Dual Monitors

panickedthumb

I know this is possible, at least in theory

I have a cheap crappy old monitor and a cheap crappy old video card to go along with it. I think it's a trident video card, and it's a compaq presario 1410 monitor (yes, a 14 inch monitor, I know, I know, it's crappy).

In order to get them working together, I suppose I just define another video adapter and another monitor, and then another screen using them, and then add it to the layout close to the bottom. Is that right?

Next up, how do I change the setup so that the old crappy monitor's desktop comes up above the one I'm using now? And how do I configure it so that when I play videos or 3d games or anything, that they'll go to the default monitor?

CompShrink

I am currently working on setting mine up again (was at home for winter break of college, and only had 1 monitor there) and I must say Ubuntu is annoying in this matter. Suse had a nice GUI interface (SaX2) to set up 2 (or more) monitors, in xineorama, clone, or independant sessions.

From what i've read in other posts in this forum, I need to do a bunch of config file editing. Now, while I can do that, it's annoying, and dualmonitor setups are already common enough this should be addressed.

JackDog

I know with twinview you can set it up to autodetect monitors. So if you startup with only one, Xinerama will be disabled and it will run correctly. If you startup with two, xinerama is enabled and it works fine.

I would think xinerama would have the same config option. It simply has to do with detecting present monitors. You could also setup a profile script to either swap out config files for single or dual. Or you could definte two serverlayouts in the conf file and simply choose which one you want use on the command line (when starting X) or change the default server layout when the system boots.

jak

Is it possible for someone to write a How To for this? I've only been using Ubuntu for a very short while, and I'm getting to grips with it and the whole Linux way of working. Soon I'll be getting dual monitor setup and can only hope I can find out how.
But for now I'm going to see what I can find about xinerama.

woifi

Quote:

Originally Posted by jak

Is it possible for someone to write a How To for this? I've only been using Ubuntu for a very short while, and I'm getting to grips with it and the whole Linux way of working. Soon I'll be getting dual monitor setup and can only hope I can find out how.
But for now I'm going to see what I can find about xinerama.

hi!

dual monitors with linux isn't hard to realise. i have a 19" crt and a 15" tft on my ubuntu box and it works good for me. well, here's my XF86Config-4:

Code:

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"unix/:7100"			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
        # paths to defoma fonts
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	#Load	"GLcore"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"dbe"
	Load	"ddc"
	#Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"record"
	Load	"speedo"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"v4l"
	Load	"vbe"
	Load	"xtt"
EndSection

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

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ExplorerPS/2"
	Option		"Buttons"		"7"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"6 7"
	Option		"Resolution"		"100"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"geforce"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	BusID		"PCI:1:0:0"
	Option		"RenderAccel"	"true"
	Option		"NvAGP"		"3"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"matrox"
	Driver		"mga"
	BusID		"PCI:0:06:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"tft"
	HorizSync	30-60
	VertRefresh	56-75
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"crt"
	HorizSync	30-110
	VertRefresh	50-160
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"first"
	Device		"matrox"
	Monitor		"tft"
	DefaultDepth	16
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "second"
	Device "geforce"
	Monitor "crt"
	DefaultColorDepth 24
	SubSection "Display"
	  Depth 24
	  Modes "1280x980"   
	  ViewPort 0 0
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"first"
	Screen		"second" LeftOf "first"
	#Option		"Xinerama" "On"	
	Option		"Twinview" "On"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

hth

woifi

tjz

I'm totally desperate. I know that dualhead works for my matrox g400 DH, because a friend of mine could set it up under debian and kde. But kow I installed ubuntu and wanna use it. I messed around with the config file but nothing worked

Any help to get two screen mode running is highly appreciated.

This is my config:

# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
# cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
# md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server
# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# paths to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "dbe"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "record"
Load "speedo"
Load "type1"
Load "v4l"
Load "vbe"
Load "xtt"
EndSection

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

Section "Device"
Identifier "G400_1"
Driver "mga"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
#Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "G400_2"
Driver "mga"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
#Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "NOKIA 446PRO"
HorizSync 30-107
VertRefresh 50-150
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Dell"
HorizSync 30-110
VertRefresh 50-160
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 0"
Device "G400_1"
Monitor "NOKIA 446PRO"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "G400_2"
Monitor "Dell"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Screen 0"
Screen "Screen 1" LeftOf "Screen 0"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
# Option "Xinerama" "On"
Option "Twinview" "On"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

JackDog

Twinview is nvidia specific... You just need to use xinerama

tjz

I made it - hurray!

it works with twinview - I just had to uncomment the lines in the device section specifiying the screen.

I would love to have it working with xinerama, but since the two monitors have differnert resolutions I have to stick with twinview I think...

But I will try anyway

CompShrink

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjz

I made it - hurray!

it works with twinview - I just had to uncomment the lines in the device section specifiying the screen.

I would love to have it working with xinerama, but since the two monitors have differnert resolutions I have to stick with twinview I think...

But I will try anyway

You can use Xinerama with two or more different resolution monitors, I have been for quite some time.

What confuses me is that my new second monitor (old one fried

) is running at 1400 resolution, when i have it set in my xf86config-4 file to only have the option of 1600. I know the monitor can go 1600, when I plug it inot my laptop it works at 1600, with a refresh rate higher than the one in my xf86config-4...

I'm not on my own computer now, I'll post my conf file when i get back to my own computer.

