Output TV monitor

From what I read it seems that I need to change something in my /etc/X11xorg.config file. Where can I find it?

How would I know which type of graphic card do I have on my laptop ?

After connecting your TV to you laptop's TV output plug you can go to the command line and type:

xrandr

This will show if the TV is correctly detected.

Next you can go to System/Preferences/Display Properties to direct output to the TV (sometimes does not work, depending on the hardware)

Or from the command line (more reliale) do:

xrandr --output TV --auto to connect
xrandr --output TV --off to disconnect

You would only need to modify /etc/X11/xorg.conf if the changes were to be permanent, eg., in the case of a broken laptop screen,

Just a clarification. Where are the display properties 'cause I can't find them under Preferences?

It might be a language problem, since my Ubuntu is not in English

On the upper panel go to System-->Preferences-->Screen Resolution

I will tell you tomorrow when I go back to work and try the laptop with the TV monitor. Thanks for your precious time!

I had to copy the terminal line by line!! anyway I hope I have copied well.

I did not succeed but I saw the two screens one was the laptop the other was unknown. It had 30hz and I couldn't change it at all.
On my screen the task bar seem to have shrinked! These are the only changes I could notice.

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
   1280x800 60.0*+ 60.0
   1280x768 60.0
   1024x768 60.0
   800x600 60.3
   640x480 59.9
TV connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1024x768 30.0
   800x600 30.0
   848x480 30.0
   640x480 30.0
xxx@laptop:~$ xrandr --output TV --auto to connect
usage: xrandr [options]
  where options are:
  -display <display> or -d <display>
  -help
   --screen <screen>
 -o <normal,inverted,left,right,0,1,2,3>
            or --orientation <normal,inverted,left,right,0,1,2,3>
  -q or --query
  -s <size>/<width>x<height> or --size <size>/<width>x<height>
  -r <rate> or --rate <rate> or --refresh <rate>
  -v or --version
  -x (reflect in x)
  -y (reflect in y)
  --screen <screen>
--verbose
--dryrun
  --prop or --properties
  --fb <width>x<height>
  --fbmm <width>x<height>
  --dpi <dpi>/<output>
  --output <output>
      --auto
      --mode <mode>
      --preferred
      --pos <x>x<y>
      --rate <rate> or --refresh <rate>
      --reflect normal,x,y,xy
      --rotate normal,inverted,left,right
      --left-of <output>
      --right-of <output>
      --above <output>
      --below <output>
      --same-as <output>
      --set <property> <value>
      --off
      --crtc <crtc>
  --newmode <name> <clock MHz>
            <hdisp> <hsync-start> <hsync-end> <htotal>
            <vdisp> <vsync-start> <vsync-end> <vtotal>
            [+HSync] [-HSync] [+VSync] [-VSync]
  --rmmode <name>
  --addmode <output> <name>
  --delmode <output> <name>

Your output suggests that the system detects a TV screen.

However I think you mistyped the command line:

To enable TV you type:

xrandr --output TV --auto

to disable TV you type:

xrandr --output TV --off

This has been the most reliable solution for me to have TV output. For me the GUI tool has been **unreliable**. However if you choose to use it, you have to select the clone option on the top of the Screen Resolution Tool and then choose apply.

Note: The "Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 1280 x 1280" indicates that you are near the maximum virtual resolution with only one screen. Consequently, you can clone desktops (showing the same output in the laptop and in the TV, which is what you seem to be wanting, as per your original question) but you will have problems extending desktops (having the desktop area span several monitors). For more information, read http://intellinuxgraphics.org/dualhead.html

Cloning has helped in the resoution of the screen for sure and now my screen is ok on the laptop. On TV there is still nothing! But looking back at what I saw in the terminal yesterday, there was a VGA problem. Do I need to change the hardware (cable etc...) which connects laptop with TV ?

At work I had to use XP. I noticed that there is an Intel Graphics Media Accelerator Driver for mobile. Is it the problem for not displaying on TV ? Secondly it has 60 Hz and not 30 Hz. Thirdly TV settings should read Pal B. Any ideas?

I have a Intel graphics card on my computer. It connects to the TV vis a S-Video TV-out socket. The 30Hz your output detects means that your graphics card is outputing roughly the NTSC frequency. If your TV is Pal B and has no auto adjust-setting, you could try setting the output of your graphics card to PAL by issuing the following command line statement before the other statements:

xrandr --output TV --set TV_FORMAT PAL

So if I have understood well all I need to write in the terminal is:

xrandr --output TV --set TV_FORMAT PAL

xrandr --output TV --auto

Is it correct ?

Yes, that works perfectly for me when connecting a computer with an intel graphics card to a PAL-only based TV. Note that this commands have to be issued after you plug the cable and change the TV to the appropriate input source channel.

