External display - 1440x900 resolution not detected

On Mon, 2008-11-03 at 17:57 +0000, kuckus wrote:
> Public bug reported:
>
> Binary package hint: gnome-control-center
>
> I'm on Ubuntu 8.10 and running into problems getting my second LCD
> configured for its native resolution of 1440x900.
>
> Primary display is my IBM ThinkPad X41's 1024x768 LCD, the external
> display is a 19" wide-screen Acer AL1916W. The Acer is connected to the
> ThinkPad's VGA port (Intel 915GM, I think).
>
> Now using the new screen resolution applet on 8.10, the only 16:9
> resolution that is offered is 1360x768, it is not possible to select
> 1440x900.
>
> Attached please find the output of `lspci --vvnn` and `dmesg`.

Hi,

Does the "xrandr" command show the correct resolution for your external
monitor?

Please attach the output of running "xrandr" from the command line here.

Please also attach your /etc/X11/xorg.conf and your /var/log/Xorg.0.log.

Thanks,

James

Hi,

No, it's missing from xrandr's output.

If it helps, I used to have this modeline in a previous distribution's xorg.conf:

HorizSync 30-82
VertRefresh 56-76
Modeline "1440x900" 106.5 1440 1520 1672 1904 900 901 904 932 -HSync +VSync

and at some point in time I also used these 915resolution calls:

/usr/sbin/915resolution 3a 1440 900 8 1904 932
/usr/sbin/915resolution 4b 1440 900 16 1904 932
/usr/sbin/915resolution 5a 1440 900 24 1904 932
/usr/sbin/915resolution 5c 1440 900 32 1904 932

(I think it was some a Ubuntu flavour too, but I am not sure)

Hi,

You have a Virtual option set in your xorg.conf, and that is preventing
it from using the larger resolutions.

Has the tool ever offered to change this so that you could use dual
screens (it asks you to confirm, then does it and asks you to restart
your session)?

Thanks,

James

Hi,

I see, yes - it recommended to change this and does so again when I remove the line from the config file.

If I manually change the "2384 768" to "1440 900" (which is not quite right as I know by now..), the tool offers to change it again, which results in a "Virtual 2464 900" option. After restarting the session I can then choose my 1440x900 resolution for the second display and things are fine.

Before the tool first asks to change the Virtual option, the biggest resolution offered for the second display was 1024x768, perhaps that is the reason it does not expand to a height of 900 automatically.

Now the only thing I am missing is an option to set my smaller display as the "main screen" permanently so the GNOME panel and new windows appear there instead of on the larger (right-hand) screen - but I guess that's taking this a bit off-topic...

Thanks, kuckus

I also just noticed that when I click the Help button of that dialog, nothing happens. Should this go into a new ticket?

Hi there,
I am having a similar issue when setting twinview in a dual monitor setup.
I have an Nvidia 8400GS card configured with two identical 19" widescreen monitors, each capable of 1440x900.
When I enable twinview in the "NVIDIA X Server Settings" application I am not given the maximum resolution of the second monitor,

I have attached my xorg.conf file however it is all set as the defaults after I enabled twinview.

The maximum resolution I am offered is: 1360x768

If I alter the metamodes line in the xorg.conf file it disables my monitor on the next xserver restart.

Bill

For anyone interested, I resolved my issues with twinview by disabling the edid options of the graphics card. The monitors that I have now both work at their native 1440x900 resolution.

They are Yuraku MW9KBA 19" Widescreen monitors.

Attached is the working xorg.conf file. (copy o working original)

Bill

the xrandr command doesn't list the option either so that's rather an xorg issue

Hi kuckus,

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn` too.

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We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter. However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.

You know, I've seen this bug listed in multiple tickets and forums and nobody seems to want to take responsibility for it. Each instance has been ignored, closed, written off, or what have you, but it doesn't appear to have been solved.

Well, I and many other are stuck with broken Twinview displays, our second monitor left in low-res and chopped off at the throat, big craggy characters contrasting nicely with the pretty hi-res antialiased ones on the identical first monitor.

Bryce? Whoever? Will somebody help with this? I'm sure plenty of us users would be happy to help and even happier to have working displays.

RichTL

The nvidia settings GUI is quite broken with regards to twinview. I solved this problem by disabling "nvidia-auto-select," manually setting the resolution in my xorg.conf file (after backing up the file, of course), and restarting X.

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Screen0"
        Device "Device0"
        Monitor "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth 24
        Option "TwinView" "1"
        Option "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
        # [BROKEN ENTRY] Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1360x768 +1440+0, DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0; CRT: NULL, DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
        # NEW ENTRY FOLLOWS:
        Option "metamodes" "CRT: 1440x900 +1440+0, DFP: 1440x900 +0+0; CRT: NULL, DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth 24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

This probably isn't elegant and I may not have the line exactly right, but it works.

RichTL