HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?)

Promethe · 08:16 AM

My first HOWTO, so don't shout at me, if there is anything wrong

Let me know, if it's working on ATIs card too

Some parts borrowed from Official Gentoo HOWTOs.

Becouse I want to use TV-out only sometimes, eg. to watch movie, listen to music, play in DOOM, or show my little sister kids movie, in this time doing something on my lappy, I had to set up separate screens. So, get up and go work :]

At first, you had to made this in term:

Code:

$ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup

It will make backup of your x.org config file.
Now, apt-get nvtv by this:

Code:

$ sudo apt-get install nvtv

Next thing which you need to do is edit your xconf file.

Code:

$ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

First thing, which we will change in conf file, will be adding TV as next monitor and changing name of default monitor. Seek for Monitor section, and change monitor identifier to:

Code:

Identifier "Monitor[0]" #CRT

Now, under this section, add following:

Code:

 Section "Monitor" 
    Identifier "Monitor[1]" #TV 
    HorizSync 60 
    VertRefresh 30-150 
 EndSection

If you need, change HorizSync and VertRefresh, but this values should work fine on most new TVs.
Second thing, which we will change in config file, will be adding TV-output as next device and changing name of default device. Seek for Device section, and change monitor identifier to:

Code:

   Identifier      "Device[0]"

In the same section add:

Code:

screen 0

.
Now, under this section, add following:

Code:

Section "Device" 
   Driver          "nvidia" 
   Identifier      "Device[1]" 
   Screen 1 
   Option          "TVOutFormat" "Composite" #or S-VIDEO etc 
   Option          "TVStandard" "PAL-G" #or NTSC etc 
   Option          "ConnectedMonitor" "Monitor[1]" 
   BusID           "PCI:1:0:0" #adjust using 'lspci' or cat /proc/pci 
EndSection

If you are in country which don't use PAL, change it to your TV standard.
Now, seek for Screen section, and change Identifier, Monitor and Screen to following:

Code:

   Identifier  "Screen[0]" 
   Device      "Device[0]" 
   Monitor     "Monitor[0]"

Under this add:

Code:

Section "Screen" 
   Device "Device[1]" 
   Identifier "Screen[1]" 
   Monitor "Monitor[1]" 
   DefaultDepth 24 
       SubSection "Display" 
               Depth 24 
               Modes "1024x768" 
       EndSubSection    
EndSection

And change/add to your config file serverlayout:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout" 
   Identifier  "Simple Layout" 
       Screen 0 "Screen[0]" 
       Screen 1 "Screen[1]" RightOf "Screen[0]" 
   InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" 
   InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" 
EndSection

Remember to check name of your mouse and keyboard, and change it names. You can find names of input devices in Input device section as following:

Code:

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"keyboard"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"gb"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
EndSection

Identifier is name of device. If name of your input device is diffrent, change Mouse1 or Keyboard1 from above server layout code to your needs.
Now save xorg.conf.
At now, we will add small bash feature, which will let us to run players on second screen easly.
Do following in terminal:

Code:

$ sudo gedit /etc/bash.bashrc

Add following section on end:

Code:

tv()
{
  if [ "$1" == "" ]; then
    echo "usage: tv program name"
  else
    DISPLAY=:0.1 $1
  fi
}

And you will be able to run e.g. Totem on second display by typing in terminal (or ALT+F2 and checked "Run in terminal"):

Code:

$ tv totem movie.avi

Nice feature for Kubuntu users, which will allow them to run movies from context menu. If somebody know trick like this for GNOME, let me know.
Add this entry to:

Code:

~/.kde/share/apps/konqueror/servicemenus/nameofyourchoice.desktop

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Actions=PlayOnTV
Encoding=UTF-8
ServiceTypes=video/*

[Desktop Action PlayOnTV]
Exec=mplayer -display localhost:1 %F
Name=Play this movie on TV
Icon=yast_tv

Before you ask! Check twice:

did you changed names of all devices, screens and monitors in xorg.conf?
did you rebooted Xs (by CTRL+ALT+Backspace)
did you ended script in bash.rc by } ?
did you close all sections in xorg.conf?
did you installed nvtv?

Have a nice day!

bihe

really cool howto. i will use it for my dvr box in the living room

Bo Rosén

Great initiative, well done.
One thing though, I don't think nvtv works will all nvidia cards.

Klin'Targ · 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bo Rosén

Great initiative, well done.
One thing though, I don't think nvtv works will all nvidia cards.

