Re: [XFree86] How do I select a working *default* video mode?

[Christian T. Steigies]

Please Cc me, I read this list via the web.

Andy Goth wrote:
 On Monday, May 26, 2003 11:10 am, Simon Watson wrote:
  My monitor loses the videocard signal when XFree86 starts. Pressing
  CTL+ALT+- several times to change resolution brings back the display. I've
  tried editing XF86Config but with no luck - how can I force the correct
  display mode on startup?
 
  When I change display mode with CTRL+ALT+-, the picture
  returns (with less-than-ideal resolution) and I can see the login screen.

Same problem here, I just upgraded from XFree86 4.2 to 4.3 (testing packages
for Debian), everything was fine in 4.2 and 4.1.

  Pressing it a couple more times, produces the perfect resolution on my LCD
  screen.

 Tell us exactly how many times.  And you're using CTRL+ALT+MINUS, right? 

It seems to work (for me) only in the 640x480 mode, a few times it worked in
1280x1024 after cycling through all the resolutions, at the moment it does
not in Debian, but it did in Knoppix (also 4.3, I think from the same
source). The fun thing is, this worked with the very same config for XFree86
4.2. And it works when I change the driver from savage to vesa. This makes
me thing that the video modes are correct. The modelines, the whole config,
is created by the debian package. I would stay with the vesa driver, I only
think the picture is a bit more fuzzy with it than it used to be in 4.2 with
the savage driver.

  Shuttle SK41G with ProSavage chipset

same here

  IIyama 4315 LCD monitor (using analogue input) - its manual lists a
  1280x1024, 79.976kHz, 75.025Hz, 135MHZ mode

SyncMaster 171s with very similar specs (well, my manual isn't that
specific, and it says 60Hz, but the box says [EMAIL PROTECTED], and I did have
this mode working previously). Of course I tried limiting it to 60Hz.

  # Option XkbVariant nodeadkeys

 I've always wondered what this meant...  Of course, here it's a comment, but 
 still, what's nodeadkeys?

It means when you press the ~ on your keyboard, you get a ~ and don't
have to press space to get it, or another key to get a ~ on top of that
character. Also for ' and maybe more. I think this layout only exists for
german keyboards, but somebody will probably correct me.

Christian
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Re: [XFree86] How do I select a working *default* video mode?

[Andy Goth]

On Monday, May 26, 2003 11:10 am, Simon Watson wrote:
 My monitor loses the videocard signal when XFree86 starts. Pressing
 CTL+ALT+- several times to change resolution brings back the display. I've
 tried editing XF86Config but with no luck - how can I force the correct
 display mode on startup?

 When I change display mode with CTRL+ALT+-, the picture
 returns (with less-than-ideal resolution) and I can see the login screen.

This means X, by default, is using a display mode that doesn't work.  Obvious, 
I know...

It's important to note that the default display mode is the first entry in the 
Modes section for the selected depth in the selected display.  Wait, that's 
not exactly right.  It's the first *working* entry.  But in your case, 
XFree86 and your graphics card and/or monitor disagree on the meaning of the 
word working.

 Pressing it a couple more times, produces the perfect resolution on my LCD
 screen.

Tell us exactly how many times.  And you're using CTRL+ALT+MINUS, right?  That 
steps right-to-left through the Modes list.  CTRL+ALT+PLUS goes 
left-to-right.  (Is this always true?)  As I so-clumsily stated above, 
nonworking modes are skipped.

 The monitor reports this as 1280x1024, 80kHz, 75Hz. Looking at the
 XFree86 log file, I can see a list of 13 modes that were found, including
 the one that I think should work (prefixed with code 11a). I've tried
 adding the appropriate ModeLine to my XF86Config (1280x1024-75) and
 referencing this within the Screen section, but it doesn't seem to default
 to this (or if it does, it doesn't work).

If XFree86 doesn't default to it even though it's first in the list, then it 
doesn't think it works.

