Monitor Refresh rate

B

BillLeeLee

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Messages
13,486
Hey all.

I just set up Linux again on my desktop (Ubuntu 5.04) and I configured it to use dual monitors using Xinerama big screen.

The problem is that the refresh rate on my secondary monitor (Sony GDM-FW900) is set too low at 73 Hz. The other monitor, an NEC FP912, is set correctly at 85 Hz refresh.

I've been trying to get the Sony to display 1920x1200 at 85 Hz or higher and can't seem to get it working at all.

Relevant part of the my xorg.conf file

Code: 
Section "ServerFlags"
        Option  "Xinerama"
EndSection

Section "Module"
        Load    "dbe"
        Load    "ddc"
        Load    "extmod"
        Load    "freetype"
        Load    "glx"
        Load    "type1"
        Load    "v4l"
EndSection



Section "Device"
        Identifier      "device0"
        VendorName      "ATI"
        BoardName       "ATI Radeon"
        Driver          "radeon"
        BusID           "PCI:1:0:0"
        Option          "DDCMode"       "on"
        Option          "DPMS"
        Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier      "device1"
        BoardName       "ATI Radeon"
        Driver          "radeon"
        BusID           "PCI:1:0:0"
        Option          "DDCMode"       "on"
        Option          "DPMS"
        Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "monitor0"
        Option          "DPMS"
        HorizSync       30-110
        VertRefresh     50-160
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier      "monitor1"
        Option          "DPMS"
        VendorName      "Sony"
        ModelName       "GDM-FW900"
        HorizSync       30-121
        VertRefresh     48.0-160.0

        #1920x1200 @ 85 = 107.10 Khz hsync, 85.0 Hz VertRefresh
        Modeline "1920x1200_85.0" 282.74 1920 2072 2280 2640 1200 1201 1204 126

        # 1920x1200 @ 98.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 124.36 kHz; pclk: 330.31 MHz
        #Modeline "1920x1200_98.00"  330.31  1920 2072 2288 2656  1200 1201 1204 1269  -HSync +Vsync

EndSection

#This is the NEC FP912
Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "screen0"
        Device          "device0"
        Monitor         "monitor0"
        DefaultDepth    24
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           24
                Modes           "1600x1200" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        EndSubSection
EndSection

# This is the Sony FW900
Section "Screen"
        Identifier      "screen1"
        Device          "device1"
        Monitor         "monitor1"
        DefaultColorDepth       24
        Subsection "Display"
                Depth 24
                Modes   "1920x1200"
        EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
        Identifier      "Multihead Layout"
        InputDevice     "Generic Keyboard"
        InputDevice     "Configured Mouse"
        Screen          "screen0" 0 0
        Screen          "screen1" RightOf "screen0"
EndSection

I've tried the modeline thing (using the gft command with "1920 1200 85" as arguments) but still doesn't work either. It still displays 1920x1200 @ 73 Hz.

Can someone help me and my eyes? Thanks.

edit: It might or might not be relevant - the FW900 is plugged in through a VGA -> BNC cable. I know in Windows that the monitor is not PnP and DDC is not enabled with BNC connections on this monitor.

Regardless, I know this monitor can do 1920x1200@85 Hz - it's rated for 1920x1200 @ 98.
 
edit: Ok, no DDC.

You might be running into another barrier than what X thinks your monitor can handle.
The most obvious one would be that it thinks the dotclock is to high for your card, but I can't remember how modelines play into that. Hold on a moment.
 
Meeh, didn't find what I was looking for.
However, could you try playing with these settings in the right Device section?
Code: 
Option "CRT2HSync" "string"
    Set the horizontal sync range for the secondary monitor.
    It is not required if a DDC-capable monitor is connected.
    For example, Option "CRT2HSync" "30.0-86.0"
    The default value is undefined. 
Option "CRT2VRefresh" "string"
    Set the vertical refresh range for the secondary monitor.
    It is not required if a DDC-capable monitor is connected.
    For example, Option "CRT2VRefresh" "50.0-120.0"
    The default value is undefined.
Edit: Nothing to lose by putting them in both Device sections, either. (I would not be suprised if the driver only looked at the first one, or something equally silly.)
 
Thanks for the suggestion. I put that option into Device1, then both Device sestions, and I get nothing still. :( Still stuck at 73 Hz.

edit: I swapped out the VGA-BNC cable for a regular VGA - VGA cable, and it does the same thing - except this time, if I even try enabling DDCMode on the FW900, X won't start.

YAE: Now with VGA cable - I've tried the H2CRT options, MonitorLayout, the ModeLine under "Monitor" Section, and...absolutely nothing.

Edit #3:

Okay, I am an idiot. I never even thought of checking the specs of my video card first. As it turns out, at any resolution above 1600x1200, my card (Radeon 9600XT, forgot to mention that) is only spec'ed to run at a maximum of 75 Hz VertRefresh.

Of course, this means I've been running my card overspec when I was in Windows, since I was running the monitor at 85 Hz.

Guess I'll have to pick up a different vid card later on. Ah well.

Again, thanks HHunt.
 
You could try swapping the monitors, some cards allow a higher resolution on one of the connectors.
(Though that would most likely have been mentioned in the documentation.)
 
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