Display problem with nVidia 8600GT card on 1080p TV

[super]

Well, my saga of getting the display to work continues. I get the alpha blending with 720p working with Sharp Acquos 46" TV on the 7600GS with HDMI. But I want 1080p, and that's where the problem lies. I tried installing the latest drivers 169.09 from nvidia using Envy, but got the blank display after rebooting.

Anyone successfully got 1080p on a Sharp Acquos TV (Model: LC-46D62U) with one of the newer nvidia cards? Can someone post their xorg.conf file? That would help me out a lot.

When I rebooted, for some reason I could not get the A/V wizard, so I think LMCE is expecting 720p, but the newer nvidia driver could be providing 1080p. Could that be the problem?

Should I first install kubuntu only and then install LMCE? LMCE installs nvidia-glx for me and does not let me select 1080p in the setup (I can only select 720p with 4:3 TV even though my TV is 16:9 1080p)

Any help is appreciated here. Thanks.

[RichardP]

Well, my saga of getting the display to work continues. I get the alpha blending with 720p working with Sharp Acquos 46" TV on the 7600GS with HDMI. But I want 1080p, and that's where the problem lies. I tried installing the latest drivers 169.09 from nvidia using Envy, but got the blank display after rebooting.

Anyone successfully got 1080p on a Sharp Acquos TV (Model: LC-46D62U) with one of the newer nvidia cards? Can someone post their xorg.conf file? That would help me out a lot.

When I rebooted, for some reason I could not get the A/V wizard, so I think LMCE is expecting 720p, but the newer nvidia driver could be providing 1080p. Could that be the problem?

Should I first install kubuntu only and then install LMCE? LMCE installs nvidia-glx for me and does not let me select 1080p in the setup (I can only select 720p with 4:3 TV even though my TV is 16:9 1080p)

Any help is appreciated here. Thanks.

I'm assuming you're using DVI even on the replacement card? My experience is only with the two latest beta's, so take this with a pinch of salt if you are using something else...

After you upgrade the nVidia drivers, the xorg.conf will have been replaced, and the output will most likely be sent to the VGA adapter. Check the xorg.conf, logging in from one of the text terminals (Ctrl-Alt-3 is what I use, for various reasons)

Getting your 1080p working - edit the xorg conf by hand, or use the nVidia utility. You want to make sure you are using the right connector - if you have two DVI connectors, they will be DFP-0 and DFP-1 (I think). Then you want to make sure you have EDID turned on. Once this is done, start up the X system - it's not important whether it works successfully or not.

Once that is done, go and have a read of /var/log/Xorg.0.log and you will be able to see what your card supports, what your TV supports and where the two can meet.

Best Regards,
RichardP.

[super]

RichardP,

Thanks for your advice. Can you elaborate on a few points? Sorry I am a newbie and hardly know anything about the structure of xorg.conf.

>>After you upgrade the nVidia drivers, the xorg.conf will have been replaced, and the output will most likely be sent to the VGA adapter. Check the xorg.conf, logging in from one of the text terminals (Ctrl-Alt-3 is what I use, for various reasons)

Question: What line in the xorg.conf will tell me whether VGA or DVI is being used?

Getting your 1080p working - edit the xorg conf by hand, or use the nVidia utility. You want to make sure you are using the right connector - if you have two DVI connectors, they will be DFP-0 and DFP-1 (I think). Then you want to make sure you have EDID turned on. Once this is done, start up the X system - it's not important whether it works successfully or not.

Question: How do I turn on EDID? and where will I find which DVI connector is being used?

Thanks in advance
super

[colinjones]

Super

Not sure about VGA, but you should find DFP mentioned the Device section - Option "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP" for 2 outputs I am assuming that DFP-0 and DFP-1 will be mentioned somewhere. Certainly in the log file (/var/log/Xorg.0.log) this is the format.

For EDID you can put Option "UseEDID" "true" (actually change it from false as it probably already exists) - but in my xorg files this option has always been in both the Device and Screen sctions. Don't know which takes precedence so I do both.

Also, I add the line Option "UseEDIDDPI" "false" in both sections as well. My TV reports the wrong size screen (very common) and so when X calculates the font DPI it is way off and my fonts are unreadable. This fixes it as it assumes the standard 100 DPI. Or you could use Option "UseDPI" "100" I think...

