Installation can't chose correct resolution

[AndrewClarke]

Hi.  I'm new to LinuxMCE and I can't get my screen resolution to work properly.  I have a Gigabyte GeForce 8400 GS card with VGA and DVI out, connected to an LG 42" screen with 1366x720 resolution.

I had the initial problem with needing to attach a VGA cable during installation (was using DVI).  I chose DVI and 720p, but it seemed like whenever I got to the confirmation screen it still told me I was using 640x480.  Following through the installation confirmed this, as although the screen took the full picture, X looked to be about 640x480.

I then used the instructions at http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Custom_Display_Resolutions to enable the 1366x720 resolution.  I went through the setup wizard again, but still I'm running into problems.  It seems like each time I try things work out slightly, differently, but by and large if I have both my VGA and DVI plugs connected from my computer to my monitor, using my new custom resolution won't "take".  I start in VGA, choose DVI and 1366x720, go to next, and switch my input to DVI.  I watch my screen flicker for maybe 20 seconds, and then I get "no signal".  Switching back to VGA shows that it has reverted back there.  I wonder if maybe some of the timings are wrong for my monitor at that resolution?

I also wonder if maybe my video card is doing something like refusing to output anything higher than 1024x768 while there's something connected to the VGA port.  I've tried just using DVI and using the arrow and number keys to blindly choose the correct settings as recommended, but for some reason that never seems to work for me.

For now, the best I can do is 1024x768 4:3 on my 720p 16:9 monitor, which is, of course, not very good at all.  Is there a way I can just set this up without going through the wizard?

Thanks for any help,
- Andrew.

[cleardata]

Hi.  I'm new to LinuxMCE and I can't get my screen resolution to work properly.  I have a Gigabyte GeForce 8400 GS card with VGA and DVI out, connected to an LG 42" screen with 1366x720 resolution.

I had the initial problem with needing to attach a VGA cable during installation (was using DVI).  I chose DVI and 720p, but it seemed like whenever I got to the confirmation screen it still told me I was using 640x480.  Following through the installation confirmed this, as although the screen took the full picture, X looked to be about 640x480.

I then used the instructions at http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Custom_Display_Resolutions to enable the 1366x720 resolution.  I went through the setup wizard again, but still I'm running into problems.  It seems like each time I try things work out slightly, differently, but by and large if I have both my VGA and DVI plugs connected from my computer to my monitor, using my new custom resolution won't "take".  I start in VGA, choose DVI and 1366x720, go to next, and switch my input to DVI.  I watch my screen flicker for maybe 20 seconds, and then I get "no signal".  Switching back to VGA shows that it has reverted back there.  I wonder if maybe some of the timings are wrong for my monitor at that resolution?

I also wonder if maybe my video card is doing something like refusing to output anything higher than 1024x768 while there's something connected to the VGA port.  I've tried just using DVI and using the arrow and number keys to blindly choose the correct settings as recommended, but for some reason that never seems to work for me.

For now, the best I can do is 1024x768 4:3 on my 720p 16:9 monitor, which is, of course, not very good at all.  Is there a way I can just set this up without going through the wizard?

Thanks for any help,
- Andrew.

Try this...  I had a problem close to this when I started with it as well.  I would remove your VGA cable and only have the DVI cable attached.  once the AV Wizard starts (You can tell by the tones from the PC speaker) Press the 1 key on your keyboard and it should switch over to DVI and have the AVWizard on your screen.  Below are the links I had to read...  Hope it helps.  Others may have better suggestions as I'm a Newbie as well.

http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/AVWizard_running_steps

Section II

Another method to choose the resolutions and the connector is by pressing some keyboard keys. By default, the AV Wizard has the resolution 640x480 on VGA. To choose the connector you have to press the keys from 1 to 5 (1=DVI, 2=VGA, 3=Component, 4=Composite, 5=S-Video). To choose a resolution you have to press the keys from 6 to 0 (6=640x480, 7=1024x768, 8=720p, 9=1080i, 0=1080p). For choosing the resolution and connector you have to be in the initial screen of AV Wizard.

[jhammond]

If you're wanting to run at 720p, there's no reason to worry about adding 1366x768 into Resolutions.conf or the AVWizard. Those two files only affect resolutions for the final install options (On the "Input/Resolution/Frequency" page of the AVWizard).

I would remove your VGA cable and only have the DVI cable attached.  once the AV Wizard starts (You can tell by the tones from the PC speaker) Press the 1 key on your keyboard and it should switch over to DVI and have the AVWizard on your screen.

This is definitely the way to go. Plug your dvi cable in, leaving the vga unattached, let the system boot and hold shift after you hear the first set of tones. You'll hear an odd tone after that and you can let go. It will come up to a black screen after another couple of minutes (give it a few to settle down). Press "1" on the keyboard and it will change to the DVI input. Once you have a screen up, just go through the wizard and select 720p on the "Input/Resolutions/Frequency" page. If you _did_ add anything to Resolutions.conf or enabled any other resolutions in the AVWizard script, this is where you'll be able to pick them. Run through the rest of the wizard and let it restart. Even though the AVWizard screen looks 800x600 or 640x480 (or whatever) it should restart the orbiter with the correct resolution.

jhammond

[AndrewClarke]

Thanks to both of you.  Just to clarify, I also read the referenced documentation and have tried at least twice to do exactly what both of you suggested.  It did not work for me.  When I get a chance I'll try plugging in a wired keyboard and trying again just for fun, and then post back the results.

- Andrew.