[SOLVED] Using Projector to show DVD: Dual Monitors like Windows

[jmjohn]

Hello All,

I have spent the last couple of days fooling around with my Dell xps m1330 with a 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS trying to make Ubuntu play nicely with external monitors.

I would like to make Ubuntu behave exactly like Windows does with external monitors. I would like to plug in an external monitor and have it display on that monitor, as well as on my laptop's screen.

If not, I will take any decent substitute. Today, I played a video for my class using a separate X window and it looked terrible, and the sound was off too. However, when not using an external monitor it was fine.

Its embarrassing to plug in a Linux computer and have it not display Compiz or DVDs properly on a projector. Because this is what people see of Linux, not having at minimum the ordinary Mac/Windows behavior available makes Linux look inferior.

Does anybody have any xorg.config tips?

I would really like to find a decent solution.

Here's my xorg file. Thanks much.
-glass.dimly



# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings: version 1.0 (buildd@vernadsky) Thu Jun 5 09:26:53 UTC 2008

# xorg.conf (X.Org 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 xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "LCD"
HorizSync 30.0 - 75.0
VertRefresh 60.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "CRT-0"
HorizSync 28.0 - 33.0
VertRefresh 43.0 - 72.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "nvidia"
Option "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8400M GS"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Videocard1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8400M GS"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "Configured Video Device"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Videocard1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
EndSection

[jmjohn]

I figured out what works for me.

sudo nvidia-settings
I detect new monitor. Then I add TwinView (and save, if need be, to config file). Then I turn off the old monitor. Now it works for presentations and for showing DVDs.

-glass.dimly