TV to PC via DVI Xorg/Nvidia Problem

TheShaner · 10-30-2009, 06:27 PM

I'm back again with more problems. I installed a bunch of updates to my Ubuntu box, including a kernal update to 2.6.28-16. Of course, this screwed everything up with my nvidia driver. I wasn't able to recompile it on my own, so I had to redownload the driver and reinstall it.

After that, I had problems with my xorg.conf file. I believe there was something wrong with my metamode and was finally able to get it to come up as 800x600. Once I got back to my desktop and could use my nvidia-settings graphically, I was able to change the resolution to 1280x720 and saved the settings to xorg. I even did a sudo to start nvidia-settings so that it would actually write out the new xorg.conf.

As my luck would have it, the next day, it didn't work. I worked on it for 2 hours last night to no avail. I get a quick flicker of the desktop, scaled entirely too big resolution-wise, and moved way over to the left. The screen then goes blank and I have to bring up the console. This flash of the desktop only shows when it's set for 1280x720. Other resolutions just go straight to a blank screen. I've poured over the xorg file. I'll post it tonight when I get home. Does anyone know what changes happened to Xorg's options and such with the 2.6.28-16 kernel update? Or is not related to the kernel update and some kind of X update that came along with my updates? Is there a place that gives you what a valid xorg.conf file looks like (almost like a schema) or some kind of online validator?

I know a lot of the problems probably stem from a horribly made HDTV from Maxent. The specs are here. But until I can throw down more money for a better TV, I'm stuck with it and I'm sure there's a way to make it work (as it has in the past, although with some overscan).

-Shane

oracleguy · 10-30-2009, 06:50 PM

I doubt the kernel update would have done anything however if Ubuntu also pulled down updates for X, that could have done something. Are you using the same nvidia driver version as before? I'm surprised Ubuntu handles the nvidia driver so poorly but that could be because you are downloading it manually. Why aren't you just using it out of the package manager?

As for the schema, I don't know, I have syntax highlighting for X.org config files in vim and that is usually how I know if I screwed something up. I didn't install them, it was already there. If you don't have them, you might be able to download them some place. However if your config is syntactically incorrect, X will error out when you try to use it.

I'll look over your config when you post it up.

Edit: I just realized I forgot to post my X config I like I said I would, sorry, I'll try and remember to do it tonight.

TheShaner · 10-31-2009, 05:59 AM

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier    "Layout0"
    Screen    0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option    "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier    "Mouse0"
    Driver    "mouse"
    Option    "Protocol" "auto"
    Option    "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option    "Emuylate3Buttons" "no"
    Option    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier    "Keyboard0"
    Driver    "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "Monitor0"
    VendorName    "Unknown"
    ModelName    "Maxdata (RogenTech)"
    HorizSync    31.5 - 68.7
    VertRefresh    60.0 - 85.0
    Option    "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Device0"
    Driver    "nvidia"
    VendorName    "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName    "GeForce 9500 GT"
    BusID    "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen0"
    Device    "Device0"
    Monitor    "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    #Option    "TwinView" 0
    #Option    "metamodes" "1280x720 +0+0"
    Option    "FlatPanelProperties" "Scaling = Native"
    Subsection
        Depth    24
        Modes    "1280x720"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Above is my xorg.conf file. If I comment out the entire Device section and the Device in the Screen Section, I can get back to my display. It's when I use the nvidia driver that everything gets screwed up.

I downloaded and installed the nvidia-kernel-180 and associated packages, uncommented the driver info, and restarted the GDM. The GLX Module failed to load, so it crashed. I rebooted the box and got a blank screen. Sigh. I've reinstalled the Nvidia GLX and still an error loading it.