[super]

Thanks Colin,

I figured out how to turn the EDID on, by searching on other forums. That did the trick and I am on 1080p now with alpha blending. I have tried DVD playback and it has been pretty good (occasional glitch here and there). I will start transferring my media library to LMCE now.

Thanks for the font tip, my fonts are currently unreadable too. Will try your option out in xorg.conf.

We need a good section on xorg.conf. I will see if I can start something and you guys can add to it.

BTW, can you send me your xorg.conf file? I don't seem to have the ConnectedMonitor section in mine.

[colinjones]

My xorg is probably not ideal and probably includes some experimental stuff I added that didn't break it and I forgot to remove! But here you go:

Code: [Select]

# xorg.conf (xorg 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 "Files"
EndSection

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

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "Configured Mouse"
        Driver          "mouse"
        Option          "CorePointer"
        Option          "Device"                "/dev/input/mice"
        Option          "Protocol"              "ImPS/2"
        Option          "ZAxisMapping"          "4 5"
        Option          "Emulate3Buttons"       "true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Driver          "wacom"
        Identifier      "stylus"
        Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
        Option          "Type"          "stylus"
        Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Driver          "wacom"
        Identifier      "eraser"
        Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
        Option          "Type"          "eraser"
        Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
        Driver          "wacom"
        Identifier      "cursor"
        Option          "Device"        "/dev/input/wacom"
        Option          "Type"          "cursor"
        Option          "ForceDevice"   "ISDV4"         # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "nVidia Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
        Driver          "nvidia"
        BusID           "PCI:0:18:0"
        Option "XvmcUsesTextures" "true"
        Option "renderAccel" "true"
        Option "NoDDCValue"
        Option "UseEDID" "true"
        Option "UseEDIDDPI" "false"
        Option "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true"
        Option "NoLogo" "true"
        Option "NoBandWidthTest" "true"
        Option "ModeValidation" "NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck, NoEdidMaxPClkCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, AllowInterlacedModes, AllowNon60HzDFPModes"
        Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
        Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
        Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
        Option          "ConnectedMonitor" "DFP"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "Generic Monitor"
        Option          "DPMS"
        Modeline        "1920x1080" 138.5 1920 1968 2000 2080 1080 1082 1087 1111
        HorizSync       20-500
        VertRefresh     59-61
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "Default Screen"
        Device          "nVidia Corporation NVIDIA Default Card"
        Monitor         "Generic Monitor"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                Modes           "1920x1080"
                Virtual         1920 1080
        EndSubSection
        Option "XvmcUsesTextures" "true"
        Option "renderAccel" "true"
        Option "NoDDCValue"
        Option "UseEDID" "true"
        Option "UseEDIDDPI" "false"
        Option "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "true"
        Option "NoLogo" "true"
        Option "NoBandWidthTest" "true"
        Option "ModeValidation" "NoDFPNativeResolutionCheck, NoEdidMaxPClkCheck, NoMaxPClkCheck, AllowInterlacedModes, AllowNon60HzDFPModes"
        Option "DynamicTwinView" "false"
        Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
        Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
        Option  "TVStandard"    "HD1080p"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "Default Layout"
        Screen          "Default Screen"
        InputDevice     "Generic Keyboard"
        InputDevice     "Configured Mouse"

# Uncomment if you have a wacom tablet
#       InputDevice     "stylus"        "SendCoreEvents"
#       InputDevice     "cursor"        "SendCoreEvents"
#       InputDevice     "eraser"        "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection
Section "Extensions"
        Option "Composite" "false"
        Option "RENDER" "true"
EndSection
Section "Module"
        Load "glx"
        Load "dri"
EndSection
Section "DRI"
        Mode 0666
EndSection
linuxmce@dcerouter:~$


[RichardP]

Thanks Colin,

I figured out how to turn the EDID on, by searching on other forums. That did the trick and I am on 1080p now with alpha blending. I have tried DVD playback and it has been pretty good (occasional glitch here and there). I will start transferring my media library to LMCE now.

Thanks for the font tip, my fonts are currently unreadable too. Will try your option out in xorg.conf.

We need a good section on xorg.conf. I will see if I can start something and you guys can add to it.

BTW, can you send me your xorg.conf file? I don't seem to have the ConnectedMonitor section in mine.

