X and tty display at the same time on multiple monitors

clu · 2009-07-09 04:27:18

Here is a weird one...

I have two video cards. One has two ouputs and the other has one. I can run X on the card with two outputs and I would like to keep a TTY displayed at the same time as X on the third monitor. Is this even possible?

At first I tried a triple head but apparently xorg is unhappy doing this with an s3 and a radeon driver. The error is ugly. However I'd like to keep the third as a plain terminal to use out of the way. This is a weird idea and I'm working on it but any help would be appreciated!

Thanks.

Square · 2009-07-09 04:35:00

If you can successfully setup a triple-head display, I would suggest starting a plain X session with a fullscreen terminal app displayed on it. It'll be quicker than a linux terminal, and probably much easier to do if your idea is even possible.

I'm not sure about the separate video cards, but good luck!

Veovis Muad'dib · 2009-07-09 10:20:30

I'm sincerely wondering, this isn't to be rude, but how will you control x seperately from the tty? A better way to ask is how would you switch?

As far as I know, you have to be in runlevel 3 for tty, so I'm not even sure you can do that. Of course, I'm really new to arch, and only a little over a year's worth of experience with linux, so maybe I'm completely wrong. After all, when my default runlevel is 5, I see the tty login come up right before x appears, so I guess it's always running. I'd also be interested in if you can do this, as I'd continue using my 22" for x, but I'd keep my lid open on my laptop for tty.

Last edited by Veovis Muad'dib (2009-07-09 10:22:08)

clu · 2009-07-09 14:43:39

Haha, yeah.. no big deal. I feel the same way. I realize it's run level 3 and 5.... I don't know if those can mesh like that or if it would require some changes to the kernel guts. I am mainly just curious and wanted to throw the idea out.

P.S. On my laptop I use external + laptop screen as a dual head.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-07-09 04:27:18

X and tty display at the same time on multiple monitors

#2 2009-07-09 04:35:00

Re: X and tty display at the same time on multiple monitors

#3 2009-07-09 10:20:30

Re: X and tty display at the same time on multiple monitors

#4 2009-07-09 14:43:39

Re: X and tty display at the same time on multiple monitors

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