CompShrink

Code:

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"unix/:7100"			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
        # paths to defoma fonts
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"GLcore"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"dbe"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"record"
	Load	"speedo"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"v4l"
	Load	"vbe"
	Load	"xtt"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"keyboard"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
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

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420"
	Driver		"nv"
	Screen		0
	BusID		"PCI:0:6:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 400"
	Driver		"nv"
	Screen		0
	BusID		"1:5:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Monitor[0]"
	HorizSync	31-93
	VertRefresh	50-75
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Monitor[1]"
	HorizSync	31-65
	VertRefresh	50-70
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Second Screen"
	Device		"NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 400"
	Monitor		"Monitor[1]"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420"
	Monitor		"Monitor[0]"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1600x1200"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Option		"Xinerama" "on"
	Option		"Clone" "off"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
	Screen 	"Second Screen" RightOf "Default Screen"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

November 12th, 2004	#1
panickedthumb Cloned Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: /home My beans are hidden! Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope	Dual Monitors I know this is possible, at least in theory I have a cheap crappy old monitor and a cheap crappy old video card to go along with it. I think it's a trident video card, and it's a compaq presario 1410 monitor (yes, a 14 inch monitor, I know, I know, it's crappy). In order to get them working together, I suppose I just define another video adapter and another monitor, and then another screen using them, and then add it to the layout close to the bottom. Is that right? Next up, how do I change the setup so that the old crappy monitor's desktop comes up above the one I'm using now? And how do I configure it so that when I play videos or 3d games or anything, that they'll go to the default monitor?

January 13th, 2005	#2
CompShrink Gee! These Aren't Roasted! Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Michigan/California, USA My beans are hidden! Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex	Re: Dual Monitors I am currently working on setting mine up again (was at home for winter break of college, and only had 1 monitor there) and I must say Ubuntu is annoying in this matter. Suse had a nice GUI interface (SaX2) to set up 2 (or more) monitors, in xineorama, clone, or independant sessions. From what i've read in other posts in this forum, I need to do a bunch of config file editing. Now, while I can do that, it's annoying, and dualmonitor setups are already common enough this should be addressed.

January 13th, 2005	#3
JackDog A Carafe of Ubuntu Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: St. Louis, Missoura Beans: 71 Gutsy Gibbon Testing	Re: Dual Monitors I know with twinview you can set it up to autodetect monitors. So if you startup with only one, Xinerama will be disabled and it will run correctly. If you startup with two, xinerama is enabled and it works fine. I would think xinerama would have the same config option. It simply has to do with detecting present monitors. You could also setup a profile script to either swap out config files for single or dual. Or you could definte two serverlayouts in the conf file and simply choose which one you want use on the command line (when starting X) or change the default server layout when the system boots.

January 16th, 2005	#4
jak Just Give Me the Beans! Join Date: Dec 2004 Beans: 46 Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron	Re: Dual Monitors Is it possible for someone to write a How To for this? I've only been using Ubuntu for a very short while, and I'm getting to grips with it and the whole Linux way of working. Soon I'll be getting dual monitor setup and can only hope I can find out how. But for now I'm going to see what I can find about xinerama.

January 22nd, 2005	#6
tjz First Cup of Ubuntu Join Date: Jan 2005 Beans: 5	Re: Dual Monitors I'm totally desperate. I know that dualhead works for my matrox g400 DH, because a friend of mine could set it up under debian and kde. But kow I installed ubuntu and wanna use it. I messed around with the config file but nothing worked Any help to get two screen mode running is highly appreciated. This is my config: # XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X Window System server configuration file) # # This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using # values from the debconf database. # # Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page. # (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.) # # This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades only # if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86 # package. # # If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated # again, run the following commands as root: # # cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom # md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum # dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 Section "Files" FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font server # if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi" FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi" # paths to defoma fonts FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType" FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID" EndSection Section "Module" Load "GLcore" Load "bitmap" Load "dbe" Load "ddc" Load "dri" Load "extmod" Load "freetype" Load "glx" Load "int10" Load "record" Load "speedo" Load "type1" Load "v4l" Load "vbe" Load "xtt" EndSection Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Generic Keyboard" Driver "keyboard" Option "CoreKeyboard" Option "XkbRules" "xfree86" Option "XkbModel" "pc105" Option "XkbLayout" "de" 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 Section "Device" Identifier "G400_1" Driver "mga" BusID "PCI:1:0:0" #Screen 0 EndSection Section "Device" Identifier "G400_2" Driver "mga" BusID "PCI:1:0:0" #Screen 1 EndSection Section "Monitor" Identifier "NOKIA 446PRO" HorizSync 30-107 VertRefresh 50-150 Option "DPMS" EndSection Section "Monitor" Identifier "Dell" HorizSync 30-110 VertRefresh 50-160 Option "DPMS" EndSection Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen 0" Device "G400_1" Monitor "NOKIA 446PRO" DefaultDepth 24 SubSection "Display" Depth 1 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 4 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 8 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 15 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480" EndSubSection EndSection Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen 1" Device "G400_2" Monitor "Dell" DefaultDepth 24 SubSection "Display" Depth 16 Modes "800x600" EndSubSection SubSection "Display" Depth 24 Modes "800x600" EndSubSection EndSection Section "ServerLayout" Identifier "Default Layout" Screen "Screen 0" Screen "Screen 1" LeftOf "Screen 0" InputDevice "Generic Keyboard" InputDevice "Configured Mouse" # Option "Xinerama" "On" Option "Twinview" "On" EndSection Section "DRI" Mode 0666 EndSection

January 23rd, 2005	#7
JackDog A Carafe of Ubuntu Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: St. Louis, Missoura Beans: 71 Gutsy Gibbon Testing	Re: Dual Monitors Twinview is nvidia specific... You just need to use xinerama

January 24th, 2005	#8
tjz First Cup of Ubuntu Join Date: Jan 2005 Beans: 5	Re: Dual Monitors I made it - hurray! it works with twinview - I just had to uncomment the lines in the device section specifiying the screen. I would love to have it working with xinerama, but since the two monitors have differnert resolutions I have to stick with twinview I think... But I will try anyway

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