config-4 and I got the other error message. I went into emacs and changed that file back and when I try and startx, I now get THIS error message. Hmm

YAY!! All fixed. I wasn't in run level 5 yet. I had to type "exit" a few times. I'm back on kde. Thanks a million. I'll make a backup of that file and play around with it. At least now I know some useful things. Thanks again!

Btw... I THINK this is the screwed up settings that I used...


Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Plug'n Play"
HorizSync 30-71
VertRefresh 50-160

# Sony Vaio C1(X,XS,VE,VN)?
# 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
ModeLine "1024x480" 65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344 480 488 494 563 -hsync -vsync

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce2 DDR (generic)"
Driver "nv"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "TV Screen"
Device "Nvidia GeForce"
Monitor "TV"
DefaultColorDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubsection
EndSection

Ok, I got my Nvidia driver successfully installed and I went back and tried it again. When I try and start x, I get red and pink vertical lines on my tv, and my monitor goes black. The LED on my monitor flashed on and off. I have no idea what this means. Worst comes to worst.. I have my original file in this post so I can look at it and recreate it.