Help with widescreen resolution under SuSE/KDE

[Jeriko]

First let me give you the setup:

SuSE 8.2 using KDE
Shuttle XPC SN41G2 w/onboard video
Philips 170W4 widescreen 1280x768 monitor

For the life of me I can't get SuSE to fill up the screen. It seems stuck in 4:3, probably because of the lack of driver support for my monitor. I looked for the 1704w but it's not listed under monitors. I'm using the onboard video of the system - a Geforce 4 I believe - and have already installed the nVidia Linux drivers.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[cleverhandle]

Have you tried editing /etc/X11/XF86Config (maybe XF86Config-4) by hand and editing the "Modes" line for your screen depth to include only 1280x768? It would be nice if that worked. If it doesn't, I think you'll need to generate a Modeline manually, which is not fun. You may be able to start from 1024x768 and work from there using xvidtune. But I've never had a wide-screen monitor, so that's just a guess.

 

[ProviaFan]

1280x768 is not that unusual, so you should be able to get by without writing a modeline (just put 1280x768 in the Modes line for your default color depth). If you do need to write a modeline sometime, check out this modeline generator for help.

 

[Jeriko]

Perhaps now is the time I should say I'm a total newbie at Linux and have no idea how to edit this modeline in.

Can I get a step by step?

-J

 

[ProviaFan]

Open up a Konsole or Xterm, and type nano /etc/X11/XF86Config (if the system complains about program not found, replace nano with pico - both are good, easy to use, editors). If you get a blank file, exit without saving and try using /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 for your filename instead. Scroll down near the bottom, looking for a line that says DefaultDepth ?? (usually 24 or 32); then scroll down to the section that is numbered the same as your DefaultDepth, and put in Modes "1280x768" - then save the file, log off, and restart the X server (there may be an option to do this at the login screen, or you may just need to press CTRL+ALT+Backspace).

 

[Jeriko]

I tried that and still no go. I really think the problem is that, under LCD's, I only get standard 4:3 resolution choices. There is no 1280x768@60Hz under the LCD displays section, so I can't set my desktop to it.

-J

 

[rjain]

Originally posted by: Jeriko
I tried that and still no go. I really think the problem is that, under LCD's, I only get standard 4:3 resolution choices. There is no 1280x768@60Hz under the LCD displays section, so I can't set my desktop to it.

-J

The "helpful" config app you're using is limiting you, so stop using it and just put the resolution you want in the file.

 

[Jeriko]

All right, I was looking at the wrong area in the config file. I put the "1280@768@60Hz" under the 24 bit depth section, but not being familiar with the lingo I wasn't fully aware of the modeline section. I've now found it.

New problem:

I used the modeline generator URL supplied above. Here's the rub. My monitor's specs are here:

http://www.consumer.philips.com/global/b2c/ce/catalog/assets/downloads/170w4p_us_lft.pdf

As you can see, it has a dot rate maximum of 75MHz. When I set the modeline generator to 1280x768 with all my monitor's other specs (Vert and Hori rates, etc), I get a dot rate of over 79MHz, above the monitor's maximum.

My result is:

Modeline "1280x768@60" 79.75 1280 1312 1608 1640 768 783 791 807


You can see the 79.75 dot rate. So what do I do? Just change it to 75?

-J

 

[Jeriko]

All right, I got it working but the best I can do is 1280x768@56Hz. I just editted out the 79.75 and replaced it with 75.

Modeline "1280x768@60" 79.75 1280 1312 1608 1640 768 783 791 807

to

Modeline "1280x768@60" 75 1280 1312 1608 1640 768 783 791 807

Philips recommends using the monitor at 1280x768@60 though. Not knowing much about monitor rates, is this risking damage tot he monitor in any way? My only other option seems to be to exceed the dot rate of 75MHz and push it to 79.75. I don't know which is preferable.

-J

 

[ProviaFan]

Hmm, you should put "1280x768" not "1280x768@60Hz", if I remember correctly. A modeline shouldn't be necessary.

 

[Jeriko]

I put "1280x768" in front of every mode and still couldn't run at the correct resolution without the modeline.

-J