Connecting to LCD...How to output proper resolution (720p)?

[timonoj]

Hi guys,

I have my main laptop with Win7/Kubuntu, a configuration I guess several people have. I try to use Linux more oftenly, but some drawbacks take me back to Windows sometimes. The one main issue I'd like to fix now is to connect the LCD to watch movies properly.

So far, when I plug it, the maximum resolution it allows me to use is 1024x768, which kind of sucks. Is there a way to increase the resolution to 1280x720, or even 1360x720? I have an old Geforce M8600 GT, running with the nvidia propietary drivers. What should I do in order to get the adequated resolution?

Thanks a lot!

[oshunluvr]

Re: Connecting to LCD...How to output proper resolution (720p)?

720p (1366x768) is always problematic as xorg wants number divisable by 8 - as in 1360x768 or 1368x768.

With nivida cards, there are a couple of ways to set resolution. Look to see if your have /etc/X11/xorg.conf. if not, you can use xrandr commands placed in /etc/X11/Xsession or in /etc/rc.local.

The first things to do is figure out what resolution works for you so start with xrandr testing. To see what modes are available currently, type

xrandr -q

in a terminal. Here's a page on how to create new modes: http://www.ubuntugeek.com/how-change...ng-xrandr.html

[timonoj]

Re: Connecting to LCD...How to output proper resolution (720p)?

Hey, thank you for such a fast response! Yesterday I didn't have time to check it, but today I found something weird...As you said, 1280x720 isn't an available resolution, but I gave a shot to 1360x768. Nvidia settings says this is the current resolution, but if I click on the "info" button on the TV remote, it says "1024x768@60hz".
After 5 minutes trying to figure out what's going on, I think there are 336 pixels wide not showing up in that 1024x768 screen.
What could I do to properly fit the screen? The LCD itself is a little bit picky, so if I give it a resolution it doesn't quite agree, it will show the screen completely moved off, with big black margins on one side, and things like that. Id' like to try either 1280x720 or 1360x720...
After I do this randr -q, it gives me what I believe are the available resolutions for the laptop monitor:

timonoj@Timo-PC:~$ xrandr -q
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 175, current 2800 x 900, maximum 2800 x 900
default connected 2800x900+0+0 0mm x 0mm
  1440x900    50.0  119.0 
  1360x768    51.0   52.0 
  1152x864    53.0 
  1024x768    54.0   55.0   56.0   57.0   58.0 
  960x600    59.0 
  960x540    60.0 
  840x525    61.0   62.0   63.0   64.0 
  832x624    65.0 
  800x600    66.0   67.0   68.0   69.0   70.0   71.0   72.0   73.0 
  800x512    74.0 
  720x450    75.0 
  720x400    76.0 
  700x525    77.0   78.0   79.0   80.0 
  680x384    81.0   82.0 
  640x512    83.0   84.0   85.0 
  640x480    86.0   87.0   88.0   89.0   90.0   91.0 
  640x400    92.0 
  640x350    93.0 
  576x432    94.0   95.0   96.0   97.0   98.0   99.0  100.0 
  512x384    101.0  102.0  103.0  104.0  105.0 
  416x312    106.0 
  400x300    107.0  108.0  109.0  110.0  111.0 
  360x200    112.0 
  320x240    113.0  114.0  115.0  116.0 
  320x200    117.0 
  320x175    118.0 
  2464x900   119.0 
  2800x900    50.0*

However, I didn't know this command and I don't know how to tell it to show me the available resolutions for the LCD. So far from the nvidia server settings I can see the screens are regarded as AUO (DFP-0) for the monitor, and CRT-0 (CRT-0) for the LCD screen. What could I do? Thank you very much!

[oshunluvr]

Re: Connecting to LCD...How to output proper resolution (720p)?

If you have both attached and detected, xrandr should see them both. I have had to build my own mode from scratch and it's not for the light hearted. If you can get close enough for your video watching, I'd take it.

Try booting with the LCD attached and see what xrandr gives you.

[timonoj]

Re: Connecting to LCD...How to output proper resolution (720p)?

The LCD is always plugged, in windows I'd enable the connection with the 'windows'+P combination. I'm gonna try to reboot again, but I'm afraid that's what I'll get. Another thing, as soon as it boots, I recall the LCD to be off, as in 'no signal', and I have to manually enable it from the nvidia x-server settings. Should I click on "save to X configuration file"?

BTW, what does close enough mean? I mean, as of now for me it isn't quite close enough, as the only output I managed is 1024x768, which isn't quite nice...If I want to properly watch a movie (I have them all in hidef), I'll need to reboot back to Win7, hence defeating my purpose of using that OS as little as possible...
Thank you!

EDIT: Without saving the config to the x file, the monitor won't turn on, so the resolutions I posted before are the only ones available. [CORRECT], actually there's a change within the previous version:

timonoj@Timo-PC:~$ xrandr -q
xrandr: Failed to get size of gamma for output default
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 175, current 1440 x 900, maximum 1440 x 900
default connected 1440x900+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1440x900 50.0*
1360x768 51.0 52.0
1152x864 53.0
1024x768 54.0 55.0 56.0 57.0 58.0
960x600 59.0
960x540 60.0
840x525 61.0 62.0 63.0 64.0
832x624 65.0
800x600 66.0 67.0 68.0 69.0 70.0 71.0 72.0 73.0
800x512 74.0
720x450 75.0
720x400 76.0
700x525 77.0 78.0 79.0 80.0
680x384 81.0 82.0
640x512 83.0 84.0 85.0
640x480 86.0 87.0 88.0 89.0 90.0 91.0
640x400 92.0
640x350 93.0
576x432 94.0 95.0 96.0 97.0 98.0 99.0 100.0
512x384 101.0 102.0 103.0 104.0 105.0
416x312 106.0
400x300 107.0 108.0 109.0 110.0 111.0
360x200 112.0
320x240 113.0 114.0 115.0 116.0
320x200 117.0
320x175 118.0