Linux Format forums

[youlikeicecream]

Is there some way I can manually specify a new adapter / monitor within the xorg config file myself in order to get dual head functionality. At the moment my 2 monitors display the same screen, but I would like a desktop spread accross the 2. Have had a poke around the internet and found that ATi make rubbish Linuxware (should have bought nVidia - damn). Have got the Ati control panel installed and ... Kubuntu - Hoary Hedgehog, Kde3.4, Xorg 6.8.2-10 and xorg-driver-fglrx 6.8.0-8.8.25.

Mike

[youlikeicecream]

anyone?

[Nigel]

What you are looking for is the Xinerama extensions to X.
Beyond that, I'm afraid I can't help as I don't have a dual-head machine to play with
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Hope this helps,

Nigel.

[youlikeicecream]

I installed the extensions but I still cant get it to detect my Monitors. It wont detect them as plug and play i have to specify them (as one monitor) manually.

do you know how i could configure a monitor in the xorg config file manually?

i can post my config if necissary

[youlikeicecream]

you can get graphics cards with vga and dvi for under £40

at the end of the day i thnk i should have bought an Nvidia, but someone convinced me to get a cheap ATI card instead of a cheap Nvidia card

thanks anyway Nigel

[Nigel]

Hmmm... assuming it is actually possible to drive the VGA and DVI ports separately, perhaps this will help...

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-22412.html

or maybe this...

http://lists.freedesktop.org/pipermail/xorg/2004-November/004784.html
(follow the thread forwards a couple of posts for a possible solution)
_________________
Hope this helps,

Nigel.

[youlikeicecream]

thanks Nigel, will have a look at em whe i get home from work , just grabbed an gigabyte Nvidia MX4000 with DVI and VGA, which i will have a bash with too.

Mike

[korrka]

Hello Mike
I would be very interested to know about your experience with dual head ATI and/or nvidia

some time ago I have bopught ATI Radeon 9200 SE (claimed dual head support)
and I did not even find the second vga output.

Now I am thinking about buying an nVidia card.

Let me know please how it all works for you

Korrka

[youlikeicecream]

Apparently Nvidia is the way to go... they have better driver support in Linux. If you are using windows then either card will give you dual-head support. I believe i might need a Free86 driver for my card instead of Xorg.

Mike

[TimIgoe]

Using the ATI control panel software - you can select how you want the dual head to be set up
You should have a line like this in teh xorg.conf assuming your using the fglrx drivers. If not - get them from ATi

Option "DesktopSetup" "0x00000201"

In that case, it sets up my dual head with my primary screen being on the VGA and on the left of the 2nd (DVI and right)
_________________
Tim Igoe
http://tim.igoe.me.uk
http://tv.igoe.me.uk - The TV Guide