-Shane

oracleguy · 10-31-2009, 07:53 PM

Well here is my X config that I use for 720p:

Code:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "X.org Configured"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    ModulePath      "/usr/lib/xorg/modules"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/misc/"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/TTF/"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/OTF"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/Type1/"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi/"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "wfb"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "record"
    Load           "xtrap"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Monitor Vendor"
    ModelName      "Monitor Model"
    HorizSync       15.0 - 49.0
    VertRefresh     55.0 - 62.0
    ModeLine       "1080i" 74.25 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1094 1124  +hsync +vsync interlace
    ModeLine       "720p" 74.25 1280 1390 1430 1650 720 725 730 750 +hsync +vsync
    Option         "ExactModeTimingsDVI" "TRUE"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Card0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName      "Unknown Board"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Card0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TVStandard" "HD1080i"
    Option         "ModeValidation" "NoVesaModes, NoXserverModes"
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"
    Option         "DynamicTwinView" "False"
    Option         "UseEdid" "False"
    Option         "ModeDebug" "True"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Viewport    0 0
        Depth       24
        Modes      "720p"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

With the debug mode turned on, you should see a lot of output in your X log file. I left it on after I got it working because I was lazy and didn't turn it off. Don't worry about differences in the files or input device sections.

I was able to figure out the horizontal and vertical refresh rates as well as the modelines while I had the the EDID enabled. When enabled it prints out the information to the log file. My issue was X always going into 1080i which didn't show up right on my screen but this fixed it and it runs fine in 720p.

I noticed you had a 9500 GT, I am using a 9400 GT on that computer so they should be similar enough. My nvidia driver version is 185.18.31

TheShaner · 11-02-2009, 03:00 PM

After some searching online, I was able to figure out that I needed to use the nvidia-installer to uninstall a few files that synaptic wasn't removing. After uninstalling and using apt-get remove, I used apt-get to install nvidia driver version 185.18.36. That got my GLX module loading again.

Now, when it creates a mode pool, it accepts the modeline that you have below and says it's setting the resolution to 1280x720. After that (in the log), it goes through all the input device configurations and then the last line of my log file says that it's setting the mode to nvidia-auto-select, which is an 800x600 resolution. My screen flashes an Ubuntu loading screen and my TV displays 1280x720 at 60Hz, but then it flashes to the desktop at 800x600 as if something was wrong with the 1280x720 mode. However, nothing in the Xorg.0.log file specifies a reason. This is crazy. How can it say that it accepts the mode, adding it to the mode pool, and then using that mode, but then give no reason why it's switching to nvidia-auto-select??? If I go to nvidia-settings, the area where you could change resolutions and add extra displays is blank and says something about not having TwinView and so can't view that panel.

On top of all that, the Ubuntu update from 9.04 to 9.10 has done something to my wireless adapter and I cannot see or connect to my wireless network. I'm using a Trendnet Wireless-N USB adapter. I never had to install a driver for it since it worked out of the box, but now with this update, I'm thinking I may need to now. Of course, without a connection, I can't get an updated version from synaptic. I'll have to find a long ethernet cable to get me back online.

-Shane

oracleguy · 11-03-2009, 11:32 PM

I've seen that issue where it selects the resolution you want and then suddenly switches for no apparent reason to the nvidia-auto-select. It is certainly annoying, I don't know if it is a bug in the NVIDIA drivers or it is a problem with X. Regardless, that is why I have the mode validation and edid options in my screen section.

10-30-2009, 06:27 PM	PM User \| #1
TheShaner Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,087 Thanks: 2 Thanked 34 Times in 34 Posts	TV to PC via DVI Xorg/Nvidia Problem I'm back again with more problems. I installed a bunch of updates to my Ubuntu box, including a kernal update to 2.6.28-16. Of course, this screwed everything up with my nvidia driver. I wasn't able to recompile it on my own, so I had to redownload the driver and reinstall it. After that, I had problems with my xorg.conf file. I believe there was something wrong with my metamode and was finally able to get it to come up as 800x600. Once I got back to my desktop and could use my nvidia-settings graphically, I was able to change the resolution to 1280x720 and saved the settings to xorg. I even did a sudo to start nvidia-settings so that it would actually write out the new xorg.conf. As my luck would have it, the next day, it didn't work. I worked on it for 2 hours last night to no avail. I get a quick flicker of the desktop, scaled entirely too big resolution-wise, and moved way over to the left. The screen then goes blank and I have to bring up the console. This flash of the desktop only shows when it's set for 1280x720. Other resolutions just go straight to a blank screen. I've poured over the xorg file. I'll post it tonight when I get home. Does anyone know what changes happened to Xorg's options and such with the 2.6.28-16 kernel update? Or is not related to the kernel update and some kind of X update that came along with my updates? Is there a place that gives you what a valid xorg.conf file looks like (almost like a schema) or some kind of online validator? I know a lot of the problems probably stem from a horribly made HDTV from Maxent. The specs are here. But until I can throw down more money for a better TV, I'm stuck with it and I'm sure there's a way to make it work (as it has in the past, although with some overscan). -Shane