This is true, and my card is one of them (Geforce 420 GO). I got tv-out working via an alternate method though. Simply add this to the Device section of your xorg.conf file:

Code:

Option "TwinView" "true"
Option "TwinViewOrientation" "Clone"
Option "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE"
Option "TVStandard" "NTSC-M"
Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "30-50"
Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "60"
Option "MetaModes" "1024x768,1024x768;800x600,800x600;640x480,640x480;512x384,512x384"

You can set MetaModes, TVStandard and TVOutFormat to whatever is appropriate to your setup.
The way this works is if you have a tv plugged in when the x server starts, it will clone your main screen, if you don't it will ignore this section. So, if you want to watch something on a tv, just connect the cable and restart the x server. Arguably this is not as elegant as the nvtv solution, but it is less complex and seems to work on my hardware at least.

Promethe

Klin - above solution let's you create two diffrent, independent from each other X sessions - so you can play DOOM 3 on one, and on second you can watch newest SG-1

Your solution lets only clone desktop...

RedDwarf

If you want to play Doom3 and watch SG-1 on new cards (without nvtv nor TwinView):

Code:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "LG"
    HorizSync 30-71
    VertRefresh 50-160
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor2"
    VendorName "Philips"
    HorizSync 30-40
    VertRefresh 50
    DisplaySize 412 310
    ModeLine "720x576/50p" 27 720 744 800 864 576 581 583 625 #27.0 MHz, 31.2 kHz, 50.0 Hz
    Modeline "800x600/50p" 31.60 800 824 968 1000 600 602 603 632 #31.6 MHz, 31.6 kHz, 50.0 Hz
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce FX5200"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "DPMS"
    Option "NoLogo" "true"
    Option "RenderAccel" "true"
    BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
    Option "ConnectedMonitor" "CRT"
    Option "HWCursor" "On"
    Option "NvAGP" "2"
    Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device2"
    VendorName "nVidia"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce FX5200"
    Driver "nvidia"    
    Option "NoLogo" "true"
    Option "RenderAccel" "true"
    BusID  "PCI:1:0:0"
    Option "ConnectedMonitor" "TV"
    Option "TVStandard" "PAL-B"
    Option "TVOutFormat" "SVIDEO"
    Option "IgnoreEDID" "true"
    Option "HWCursor" "On"
    Option "NvAGP" "2"
    Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
    
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Virtual 1024 768
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen2"
    Device "device2"
    Monitor "monitor2"
    DefaultColorDepth 24
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout0"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    Screen 0 "screen1"
    Screen 1 "screen2" rightOf "screen1"
EndSection

Note this is MY x.org, there are extra options not needed and I use a PAL 50Hz TV (1024 is supported, but I still have to find a 1024x768 50Hz modeline that is accepted).

But this is explained better on the readme of nVidia drivers. Basically you must create two "Screen", "Device" and "Monitor" and use that 'Screen 1 "screen2" rightOf "screen1"' on "ServerLayout".
In "Device" is VERY IMPORTANT to put "BusID" and "Screen".

chronos

Thanks for the nice howto, I think I got it working. Is it somehow possible to switch completely to the tv screen, so that I could use mouse and everything there? The tv-script works with totem at least, but it's not too convenient when you have to use keyboard shortcuts and stuff...

edit: some typos

dermotti

Wow i cant wait to try this at home

yarc

Is there any way to disable mouse-switching-thingy. So it doesent swith screen when moving the mousecursor to the edge of the screen.

chronos

Quote:

Originally Posted by yarc

Is there any way to disable mouse-switching-thingy. So it doesent swith screen when moving the mousecursor to the edge of the screen.

Hehe, thanks for answering my question...

