On Thursday 02 January 2003 10:02, Lawrence, BN (Bryan) wrote:
HI Folks
Anyone know how to use an external monitor at a different resolution than the laptop lcd? (I have a sony vaio PCG-R600HMPD).
I presume I have to edit the XFree86.Config file, but I can't find any sensible documentation on what I have to do ...
I suppose I also want to turn off the lcd on the sony vaio itself when I do this, but the function keys don't work under linux ...
No good news here, but some company for your misery... The function meta key for my old Dell laptop DOES work under Linux, but all that does is to switch among: - LCD - LCD and external monitor, simultaneously - external only but always at LCD resolution and refresh rate. I've been asking for three years, and nobody has been able to say -- even approximately -- what might work. So, I've been living with 1024 x 768 @ 60Hz, when I should be able to get 1600 x 1280 @ 75Hz or better. The increased resolution would be nice, but a refresh rate that didn't flicker with the fluorescents would save me a lot of physical pain. Lotsa people say to edit XF86config, but nobody knows how to get the new modes accepted. Never mind how to switch between LCD and external resolution/refresh... You'd think it was a deep, dark mystery, and that nobody else used laptops. I've searched FAQs, X HowTos, old list archives, and dozens and dozens of Google dead-ends, and no joy. When I installed 8.0 (replacing 7.3 -- fresh install, not upgrade), I kept the laptop closed and used only the monitor, and STILL, YaST/SaX2 decided to support ONLY the LCD resolution and refresh rate. Of course........... Windows did it with its eyes closed and both hands tied behind its back, and gives me a crystal clear, rock-steady, high-resolution display on that same monitor. The laptop came with Win 98, but IT dept installed WinNT, so nobody can say that NT is successful because the computer came pre-installed from the factory with the right settings. It didn't. I'll be loading 8.1 in the next few weeks, now that I think it's become relatively stable, but I really have no hope at all that the SuSE gang will have figured out laptop video between 8.0 and 8.1. /kevin (still squinting in Ottawa)