[SOLVED] HDMI output issues with ATI Graphics Card

[agmg]

Hi all!

I have a Toshiba laptop running KDE 2011.6 fully updated with 2.6.38.8-pclos3.pae.bfs kernel. It is equipped with a Mobility Radeon HD4650 graphics card and its monitor is capable of up to 1366x768 pixels resolution. I also have a 40'' Samsung LCD TV, which is FullHD capable, meaning it can support a maximum of 1920x1080 pixels resolution.

I sometimes connect the laptop with the TV using the HDMI output to watch movies or videos on the big screen. I want to use the maximum resolution of the TV (1920x1080) and have the laptop's monitor disabled. And my headaches begin

1. On the first connection, the TV screen is a clone of the laptop's screen, meaning they both have a resolution of 1366x768. I use ATI Catalyst Control Center to disable the laptop's screen but I can't get the maximum resolution of the TV until I restart the system or XServer. After restart, I have to got to ATI CCC again to set the TV to 1920x1080.

2. If I keep the TV connected after restart(s), all is ok. Laptop's screen stays disabled and TV displays the maximum resolution. I can use different combinations for the monitors (clone, extend etc) and everything works as it should. If I disconnect the TV to use the laptop's screen, both monitors go blank. If I restart and then disconnect the cable, the laptop's screen defaults at 1280x720, which means I have to configure it once more. If again I make a restart and connect the TV before boot, I'm back at the beginning, having the two screens cloned at 1366x768. All this configuration is lost.

3. If I plug the HDMI cable while the system is on, I get the wizard that asks me to configure the newly installed monitor (or something similar, my PCLOS is in Greek). I try that but again, I can't get the maximum resolution on the TV (and disable the laptop's monitor) until I restart the system or XServer.

I have search through the forum and on Google but I can't find a solution to my case. All solutions were provided taking as a standard that the external monitor stays connected to the computer at all times. If this was the case, then my problems would be solved. I've also read about a tool called "Disper" that changes the output "on the fly" but we don't have it in our repos. Other solutions suggested some changes in xorg.conf but nothing I tried solved the problem. I'm still learning Linux, so some things are "strange waters" for me and I may be doing something wrong without even knowning it...msdsbn'

You realize that it is a pain when I want to watch a movie or music video using the full resolution capabilities of my TV. Hate to say that but in Win7, I simply plug the HDMI cable and everything works fine. It's the only thing that a envy Win7 for. I believe it's not a Linux problem but an ATI driver problem (ATI and Linux are not the best of friends ) but it is a huge drawback that keeps me from fully enjoying my Linux experience.

If you have any suggestions, I'd be more than glad to hear them. It's the only thing that makes me keep Win7 in dual boot. If I could solve this, I could get rid of that otherwise garbage on my disk and free some valuable space. Thanks in advance.

I provide here my xorg.conf for reference.

Code: [Select]

# File generated by XFdrake (rev 262502)
# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier     "layout1"
Screen      0  "amdcccle-Screen[1]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load  "v4l" # Video for Linux
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

 # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
    #DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
Option    "DontZap" "False" # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
Option    "allowmouseopenfail"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier   "monitor1"
VendorName   "Generic"
ModelName    "Flat Panel 1366x768"
HorizSync    31.0 - 53.0
VertRefresh  56.0 - 69.0
Option    "PreferredMode" "1366x768"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier   "0-LVDS"
Option    "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option    "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option    "DPMS" "true"
Option    "Disable" "true"
Option    "TargetRefresh" "60"
Option    "Position" "0 0"
Option    "Rotate" "normal"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier   "0-DFP2"
Option    "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
Option    "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
Option    "DPMS" "true"
Option    "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
Option    "TargetRefresh" "60"
Option    "Position" "0 0"
Option    "Rotate" "normal"
Option    "Disable" "false"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier  "device1"
Driver      "fglrx"
VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"
BoardName   "ATI Radeon HD 2000 and later (radeon/fglrx)"
Option    "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier  "amdcccle-Device[1]-0"
Driver      "fglrx"
Option    "Monitor-LVDS" "0-LVDS"
Option    "Monitor-DFP2" "0-DFP2"
BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device     "device1"
Monitor    "monitor1"
DefaultDepth     24
SubSection "Display"
Depth     8
Modes    "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth     15
Modes    "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth     16
Modes    "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth     24
Modes    "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "amdcccle-Screen[1]-0"
Device     "amdcccle-Device[1]-0"
DefaultDepth     24
SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     24
EndSubSection
EndSection

[Just17]

I don't use dual monitors, but I expected to see a section like this for the second monitor with the correct resolution etc for the TV

Section "Monitor"
   Identifier   "monitor1"
   VendorName   "Generic"
   ModelName    "Flat Panel 1366x768"
   HorizSync    31.0 - 53.0
   VertRefresh  56.0 - 69.0
   Option       "PreferredMode" "1366x768"
EndSection

[agmg]

I finally found a solution to my problem with the help of xrandr (and a lot of searching through the net)!

With the TV connected I used "xrandr -q" in the console, which gave the following output:

Code: [Select]

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 1920 x 1920
LVDS connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1366x768       60.0 +
   1280x768       60.0 +
   1280x720       60.0 +
   1024x768       60.0 +
   1024x600       60.0 +
   800x600        60.0 +
   800x480        60.0 +
   720x480        60.0 +
   640x480        60.0 +
DFP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DFP2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 160mm x 90mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+   50.0     30.0     25.0     24.0
   1776x1000      60.0 +   30.0     25.0
   1680x1050      60.0 +
   1400x1050      60.0 +
   1280x1024      60.0 +
   1440x900       59.9 +
   1280x960       60.0 +
   1366x768       59.9 +
   1280x800       60.0 +
   1152x864       60.0 +
   1280x768       59.9 +
   1024x768       60.0 +
   1280x720       60.0     50.0
   1152x648       60.0     50.0
   1024x600       60.0     50.0
   800x600        60.3     50.0
   720x576        50.0
   800x480        60.0     50.0
   720x480        59.9     50.0
   640x480        60.0     50.0
CRT1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Then I made two scripts, one that would turn off the laptop screen and use only the TV and another doing the opposite.
The scripts look like this in my machine:

Output to HDMI:

Code: [Select]

#!/bin/bash

# reset
xrandr --auto

# turn off laptop screen
xrandr --output LVDS --off

# external screen on
xrandr --output DFP2 --mode 1920x1080
Output to laptop screen:

Code: [Select]

# reset
xrandr --auto

# turn off external screen
xrandr --output DFP2 --off

# laptop screen on
xrandr --output LVDS --mode 1366x768
Then I assigned those two scripts to Alt+F10 and Alt+F11 respectively and voila! I can change the output whenever I want it!

I'm so happy I finally did it! Sometimes, when switching to TV, panel is not maximizing as it should or some part of it disappears (like it needs a refresh). And if I connect the HDMI cable after system boot, TV cannot show resolution above 1400X1050 and needs a system or an X restart but those are small disturbances and I can certainly live with them

I wanted to use the FN key of my laptop's keyboard but it is not recognized...
Anyway, I post this here and mark the topic as solved, hoping someone will find it useful in the future

[Just17]

good result 

[djohnston]

good result 

+1

[agmg]

Thanks guys. It's been a real pain for some time now and I'm sooooo glad I could finally find this solution!

EDIT: the scripts cause problems when Tear Free mode is enabled in Catalyst Control Center (in both my desktop and my laptop).
While trying to switch monitors, the computer freezes and needs Alt+REISUB.