Problem with USB to VGA adaptor

**Alan Ward** · September 9th, 2009

Hi,

I am trying to connect a second screen to a Ubunto 9.04 based system.
I am using a USB to VGA adaptor - [USB2VGAE, by Startech].
I have tested the adaptor on a Windows system and it works fine.
I have read all the information I can find on the net, but I cannot get it to work.

There appear to be 2 'drivers' in the system:

/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/sisusb_drv.so

and

/lib/modules/2.6.28-34-fitpc2/kernel/drivers/usb/misc/sisusbvga/sisusbvga.ko.

I don't understand the difference.

lsusb produces the following:

__________________________________________________ _________________
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0711:5001 Magic Control Technology Corp.
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 05dc:b035 Lexar Media, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 03eb:0002 Atmel Corp.
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 413c:2105 Dell Computer Corp.
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c03e Logitech, Inc. Premium Optical Wheel Mouse
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
__________________________________________________ __________________

The first entry is the adaptor. If I expand that I get:
__________________________________________________ __________________
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0711:5001 Magic Control Technology Corp.
Device Descriptor:
bLength 18
bDescriptorType 1
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
idVendor 0x0711 Magic Control Technology Corp.
idProduct 0x5001
bcdDevice 0.01
iManufacturer 16 MCT CORP
iProduct 32 USBVGA
iSerial 0
bNumConfigurations 1
Configuration Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 2
wTotalLength 39
bNumInterfaces 1
bConfigurationValue 1
iConfiguration 48 MCT_Configuration
bmAttributes 0xc0
Self Powered
MaxPower 0mA
Interface Descriptor:
bLength 9
bDescriptorType 4
bInterfaceNumber 0
bAlternateSetting 0
bNumEndpoints 3
bInterfaceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)
bInterfaceSubClass 0
bInterfaceProtocol 0
iInterface 64 MCT_Interface
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x02 EP 2 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Endpoint Descriptor:
bLength 7
bDescriptorType 5
bEndpointAddress 0x03 EP 3 OUT
bmAttributes 2
Transfer Type Bulk
Synch Type None
Usage Type Data
wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes
bInterval 0
Device Qualifier (for other device speed):
bLength 10
bDescriptorType 6
bcdUSB 2.00
bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level)(II) UnloadModule: "sisusb"
(II) Unloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers//sisusb_drv.so

bDeviceSubClass 0
bDeviceProtocol 0
bMaxPacketSize0 64
bNumConfigurations 1
Device Status: 0x0001
Self Powered
__________________________________________________ ________

I have added entries to my xorg.conf as advised by various forums I have come across:

__________________________________________________ _________
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0" ###added by AGW
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
ModulePath "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "glx"
Load "record"
Load "extmod"
Load "xtrap"
Load "dbe"
Load "dri"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
EndSection

### Added by AGW
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Monitor Model"
VertRefresh 50-75
HorizSync 30-90
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "SIS"
VendorName "StarTech"
BoardName "USB2VGA"
Driver "sisusb"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "SIS"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
### End add

Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
### [arg]: arg optional
#Option "ShadowFB" # [<bool>]
#Option "NoAccel" # [<bool>]
#Option "SWcursor" # [<bool>]
#Option "ExaMem" # <i>
#Option "ExaScratch" # <i>
Option "IgnoreACPI" "true"
Option "NoPanel" "true"
#Option "LidTimer" # [<bool>]
#Option "NoFitting" # [<bool>]
#Option "DownScale" # [<bool>]
Identifier "Card0"
Driver "psb"
VendorName "Intel Corporation"
BoardName "System Controller Hub (SCH Poulsbo) Graphics Controller"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 1
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 4
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 8
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 15
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection
__________________________________________________ ______________

It is clear from the xorg log that the (first) driver above is being loaded, but the device is not found by the probe. I have included various sections from the log below:

__________________________________________________ _____________

(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Tue Sep 8 16:37:05 2009
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf"
(==) ServerLayout "X.org Configured"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen0" (0)
(**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor0"
(**) | |-->Device "Card0"
(**) |-->Screen "Screen1" (1)
(**) | |-->Monitor "Monitor1"
(**) | |-->Device "SIS"
(**) |-->Input Device "Mouse0"
(**) |-->Input Device "Keyboard0"
(==) Automatically adding devices
(==) Automatically enabling devices

.
.
.
.

(II) LoadModule: "psb"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers//psb_drv.so
(II) Module psb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.6.0, module version = 0.29.0
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 5.0
(II) Debug: psbSetup
(II) LoadModule: "sisusb"
(II) Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers//sisusb_drv.so
(II) Module sisusb: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
compiled for 1.5.99.902, module version = 0.9.0
Module class: X.Org Video Driver
ABI class: X.Org Video Driver, version 5.0
(II) PSB: driver for Intel GMA500 chipsets: Intel GMA500
(II) SISUSB: driver for SiSUSB chipsets: SIS315E/PRO USB
(II) Primary Device is: PCI 00@00:02:0
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for psb
(II) Debug: psbProbe
(--) Chipset Intel GMA500 found
(II) resource ranges after xf86ClaimFixedResources() call:
[0] -1 0 0xffffffff - 0xffffffff (0x1) MX[B]
[1] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX[B]
[2] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX[B]
[3] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX[B]
[4] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX[B]
[5] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x00000000 (0x1) IX[B]
(II) PSB(0): Debug: Allocating new device
(WW) Falling back to old probe method for sisusb
(II) resource ranges after probing:
[0] -1 0 0xffffffff - 0xffffffff (0x1) MX[B]
[1] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX[B]
[2] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX[B]
[3] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX[B]
[4] 0 0 0x000a0000 - 0x000affff (0x10000) MS[B]
[5] 0 0 0x000b0000 - 0x000b7fff (0x8000) MS[B]
[6] 0 0 0x000b8000 - 0x000bffff (0x8000) MS[B]
[7] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX[B]
[8] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x00000000 (0x1) IX[B]
[9] 0 0 0x000003b0 - 0x000003bb (0xc) IS[B]
[10] 0 0 0x000003c0 - 0x000003df (0x20) IS[B]
(II) PSB(0): Debug: psbPreInit
(II) PSB(0): psb_drv - 2.2.0.32L.0041

.
.
.
.

(II) UnloadModule: "sisusb"
(II) Unloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers//sisusb_drv.so

.
.
.

__________________________________________________ _________________

**Sacha Von Brucke** · March 13th, 2011

Alan,

I am having the same problem you had for using a STARTECH USB VGA DISPLAY ADAPTER, did you fiinally find any solution for it ?

Thank you by advance for your reply,

Sacha

**Alan Ward** · March 14th, 2011

Hi, Sacha,

No. I gave up soon after that post. I had already spent too long trying to solve it.

Regards,
Alan

**ironstorm** · September 11th, 2011

There may to be a distro that implements support for the MCT 0711:5110 chipset found in your device... see here about MAXI: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11239619

**Peter Hite** · February 16th, 2013

I had the same problem. Turns out you have to enable the usbvga dongle by using the following command before your start X:
modprobe sisusbvga

You should see the LED on the dongle turn on and your monitor sync with a red frame around it. Starting X should work after that.