Note: If this does not work, you can find out more information about your graphics card by issuing the following command at the command line:
xrandr -v --verbose

I'm still unsuccessful but I have hope that giving more details maybe we'll solve it together. By the way the TV is reading now 25 hz (down from 30hz)

xrandr --output TV --set TV_FORMAT PAL
X Error of failed request: BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
  Major opcode of failed request: 156 (RANDR)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 21 ()
  Serial number of failed request: 29
  Current serial number in output stream: 29

 xrandr -v --verbose
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 1280 x 1280
VGA disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
 Identifier: 0x4b
 Timestamp: 25180
 Subpixel: unknown
 Clones:
 CRTCs: 0 1
LVDS connected 1024x768+0+0 (0x51) normal (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
 Identifier: 0x4c
 Timestamp: 25180
 Subpixel: horizontal rgb
 Clones:
 CRTC: 1
 CRTCs: 1
 EDID_DATA:
  00ffffffffffff00320c010600000000
  00110103802115780ab3409959538d27
  25505400000001010101010101010101
  010101010101121b0088502010303018
  36004bcf100000190000000000000000
  00000000000000000000000000fe004c
  475068696c6970734c43440a000000fe
  004c503135345758342d544c413400e9
 BACKLIGHT_CONTROL: kernel
  supported: native legacy combination kernel
 BACKLIGHT: 10 (0x0000000a) range: (0,10)
  1280x800 (0x4e) 69.3MHz -HSync -VSync
        h: width 1280 start 1328 end 1352 total 1416 skew 0 clock 48.9KHz
        v: height 800 start 803 end 809 total 816 clock 60.0Hz
  1280x800 (0x4f) 83.5MHz
        h: width 1280 start 1344 end 1480 total 1680 skew 0 clock 49.7KHz
        v: height 800 start 801 end 804 total 828 clock 60.0Hz
  1280x768 (0x50) 80.1MHz
        h: width 1280 start 1344 end 1480 total 1680 skew 0 clock 47.7KHz
        v: height 768 start 769 end 772 total 795 clock 60.0Hz
  1024x768 (0x51) 65.0MHz -HSync -VSync
        h: width 1024 start 1048 end 1184 total 1344 skew 0 clock 48.4KHz
        v: height 768 start 771 end 777 total 806 clock 60.0Hz
  800x600 (0x52) 40.0MHz +HSync +VSync
        h: width 800 start 840 end 968 total 1056 skew 0 clock 37.9KHz
        v: height 600 start 601 end 605 total 628 clock 60.3Hz
  640x480 (0x53) 25.2MHz -HSync -VSync
        h: width 640 start 656 end 752 total 800 skew 0 clock 31.5KHz
        v: height 480 start 490 end 492 total 525 clock 59.9Hz
TV connected 1024x768+0+0 (0x73) normal (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
 Identifier: 0x4d
 Timestamp: 25180
 Subpixel: unknown
 Clones:
 CRTC: 0
 CRTCs: 0 1
 BOTTOM: 37 (0x00000025) range: (0,100)
 RIGHT: 46 (0x0000002e) range: (0,100)
 TOP: 36 (0x00000024) range: (0,100)
 LEFT: 54 (0x00000036) range: (0,100)
 TV_FORMAT: PAL
  supported: NTSC-M NTSC-443 NTSC-J PAL-M
             PAL-N PAL
  1024x768 (0x73) 22.4MHz
        h: width 1024 start 1025 end 1088 total 1120 skew 0 clock 20.0KHz
        v: height 768 start 769 end 800 total 801 clock 25.0Hz
  800x600 (0x74) 14.2MHz
        h: width 800 start 801 end 864 total 896 skew 0 clock 15.8KHz
        v: height 600 start 601 end 632 total 633 clock 25.0Hz
  848x480 (0x75) 12.1MHz
        h: width 848 start 849 end 912 total 944 skew 0 clock 12.8KHz
        v: height 480 start 481 end 512 total 513 clock 25.0Hz
  640x480 (0x76) 9.4MHz
        h: width 640 start 641 end 704 total 736 skew 0 clock 12.8KHz
        v: height 480 start 481 end 512 total 513 clock 25.0Hz

any help ?

Sorry, it has been an hectic week.
Have you tried using another cable or connecting to another TV?
Could you also try setting TV mode manually, by doing:

xrandr --output TV --set TV_FORMAT PAL

followed by

xrandr --output TV --mode 1024x768

or any of the other modes listed in the output above (1024x768, 800x600, 640x480)?

If all this fails could you specify the make and model of your graphics card, to see if there is some incompatibility listed on xrandr bug tracker?

No problem. I appreciate your time and patience.

I think if It works under winXP so it should be only a problem of settings in Ubuntu. I tried it on another TV with the same result.

I think above you already have information about the graphics card. If not, what is the command?

I'll tell you about the result when I get back to work today.

Let's begin with the positive. It's 60 HZ now!

TV is disconnected now. (TV disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   I don't know why. I checked manually the connections.

xrandr: cannot find mode 640x480

It gave me three times the same result with different resolutions.

I already used the Xrandr -v --verbose command. You can see the result above.

If all this fails could you specify the make and model of your graphics card, to see if there is some incompatibility listed on xrandr bug tracker?
HOW ?

On a terminal type:

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 0c)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0c)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 0c)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 03)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 03)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA IDE Controller (rev 03)
02:04.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev b6)
02:04.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 02)
10:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM94311MCG wlan mini-PCI (rev 02)
18:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5787M Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express (rev 02)

I have found the following bug report:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/179797 (Intel GM965 no TV-Out)

It has been triaged and has importance = medium

So I presume we can't do another step forward. Thanks for your time and patience. It's bad for me because it would have been a very good publicity for Ubuntu to all my colleagues.

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