10-30-2009, 06:50 PM	PM User \| #2
oracleguy The Spaminator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: USA Posts: 7,287 Thanks: 1 Thanked 148 Times in 145 Posts	I doubt the kernel update would have done anything however if Ubuntu also pulled down updates for X, that could have done something. Are you using the same nvidia driver version as before? I'm surprised Ubuntu handles the nvidia driver so poorly but that could be because you are downloading it manually. Why aren't you just using it out of the package manager? As for the schema, I don't know, I have syntax highlighting for X.org config files in vim and that is usually how I know if I screwed something up. I didn't install them, it was already there. If you don't have them, you might be able to download them some place. However if your config is syntactically incorrect, X will error out when you try to use it. I'll look over your config when you post it up. Edit: I just realized I forgot to post my X config I like I said I would, sorry, I'll try and remember to do it tonight. __________________ OracleGuy My Blog "... the VP of our third biggest account started sweating bullets in our latest project status conference when Roy stood up and asserted: 'We don’t code our products for SMACKTARDS.'" - Daily Victim #564

11-03-2009, 11:32 PM	PM User \| #6
oracleguy The Spaminator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: USA Posts: 7,287 Thanks: 1 Thanked 148 Times in 145 Posts	I've seen that issue where it selects the resolution you want and then suddenly switches for no apparent reason to the nvidia-auto-select. It is certainly annoying, I don't know if it is a bug in the NVIDIA drivers or it is a problem with X. Regardless, that is why I have the mode validation and edid options in my screen section. __________________ OracleGuy My Blog "... the VP of our third biggest account started sweating bullets in our latest project status conference when Roy stood up and asserted: 'We don’t code our products for SMACKTARDS.'" - Daily Victim #564

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11-02-2009, 03:00 PM	PM User \| #5
TheShaner Senior Coder Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 1,087 Thanks: 2 Thanked 34 Times in 34 Posts	After some searching online, I was able to figure out that I needed to use the nvidia-installer to uninstall a few files that synaptic wasn't removing. After uninstalling and using apt-get remove, I used apt-get to install nvidia driver version 185.18.36. That got my GLX module loading again. Now, when it creates a mode pool, it accepts the modeline that you have below and says it's setting the resolution to 1280x720. After that (in the log), it goes through all the input device configurations and then the last line of my log file says that it's setting the mode to nvidia-auto-select, which is an 800x600 resolution. My screen flashes an Ubuntu loading screen and my TV displays 1280x720 at 60Hz, but then it flashes to the desktop at 800x600 as if something was wrong with the 1280x720 mode. However, nothing in the Xorg.0.log file specifies a reason. This is crazy. How can it say that it accepts the mode, adding it to the mode pool, and then using that mode, but then give no reason why it's switching to nvidia-auto-select??? If I go to nvidia-settings, the area where you could change resolutions and add extra displays is blank and says something about not having TwinView and so can't view that panel. On top of all that, the Ubuntu update from 9.04 to 9.10 has done something to my wireless adapter and I cannot see or connect to my wireless network. I'm using a Trendnet Wireless-N USB adapter. I never had to install a driver for it since it worked out of the box, but now with this update, I'm thinking I may need to now. Of course, without a connection, I can't get an updated version from synaptic. I'll have to find a long ethernet cable to get me back online. -Shane