Re: [gentoo-user] Re: External monitor is stretched 4:3

[Grant]

> > >> >    I've connected my laptop to a lot of HDTV's and whenever I
switch
> > >> >    the output to display on both screens, black bars appear on the
> > >> >    left and right of my laptop screen so it displays at 4:3, and
the
> > >> >    HDTV output is 16:9 but looks horizontally stretched.  Does
> > >> >    anyone know how to keep the output at 16:9 on both screens?
> > >> >
> > >> >    - Grant
> > >>
> > >> You don't give a lot of information here. Are you using mirrored
> > >> screen or an extended desktop? Also what is the desktop environment
or
> > >> window manager you use?
> > >>
> > >> On thing that might help is to provide the output of xrandr.
> > >
> > > I'm using xfce4, but I'm not sure if I'm using a mirrored screen or an
> > > extended desktop.  All I do is plug the laptop into the HDTV with an
HDMI
> > > cable and hit the keyboard shortcut to switch screens which brings up
a
> > > little dialog.
> >
> > There is nothing too complex here, if the TV and laptop are showing the
> > same thing, one screen is *mirroring* the other, otherwise, if you see
> > different things in different screens, you're using an extended desktop.
> >
> > > I was able to change the resolution from 1024x768 to 1366x768 with
> > > xfce4's Display settings, but when I disconnect and reconnect to the
> > > HDTV it displays at 1024x768 again.  Do you know how to select the
> > > output resolution for an external screen permanently?  Is this done in
> > > xorg.conf?
> >
> > This is, I'd guess, a "preferred" video mode announced through EDID,
> > where the TV, even if it supports 1366x768, will anounce 1024x768 as
> > preferred. You could do the change with a small xrandr one-liner, and
> > there must be some way to do it through xorg.conf, although I don't know
> > how.
> >
> > In the end, having the output of xrandr (both before and after you
> > change the video modes) would help *a lot*, as it answers most of our
> > questions...
>
> You can set this up either with xranrd entries in your ~/.xprofile or in
your
> /etc/X11/xorg.conf

I experimented with xorg.conf, but I think the problem is with the xfce4
display switching component.  If I don't have anything pertinent in
xorg.conf and I reboot with the HDTV connected, both screens come up in
1366x768.  I can even display and un-display either of the two screens in
the xfce4 Display settings and they come up in 1366x768.  But if I use the
small xfce4 display switcher dialog that comes up when I hit the keyboard
shortcut, the resolution always drops to 1024x768 on both screens if I
choose "Both displays cloned".

- Grant