 Shuttle SK41G with ProSavage chipset
 IIyama 4315 LCD monitor (using analogue input) - its manual lists a
 1280x1024, 79.976kHz, 75.025Hz, 135MHZ mode

 # Option XkbVariant nodeadkeys

I've always wondered what this meant...  Of course, here it's a comment, but 
still, what's nodeadkeys?


 Section Monitor
  Identifier   Monitor0
  VendorName   Monitor Vendor
  ModelNameAS4315
  DisplaySize  340 270
  HorizSync30.0 - 82.0
  VertRefresh  50.0 - 75.0
  ModeLine 1280x1024-75 135.0 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066
 +hsync +vsync
  Option dpms
 EndSection

Did you write that modeline yourself, or did it come from somewhere?  Did your 
configuration tool generate it?  Do you know if it's correct?

 Section Screen
  Identifier Screen0
  Device Videocard0
  MonitorMonitor0
  DefaultDepth 16
  SubSection Display
   Depth 16
   Modes1280x1024-75 1280x1024 1280x960 1152x864 1024x768
 800x600 640x480
  EndSubSection
 EndSection

Have you tried editing the Modes line by hand?  Comment out (#) the original 
and make a new one containing only the modes you'll actually be using.

 (--) SAVAGE(0): Found 13 modes at this depth:
 [10e] 320 x 200, 70Hz
 [133] 320 x 240, 72Hz
 [143] 400 x 300, 72Hz
 [153] 512 x 384, 70Hz
 [11d] 640 x 400, 70Hz
 [111] 640 x 480, 60Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz, 100Hz, 160Hz
 [114] 800 x 600, 60Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz
 [117] 1024 x 768, 60Hz, 70Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz, 100Hz, 130Hz
 [17a] 1280 x 768, 60Hz
 [14f] 1280 x 960, 60Hz, 85Hz
 [11a] 1280 x 1024, 60Hz, 75Hz, 85Hz, 100Hz
 [13c] 1400 x 1050, 60Hz, 75Hz
 [122] 1600 x 1200, 60Hz
 (--) SAVAGE(0): Virtual size is 1280x1024 (pitch 1280)
 (**) SAVAGE(0): *Mode 1280x1024-75: 135.0 MHz, 80.0 kHz, 75.0 Hz
 (II) SAVAGE(0): Modeline 1280x1024-75  135.00  1280 1296 1440 1688  1024
 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
 (**) SAVAGE(0): *Default mode 1280x1024: 135.0 MHz, 80.0 kHz, 75.0 Hz
 (II) SAVAGE(0): Modeline 1280x1024  135.00  1280 1296 1440 1688  1024
 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync

Yo, your modeline for 1280x1024-75 appears identical to the builtin 
1280x1024.

 (**) SAVAGE(0):  Default mode 1280x1024: 108.0 MHz, 64.0 kHz, 60.0 Hz
 (II) SAVAGE(0): Modeline 1280x1024  108.00  1280 1328 1440 1688  1024
 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync

But it's listed twice, except here at a different rate (60 Hz instead of 75 
Hz).  I guess it knows how to handle this resolution at both 60 Hz and 75 Hz.  
Above it also lists 85 Hz and 100 Hz, but apparently X feels that even though 
your card might be able to handle those, your monitor can't.

(repeated)
   Modes1280x1024-75 1280x1024 1280x960 1152x864 1024x768
 800x600 640x480

 (--) SAVAGE(0): Chose mode 11a at 75Hz.
[... other stuff ...]

This must be the mode it starts with.  Can someone verify this by double-
checking the log?

By checking the mode table logged above, I see this is 1280x1024.

It's probably 1280x1024-75 because that's what's first in your list and 
because I saw no log message saying it had been rejected.

 (--) SAVAGE(0): Chose mode 111 at 75Hz.

111: 640x480 (you must have used CTRL+ALT+MINUS)

 (--) SAVAGE(0): Chose mode 114 at 75Hz.

114: 800x600

 (--) SAVAGE(0): Chose mode 117 at 75Hz.

117: 1024x768

 (--) SAVAGE(0): No suitable BIOS mode found for 1152x864 108MHz.

1152x864