Glad you're running. Sorry I've been off the forum for a couple of days. For the font size, first try having EDID set your values automatically with:
Option "UseEDIDDPI" "true"
If this is already on, check the values in the Xorg.0.log to see what they are. Once you know that, turn it off, as Colin has done. (I'm assuming, since you've succesfully turned on EDID, that you're now comfortable editing your xorg.conf). Then set a DPI value of that makes sense for your monitor (usually around 96 each way for a high-def monitor). So what you should have is something like:
Section "Monitor"
  Option   "UseEdidDpi" "false"
  Option   "DPI" "96 x 96"

Good luck.
Best Regards,
RichardP.

[1audio]

The 1080p modeline looks off. Some monitors won't work with that number. The MythTV modeline database has the correct CEA 1080p modeline that should work with any 1080p display. The xorg log will show the modeline actually used, which would have come from the EDID if its on. Some displays are very picky about digital timing and will reject an incorrect timing.

[colinjones]

1audio - were you talking about my modeline?

The problem I am having at the moment is that my TV refuses to do 1080p50 - the modeline in that xorg is 1080p60, but I live in Australia so TV (at least) is 50Hz, and I suspect that this could be the cause of my ongoing pain with video jerkiness and apparent "low frame rate".

The only 1080p50 mode I have got to work so far causes the picture to overscan hugely - and the whole point of paying for a 1080p set is to use it at native resolution! Whenever I try to tweak the timings it gets to a point and then comes up that the mode is not supported.... This is nonsense, its well within the pixcel clock's capabilities, etc, and it would be pretty pointless selling the set with that limitation in a market that uses 50Hz. Plus I'm sure that if I connected a Bluray player or something it would do 1080p50. When I use the modeline that overscans (I think that was from the MythTV modeline database but I'm not sure where I found it - could you send the link to the one you are talking about?) and hit the info button on the TV it actually confirms it is 1080p50 as opposed to the modeline above which says 1080p60...

Samsung are useless, they didn't even know where to start! I'm completely stuck now - no idea what to try next, paid huge amounts for this TV, and don't seem to be able to find a modeline that works for 1080p50....

[1audio]

The problem may be getting the display and the video card to cooperate.
 I would try:
Option "ModeValidation" "AllowNon60HzDFPModes"

I looked for a copy of the CEA 861 specs but I have lost mine somewhere. The Myth data base is all 60 Hz but there is a 50 Hz spec.

Read through the Xorg log, it should play back the formats the display supports if edid is on.

[Zaerc]

...
We need a good section on xorg.conf. I will see if I can start something and you guys can add to it.
...

http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Display_Drivers#Configuration

[super]

Colin,

You may want to look at this URL: http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/easy-linux.html
Although it is for Fedora, it goes through tweaking the display frequencies. Maybe useful.
Also try using the command cvt -r -v and plugging those values into the Modeline.

RichardP,
Thanks for your advice. I set my EDID on in xorg.conf, looked at my /var/log/Xorg.0.log, got the timings, plugged them into the modeline value in xorg.conf and that did the trick.

super

[RichardP]

Colin,

You may want to look at this URL: http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/easy-linux.html
Although it is for Fedora, it goes through tweaking the display frequencies. Maybe useful.
Also try using the command cvt -r -v and plugging those values into the Modeline.

RichardP,
Thanks for your advice. I set my EDID on in xorg.conf, looked at my /var/log/Xorg.0.log, got the timings, plugged them into the modeline value in xorg.conf and that did the trick.

super

Nice one... glad to be of help. If you can, can you post your values in the Wiki hardware database - it may help someone with a similar problem.

Colin, what Super says opens a whole new can of worms. Suppose your EDID is reporting the correct values, as we are reading in the log, but X is not using those values. Super's method may work for you - fully turn on EDID, record the values, then plug the values into the xorg.conf.

Just curious - if you're running at 60 hertz, have you tried playing an NTSC video to see if the tearing is reduced?

Best Regards,
RichardP

[super]

I must have spoken too soon...last night the 1080p was working. Today morning when I fire up the LMCE machine, I get 'Invalid Video Signal' on my Sharp Aquos. I thought I had everything figured out. Also, now I don't get the onscreen menus on my TV (like adjusting brightness, contrast, volume etc.) Need to do some digging around to figure this out...just when I thought everything was going ok...oh well, back to the grind.

Any suggestions are welcome. Will update this thread with my results.

RichardP,
will update the hardware Wiki when I get this running in a stable manner

super

[Zaerc]

Probably because lmce rewrote your xorg.conf and replaced the modelines.