Gentoo Archives: gentoo-amd64

From: DR GM SEDDON <gavin.m.seddon@×××××××××××××.uk>
To: gentoo-amd64@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: unknown monitor
Date: Sat, 19 Nov 2005 13:56:54
Message-Id: 437F2ED9.80303@manchester.ac.uk
In Reply to: [gentoo-amd64] Re: unknown monitor by Duncan <1i5t5.duncan@cox.net>
1 Many thanks for this detailed reply, my monitor is a 20" sgi crt. i
2 prefer sgi we use them at work in drug design they give good 3d. I have
3 the hr and vs rates, where do I put these.Also, is the monitor name
4 needed verbatim. Finally, is there a tool for setting up my initial
5 monitor type and card? Since I'm apprehensive of my setup.
6 Gavin
7
8
9
10 Duncan wrote:
11
12 >DR GM SEDDON posted <437F0FBC.6010908@×××××××××××××.uk>, excerpted below,
13 >on Sat, 19 Nov 2005 11:42:52 +0000:
14 >
15 >
16 >
17 >>Hi I'm trying to configure my display. I have successfully created a
18 >>xorg.conf file that works. However, I have tried to optimise my display
19 >>as recommended in the manual. From 'lspci' my graphics card is
20 >>unknown. It is an ATI radeon but I entered unknown. I have tried
21 >>'Screen0' and 'default screen'. When I startx I get 'unknown monitor
22 >>type' in the log. Can anyone advise?
23 >>Gavin
24 >>
25 >>
26 >
27 >That's xorg trying to scan the DCC info from the monitor (as most modern
28 >monitors should provide) and failing to get it. It's not complaining
29 >about your graphics card (altho it's possible if it's using the wrong
30 >driver that it won't be able to get the monitor info due to that), but
31 >that your monitor isn't returning any info for xorg to use to set itself
32 >up.
33 >
34 >The below info is for analog video cards and monitors. I'm not sure how
35 >digital ones, lcd and the like, may differ, except that I know their
36 >resolutions are typically lower for their size, they sell by displayed
37 >size, not tube side, so a 19" CRT is usually about the same viewable size
38 >as an 18" LCD (tho the LCD is lower max resolution), and they are more
39 >expensive but not nearly as heavy or bulky! Oh, LCDs also tend to come in
40 >widescreen ratios far more frequently than CRTs!
41 >
42 >The good thing (within context) about LCDs is that they are newer
43 >technology, so often a newer product, meaning it's easier to find specs
44 >for them. If it's a laptop, look for the laptop specs, and you'll get the
45 >video card info at the same time!
46 >
47 >Since xfree86-4 and now with xorg, setting up monitors is generally pretty
48 >easy, even if it can't get the info automatically, because xorg has
49 >default resolution and timing modes that it will use, given the basics.
50 >
51 >man xorg.conf, take a look at the monitor section, then google your
52 >monitor (if necessary) and get the necessary specs. I've done this with
53 >more than half dozen used monitors that needless to say I had no manuals
54 >for, thus no from the factory specs. They are generally fairly easy to
55 >find, once you feed google the make and model number of your monitor.
56 >
57 >The numbers you will need:
58 >
59 >Horizontal sync, normally in KHz. Here's the numbers from one of mine,
60 >from xorg.conf, to give you an idea of the range. (Don't just use mine,
61 >if it's wrong and you let the monitor go for long, it can burn it out!)
62 >High resolutions will use near the top end. The bottom end isn't used
63 >much any more, unless you like to use xorg's ctrl-alt-numplus and numminus
64 >sequences to zoom, as I often do, and want to get close to the min
65 >resolution as well.
66 >
67 > HorizSync 30-110
68 >
69 >Vertical refresh, normally in Hz. High resolutions will use lower numbers
70 >here. The high end is the one not so often used any more. Note however
71 >that most folks can't stand refresh rates below 60, and many need 75 or
72 >better to be comfortable. Of course, that means you can't drive it to as
73 >high a pixel-count resolution. Here, I can tolerate 60 Hz with dark
74 >backgrounds and light text/foregrounds, so mostly dark. With a white
75 >screen background, I need higher refresh rates, 68-75. Again, here's mine
76 >to give you an idea, but don't just use mine.
77 >
78 > VertRefresh 50-180
79 >
80 >Those will go in the Monitor section. You can use xorg's autosetup (there
81 >are several choices for tools to try) to generate a basic xorg.conf, then
82 >create or change the Monitor section as necessary.
83 >
84 >Two option but useful numbers for the same section, if you can find them.
85 >Dotclock, usually in MHz (maximum typically runs ~230-ish with a decent
86 >monitor), and DisplaySize in x and y mm. xorg usually does fine without
87 >the former if you can't find it, by using the numbers above. The latter
88 >is only used to ensure semi-normal font sizes, otherwise various versions
89 >may change the default font size, if they can't find it and you didn't set
90 >it, rather drastically, for the same settings in your X environment.
91 >Thus, it's not vital, but it's nice to have, and usually pretty easy to
92 >find, tho you might have to do a bit of inch/mm conversion (25.4mm/inch).
93 >
94 >The other place your monitor numbers come into play is in the Display
95 >subsection of the Screen section, in the Modes listing. This is just a
96 >listing of the main and any additional pixel resolutions you may desire
97 >(that xorg agrees are possible given the settings for video card and
98 >monitor). If your numbers are good enough, and your screen large enough,
99 >2048x1536 is the highest practical resolution available (assuming the
100 >standard 4x3 ratio) -- but only on 20" and larger monitors or it's
101 >overkill. 1600x1200 is, however, often the rated maximum for the 19-22"
102 >monitor size, and more comfortable for many, particularly as it allows a
103 >higher refresh rate. (Monitors rated for 75 Hz refresh at their rated
104 >maximum, however, can generally do 60 Hz at higher resolutions, if your
105 >eyes can stand it, of course.) For a 19" monitor, 1280x920 resolution
106 >(4x3 ratio) or 1280x1024, altho that gives you rectangular pixels. For a
107 >17" monitor, 1280x1024 is high end, 1024x768 is standard. 15" do 1024x768
108 >and 800x600. Old and small monitors will generally do 640x480, 800x600 if
109 >you are lucky and can tolerate the lower refresh.
110 >
111 >Here's one of my screen mode line entries, listing all the resolutions I
112 >run (22" monitor, the highest normally resolution normally, lower ones for
113 >zoom, using the zoom keys mentioned above, DisplaySize is 400x300mm, so at
114 >that resolution, my pixels are a full mm square!). Most folks probably
115 >don't have half that many resolutions (plus many won't want to run
116 >2048x1536 at the refresh possible on their monitor, even if they can, so
117 >that and the 1792 resolution won't be so common). Note that the 640x480
118 >resolution is square pixels, the 640x400 isn't, but I have a game that
119 >runs that, so... That one is also a custom modeline, as well, as it's not
120 >one that xorg has preconfigured.
121 >
122 >Modes "2048x1536" "1792x1344" "1600x1200" "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" "640x400" "512x384" "400x300" "320x240"
123 >
124 >It should be easy to find the maximum resolution for your monitor, as
125 >that's one of the selling features, so even hits that don't list anything
126 >else often list that.
127 >
128 >
129 >
130
131 --
132 gentoo-amd64@g.o mailing list

Replies

Subject Author
[gentoo-amd64] Re: Re: unknown monitor Duncan <1i5t5.duncan@×××.net>