notebook / multiple visual displays - activation and control

[Rodd Clarkson]

On Sat, 2008-03-29 at 02:39 -0700, Alex Lancaster wrote:
> >>>>> "DT" == David Timms  writes:
> 
> [...]
> 
> DT> She tries the Fn F4 {panel|panel+vga|vga} key combo. The panel
> DT> screen flickers black for a micro second, but the image is not
> DT> sent out the vga port. She tries the system-config-display, but
> DT> isn't willing to restart X to activate the changes as suggested by
> DT> the applet (because she would waste so much time to get her
> DT> materials reopened).
> 
> DT> Since she has been watching DVD's on her SVideo TV at home she
> DT> plugs the SVideo into the large screen TV, and again can't get an
> DT> image to be displayed. Composite is no go as well. At this moment
> DT> the sweat drips from her brow and the heart starts pounding as the
> DT> first meeting guests arrive... 
> 
> Heh, I actually went through an almost identical scenario you just
> painted today.  I've found that with F-8, the only way to make sure
> that the output VGA is sent with the correct resolution, is to reboot
> the computer with the projector/external monitor plugged.  In
> addition, this also presupposes that I've manually tweaked my
> xorg.conf to specifically ask for this setup beforehead.  My laptop is
> 1280x800 but most video projectors only accept 1024x768 VGA input.

I've done this too.  With my laptop and my wifes.  It's nice to think it
might be getting fixed.

My laptop has a 1900x1200 display, so I'm also hoping that using an
external monitor might be handled a little gracefully too (resolutions
set to something meaningful)

I've often wondered is the new composite rendering stuff couldn't be
used to send the display to external projectors and screens in a
meaningful way.


R.
-- 
"It's a fine line between denial and faith.
 It's much better on my side"