nVidia
I know, I just ranted about it. However, it would seem that the Xorg driver can do more with the video card in my laptop than would appear at first sight. If I plug a VGA monitor to the mini-DVI output of my PowerBook and start X, then the nv(4) driver seems to detect it. Behold the diff:
--- Xorg.0.log.not-connected 2006-10-19 14:49:07.000000000 +0200 +++ Xorg.0.log.connected 2006-10-19 14:49:51.000000000 +0200 @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting, (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational, (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown. -(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Oct 19 14:42:00 2006 +(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Oct 19 14:42:46 2006 (++) Using config file: "xorg.conf" (==) ServerLayout "Default Layout" (**) |-->Screen "Default Screen" (0) @@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ (II) NV(0): Probing for analog device on output A... (--) NV(0): ...can't find one (II) NV(0): Probing for analog device on output B... -(--) NV(0): ...can't find one +(--) NV(0): ...found one (II) NV(0): Probing for EDID on I2C bus A... (II) NV(0): I2C device "DDC:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0. (II) NV(0): I2C device "DDC:ddc2" removed. @@ -452,7 +452,46 @@ (II) NV(0): Probing for EDID on I2C bus B... (II) NV(0): I2C device "DDC:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0. (II) NV(0): I2C device "DDC:ddc2" removed. -(II) NV(0): ... none found +(--) NV(0): DDC detected a CRT: +(II) NV(0): Manufacturer: MAX Model: 178e Serial#: 2006 +(II) NV(0): Year: 2000 Week: 13 +(II) NV(0): EDID Version: 1.0 +(II) NV(0): Analog Display Input, Input Voltage Level: 0.714/0.286 V +(II) NV(0): Sync: Separate +(II) NV(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 36 vert.: 27 +(II) NV(0): Gamma: 2.76 +(II) NV(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off; RGB/Color Display +(II) NV(0): redX: 0.632 redY: 0.329 greenX: 0.272 greenY: 0.604 +(II) NV(0): blueX: 0.142 blueY: 0.062 whiteX: 0.280 whiteY: 0.311 +(II) NV(0): Supported VESA Video Modes: +(II) NV(0): 640x480@60Hz +(II) NV(0): 640x480@75Hz +(II) NV(0): 800x600@75Hz [...more data about the monitor goes here...]
The nv(4) manpage also contains this bit:
Option "CrtcNumber" "integer"
Many graphics cards with NVIDIA chips have two video outputs.
The driver attempts to autodetect which one the monitor is con‐
nected to. In the case that autodetection picks the wrong one,
this option may be used to force usage of a particular output.
The options are "0" or "1". Default: autodetected.
... but when I set that to 1 in the Section "Device" of my xorg.conf, it still uses the internal monitor of my laptop. Am I missing something?
Hi,
AFAICT You can't use the CRT and the LCD at the same time.
To use VGA output you have to plug the mini-DVI at boot (no need to plug the monitor) and put in your Xorg.conf
Option "CrtcNumber" "0" Option "FlatPanel" "0"
(I'm not sure both are need, but it works for me)
Regards.
Not entirely true. Your default Xorg monitor settings should be set to clone. At least thats how it operates on my pc. I had a simular problem, where if my pc would boot up without my LCD pannel on, X would not dectect it, and I would get no video at all and no wakeup call to my panel was sent. My Solution was to tell Xorg to ignore certian interfaces. What you need to do is set up 2 screen elements. Each ignoring eachother. Screen0 and Screen1. They will be clones, rather than a 2 monitor setup(which I assume is what you want). Have 0 be your Normal LCD screen. I'm assuming it is set to FPD. Screen 2 Should be set to CRT. X should be able to set a Virtual Screensize on your CRT if your Laptops display is not 4:3.
You can have both, you just need to tell it to clone with a virtual resolution if you have a non 4:3 display on your laptop. It's very simular to setting up a dual screen system, but you don't enable the Xinerama. The drivers should clone by default. You just need to specify you have 2 screens as if you were doing a dual screen setup.
What you need to enable is Twinview, An example of such.
Section "Device" Identifier "GeforceFX5200" Driver "nvidia" Option "RenderAccel" "true" Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true" Option "TwinView" "1" Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "30-50" Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "60" Option "MetaModes" "1280x1024, 640x480; 1024x768, 640x480; 800x600, 640x480; 640x480, 640x480;" Option "Xinerama" "0" Option "TwinViewOrientation" "Clone" Option "ConnectedMonitor" "FPD,CRT" Option "UseInt10Module" "true" EndSection Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen 1" Device "GeforceFX5200" Monitor "Monitor[0]" DefaultDepth 24 Subsection "Display" Depth 8 Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection Subsection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" ViewPort 0 0 EndSubsection EndSectionMore readoing on how you can get Twinview working for you specific Situation:
http://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/1.0-8762/README/appendix-g.html