I have read a lot of posts about nvidia cards and tv-out. So now it's my turn to complain

I have a nvidia 6600 from Giga-byte. I have connected my lcd display to the VGA connector, and a S-video cable to the tv-out (and then into the tv).

The strange is: When I boot up my computer, I see the bios-information (POST) on my tv (and lcd monitor). I can see the console and all the text during the boot of linux. BUT! When the x-server starts, the tv turns blank and display is now only on my monitor.

If I change to runlevel 3 i still see the prompt and I can use my TV as a monitor. But when I type 'startx' the tv blanks out....

I wonder what the X-server does with my 6600-card when it boots up. Is it the X-server or any nvidia drivers that resets the tv-out info?

I was quite happy when the tv showed all bios information (I can config my bios n stuff with help of the tv) but I cannot say that I'm happy when the tv turns blank when the X-server starts...

Any ideas?

Is your box networking? Can you get a view of error logs maybe using ssh? This file is located at /home/mythtv/.xsession-errors.

search on how to change your refresh rate. you need to make sure it's 60 hz some tv's will give you the squigly lines and some will just blank out if the refresh is out of range.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

How do I change that easiest? I think the refresh-rate is set to 63...maybte that's causing my problem...

Might wanna check /var/log/Xorg.0.log too. That might shed some light on whats going on.

As root:

pico /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

look for VertRefresh and change it to 60

then /etc/init.d/gdm restart

I think someone forgot to read the knoppmyth wiki. Here's all you need to do.

As root, punch in this command:



mv /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.backup

then

mv /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.nv[tab] /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

then

/etc/init.d/gdm restart

Of course later you'll probably want to play with the Overscan setting in that file, which will be /etc/X11/XF86Config-4. It's set to .8 by default, I use .6 on my tv.

Humm... I have a 6600 nVidia and I have noticed the same behavior. If I have a monitor connected to the VGA port *AND* a TV connected via the TV-Out (or via the DVI) then I can see the bootup sequence on both screens just fine, but once X starts, (from the moment the nVidia splash screen comes up) only the VGA monitor displays anything (the TV goes blank). I guess I just always assumed a VGA connection just overrides the TVout/DVI out. Because if I disconnect the VGA monitor (and do a reboot) my TV-out (or DVI) works fine. Is it truly possible to output both at the same time?

yes it should be possible, it's called twinview, and has quite a few problems associated with it. search on the forums to get more specifics. It never ceases to amaze me how many people want a monitor hanging around in their living room.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

Today I read the logs from the X-server. It says that only one monitor will be used, and that is the first one. In my case it was the LCD-monitor, the TV was second. When I unplugged my LCD-monitor and restarted the computer - it now works perfecly...almost!

I changed the resolution to 640x480 and then I could read the letters (hardly although) on the screen. But when I start mythtv, the font is so diffuse that I cannot read or change anyting. I bet thats due to a resolution problem. When mythtv starts, does it change the screen resolution? Is it possible to configure that?

I have a standard old 32" wide crt monitor. How should I setup my comupter to be able to use mythtv (= see what the heck is written on screen...)

what do you mean by diffuse?
No myth does not change the resolution when it starts up. Well not in the default configuration anyways.
If the font is just small search the forums for displaysize to find a line to add to your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file to fix it.

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Have a question search the forum and have a look at the KnoppMythWiki.

Xsecrets

HA HA!

Sometimes the monitor would come in handy when I was first setting up the box simply because my TVout image had issues early on. Now that I've got things working pretty well, I've ditched the monitor.

Couldn't you just set the X display out to other computer over the network instead of the display to your video card? That was you can sit there with a laptop or another Pc somewhere on your network and control the GUI of your Myth box. Just like ssh or telnet, except GUI. Thats what we do with our servers which are in racks, no monitors.

I say this since you mentioned "just unplugging" your monitor, not shutting down X, so X isn't causing this. Its the video card detecting the monitoring and using it.

192.168.10.10 is your laptop 192.168.10.9 is your Myth box.
export DISPLAY=192.168.10.10:0
On your laptop
xhost +192.168.10.9

Or just use VNC ?

You need to specific "svideo" in the XF86Config-4 for nvidia to spit video out. Perhaps taking a look at the sample TV out?

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cesman

When the source is open, the possibilities are endless!