Custom Resolution Problem

[Owen]

I'm trying to setup a custom resolution but am running into problems.  I'm trying to setup LinuxMCE for a 1280x768 resolution monitor.

No matter what I try, if I try anything but the lowest resolution all I see is a quarter of the screen blown up to use the whole monitor.

So far I have tried the following:
*http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Custom_Display_Resolutions
-enable EDID
-update /usr/pluto/share/Resolutions.conf and /usr/pluto/bin/AVWizard-Common.sh
(I'm not sure what the modeline stuff is for, so I generated one for my monitor with this: http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl )

*Add the new resolution to the mysql database - http://forum.linuxmce.org/index.php?topic=2382.0

Any ideas?? Thanks guys!

[colinjones]

To bo honest, I never play with the resolutions file or attempt to create a "custom resolution" in that sense. I just configure the xorg.conf file directly.

Modelines can be tricky - and often the modeline calculators don't give you the right timings (can be quite display specific)...

Turning on EDID is a good start - next is to boot with that and then review your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file - assuming that you are connecting to your monitor in a way that allows EDID to work (VGA/DVI/HDMI - yes, composite/svideo/component - no) then that log file will tell you a lot about the modevalidation that is going on, which modes it considers to be OK and which not, and then which it is choosing.

The objective is to ensure that the mode you are telling it to choose in your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file is 1) being validated as acceptable and 2) is then being successfully selected. Theoretically, if the mode you are trying to select is contained as a valid mode in the EDID info logged in the log file, then it should be selectable and the correct size, etc.

Failing that, check out the modeline database in the mthtv wiki to see if your particular monitor has been listed.

Let me know what you find in your Xorg.0.log file, or send it to me and we can go from there....

[Owen]

Well I took a look at Xorg.0.log and it looks like the modeline I picked is no good.  I found this line:
(II) RADEON(0): Not using default mode "1280x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

I am connecting with a VGA cable so I hope EDID is helping

I'm trying to send you my Xorg.0.log file please let me know if you see what I'm doing wrong in there.

Thanks!

[colinjones]

send your xorg.conf file as well. you can send to my email if that makes it easier colin.jones (a) ap.jll.com

[colinjones]

hmmm... not familiar with Radion cards, nor the monitor you are using for that matter, so I'll just try to make some general comments:

1. Get an nVidia card! They are far better supported.
2. Try plugging in a different monitor
3. Never seen a "TVStandard" of "Projector720p" before, perhaps try "HD720p" instead which is a common one
4. The log file seems to indicate that it is going through the mode validation process multiple times - never seen that before, so I don't know what it means.
5. It is rejecting almost all the modes it is attempting to validate but the driver doesn't make it clear where those modes are coming from, nor does it summarise the valid ones at the end, so this makes it difficult to interpret.
6. The monitor seems to confirm it can handle refresh rates between 58 and 75Hz, your xorg.conf file limits the range of acceptable modes to between 59 and 61Hz - so effectively only 60Hz modes. The monitor is also confirming that it can handle a 1280x768@60 mode.
7. I think we need to confirm where it is actually validating your modeline, because towards the end it clearly says it is selecting some other mode - so I'm assuming that it couldn't validate your modeline for some reason. To pick this out you need to rename the mode from "1280x768" to something else like "1280x768-Will" in the definition and when you select it later on in the xorg.conf file. Then we should be able to pick it out in the Xorg.0.log file and see why it isn't validating...

BTW - I checked your modeline, the screen metrics of 1624x757 at 60Hz does give a pixel clock of 73.78MHz, so that is right, but the size of the porches and syncs can be critical to a screen, which means you can tinker with a huge number of combinations which still give the right resolution and refresh rates, but some the screen will accept and others it will not...

Oh, also it seems to see your card twice on PCI BusID 1:0:0 and 1:0:1 - not sure why, and it seems to think the second one is a full display device rather than just a child device because it complains there is no "Device" section for it. Don't think this matters, just thought I would mention it....

[Stokstaartje]

Colin,
 
Would you be willing to have a look at my log files as well? (Putting it like this makes it sound like an indecent proposal 

Thanks

[colinjones]

Ha Ha! Prepared to look, but make sure you read thru my other comments earlier in this thread, and post you log files here in a "/code" block for readability. This because I'm on holiday at the moment and can't get to my email and the forums as much as I would normally (get in trouble!) And someone else can probably help you while you're waiting.