I didn't notice that

April 3rd, 2005	#1
Promethe 5 Cups of Ubuntu Join Date: Mar 2005 Beans: 18	HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) My first HOWTO, so don't shout at me, if there is anything wrong Let me know, if it's working on ATIs card too Some parts borrowed from Official Gentoo HOWTOs. Becouse I want to use TV-out only sometimes, eg. to watch movie, listen to music, play in DOOM, or show my little sister kids movie, in this time doing something on my lappy, I had to set up separate screens. So, get up and go work :] At first, you had to made this in term: Code: $ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup It will make backup of your x.org config file. Now, apt-get nvtv by this: Code: $ sudo apt-get install nvtv Next thing which you need to do is edit your xconf file. Code: $ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf First thing, which we will change in conf file, will be adding TV as next monitor and changing name of default monitor. Seek for Monitor section, and change monitor identifier to: Code: Identifier "Monitor[0]" #CRT Now, under this section, add following: Code: Section "Monitor" Identifier "Monitor[1]" #TV HorizSync 60 VertRefresh 30-150 EndSection If you need, change HorizSync and VertRefresh, but this values should work fine on most new TVs. Second thing, which we will change in config file, will be adding TV-output as next device and changing name of default device. Seek for Device section, and change monitor identifier to: Code: Identifier "Device[0]" In the same section add: Code: screen 0 . Now, under this section, add following: Code: Section "Device" Driver "nvidia" Identifier "Device[1]" Screen 1 Option "TVOutFormat" "Composite" #or S-VIDEO etc Option "TVStandard" "PAL-G" #or NTSC etc Option "ConnectedMonitor" "Monitor[1]" BusID "PCI:1:0:0" #adjust using 'lspci' or cat /proc/pci EndSection If you are in country which don't use PAL, change it to your TV standard. Now, seek for Screen section, and change Identifier, Monitor and Screen to following: Code: Identifier "Screen[0]" Device "Device[0]" Monitor "Monitor[0]" Under this add: Code: Section "Screen" Device "Device[1]" Identifier "Screen[1]" Monitor "Monitor[1]" DefaultDepth 24 SubSection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1024x768" EndSubSection EndSection And change/add to your config file serverlayout: Code: Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "Simple Layout" Screen 0 "Screen[0]" Screen 1 "Screen[1]" RightOf "Screen[0]" InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer" InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard" EndSection Remember to check name of your mouse and keyboard, and change it names. You can find names of input devices in Input device section as following: Code: Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Generic Keyboard" Driver "keyboard" Option "CoreKeyboard" Option "XkbRules" "xfree86" Option "XkbModel" "pc105" Option "XkbLayout" "gb" EndSection Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Configured Mouse" Driver "mouse" Option "CorePointer" Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice" Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2" Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true" Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" EndSection Identifier is name of device. If name of your input device is diffrent, change Mouse1 or Keyboard1 from above server layout code to your needs. Now save xorg.conf. At now, we will add small bash feature, which will let us to run players on second screen easly. Do following in terminal: Code: $ sudo gedit /etc/bash.bashrc Add following section on end: Code: tv() { if [ "$1" == "" ]; then echo "usage: tv program name" else DISPLAY=:0.1 $1 fi } And you will be able to run e.g. Totem on second display by typing in terminal (or ALT+F2 and checked "Run in terminal"): Code: $ tv totem movie.avi Nice feature for Kubuntu users, which will allow them to run movies from context menu. If somebody know trick like this for GNOME, let me know. Add this entry to: Code: ~/.kde/share/apps/konqueror/servicemenus/nameofyourchoice.desktop Code: [Desktop Entry] Actions=PlayOnTV Encoding=UTF-8 ServiceTypes=video/* [Desktop Action PlayOnTV] Exec=mplayer -display localhost:1 %F Name=Play this movie on TV Icon=yast_tv Before you ask! Check twice: did you changed names of all devices, screens and monitors in xorg.conf? did you rebooted Xs (by CTRL+ALT+Backspace) did you ended script in bash.rc by } ? did you close all sections in xorg.conf? did you installed nvtv? Have a nice day! Last edited by Promethe; April 3rd, 2005 at 08:16 AM..

April 3rd, 2005	#2
bihe Just Give Me the Beans! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Austria / Hallein Beans: 49 Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) really cool howto. i will use it for my dvr box in the living room

April 3rd, 2005	#3
Bo Rosén A Carafe of Ubuntu Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Sweden Beans: 117	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) Great initiative, well done. One thing though, I don't think nvtv works will all nvidia cards.

April 8th, 2005	#5
Promethe 5 Cups of Ubuntu Join Date: Mar 2005 Beans: 18	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) Klin - above solution let's you create two diffrent, independent from each other X sessions - so you can play DOOM 3 on one, and on second you can watch newest SG-1 Your solution lets only clone desktop...

April 15th, 2005	#7
chronos First Cup of Ubuntu Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Espoo, Finland Beans: 6 Ubuntu 6.06 Dapper	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) Thanks for the nice howto, I think I got it working. Is it somehow possible to switch completely to the tv screen, so that I could use mouse and everything there? The tv-script works with totem at least, but it's not too convenient when you have to use keyboard shortcuts and stuff... edit: some typos __________________ Currently running Ubuntu 6.06 LTS Server Edition

April 15th, 2005	#8
dermotti Dark Roasted Ubuntu Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Minnesota Beans: 778	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) Wow i cant wait to try this at home

April 15th, 2005	#9
yarc First Cup of Ubuntu Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Umeå, Sweden Beans: 2	Re: HOWTO: TV-out in Hoary (nVidia?) Is there any way to disable mouse-switching-thingy. So it doesent swith screen when moving the mousecursor to the edge of the screen.

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