How do I get my s-video out working?

kamagurka · 2007-01-31 22:18:32

I'm trying to hook up a second display device to the s-video output of my video card (an old Geforce 2 MX), primarily to watch movies and videos on a bigger screen, but I get no output from it. I know I probably need to add another "screen" section to my xorg.conf, and maybe another device section, or maybe some option to the existing device section, but I don't know much more from that. In other words, I barely know which file to edit, and after that I need your help.

pelle.k · 2007-01-31 22:58:17

Oh, you're in for a treat! Lucky you get to edit xorg.conf! Remember, kde and xfce have better support for dual display than gnome.
Take a look at some parts of my xorg.conf, and you'll get the picture. There are other ways to set up two displays, but this is pretty generic.

This method is called "xinerama" - it lets you drag windows between desktops
there's also a method called dualview. i think its specific to nvidia cards.

# **********************************************************************
# Monitor section
# **********************************************************************

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier            "lcd"
    HorizSync            28-72
    VertRefresh        43-60
    Modeline            "1440x900" 102.28 1440 1480 1632 1800 900 902 904 947
    Option            "DPMS"

EndSection

Section "Monitor" 

    Identifier        "tv"
    HorizSync        30-50 #adjust
    VertRefresh    60 # accordingly

EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************

Section "Device"

    Identifier            "gf6800-0"
    Driver        "nvidia"
        Screen        0


EndSection

Section "Device"

    Identifier      "gf6800-1"
       Driver          "nvidia"
    BusID           "PCI:3:0:0" ###### important. check where your adapter is at with "lspci"
       Screen         1

    Option          "TVOutFormat"        "S-VIDEO" #or Composite etc 
       Option          "TVStandard"        "PAL-G" #or NTSC-M etc 
       Option          "ConnectedMonitor"    "TV"

EndSection

dont copy my "Screen-0", it's specific to my monitor

# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************

Section "Screen"

    Identifier    "Screen-0"
    Device        "gf6800-0"
    Monitor        "lcd"
    DefaultDepth    24

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes       "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes       "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "1440x900" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0
    EndSubsection

EndSection

Section "Screen"
 
       Identifier     "Screen-1"
       Device     "gf6800-1"
       Monitor     "tv" 
       DefaultDepth     24 
           
    SubSection "Display" 
        Depth         24 
        Modes         "1024x768" 
           EndSubSection
   
EndSection

# **********************************************************************
# ServerLayout sections.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerLayout"

    Identifier  "xinerama_tv"
    Screen 0 "Screen-0" 
    Screen 1 "Screen-1" RightOf "Screen-0"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"

EndSection

now you're off to a good start.

kamagurka · 2007-01-31 23:28:35

Hm. Ideally, I don't want xinerama, but i just want to have the exact same thing displayed on both screens (so I can just start a movie in full screen, fire up the big flatpanel, kill the monitor and plop my ass on the couch).

Here's what I've done so far:
I've added a device section:

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Card_tv"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    Option      "TVStandard"    "PAL-B"
    BusID        "PCI:01:00.0"
    #TVOutFormat should be autodetected, but if it don't, use one of the below. 
    #Option    "TVOutFormat"    "Composite"
    #Option    "TVOutFormat"    "SVIDEO"
    Option    "ConnectedMonitor"    "TV"
EndSection

I should point out though, I only have one video card, so both "devices" have the same PCI adress. I'm not sure why I need to add the BusID line to one device-section and not the other.

Then, I hacked a second Screen section in there:

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Screen_tv"
    Device        "Card_tv"
    Monitor        "TV"
    SubSection "Display"
        Depth     16
        Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

And, to top it off, my second Monitor section:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier    "TV"
    HorizSync    30-50
    VertRefresh    60
EndSection

My ServerLayout sucks right now, but it's supposed to turn my CRT black and get my TV all a-glowing (right now, I'm just looking for any output at all, tweaking comes later)

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier    "tv"
    Screen        0 "Screen_tv" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

So, now, here's the kicker:
When I run "X :1 -layout tv" to test wether I can get any output, it works. EXCEPT IT WORKS ON THE WRONG SCREEN. I start a second x-server that displays to the exact same screen my original one does, except with a crappier resolution.
Can you spot what I did wrong?

Edit: Also, I tried both values for TVOutFormat without change, and adding the BusID-line actually stops X from starting with an "invalid PCI adress" error or something. Even though I verified the value, twice. Look:

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV11 [GeForce2 MX/MX 400] (rev a1)

Ah, here's the exact error:

(WW) NVIDIA: No matching Device section for instance (BusID PCI:1:0:0) found

Is it weird that that period magically transformed into a colon and a couple of zeroes were truncated? Does it matter?

Last edited by kamagurka (2007-01-31 23:33:39)

pelle.k · 2007-02-01 16:05:06

I too, have only one card. the BUS ID has to be there (on the first device section) for some to me unknown reason, only _when_ you are using dual outputs.
You havent labeled graphics device with a "Screen X" number. Look at my two, they are numbered.
Your serverlayout section confuses me. You have only one screen there. You need two screens (or to be correct, two heads). Like i have.

To launch, lets say mplayer in fullscreen at tv, do;

mplayer -xineramascreen 1 filename

to launch an application, not aware of xinerama or screens;

DISPLAY=:0.1 mplayer -fs filename

karag · 2007-04-29 15:18:37

A very interesting and useful thread - thanks, I have now got started on the TV-OUT journey!
however, the 'xineramascreen' option of mplayer always plays it on my laptop, where as the 'DISPLAY=:0.1' option puts it out on the TV. I only need tvout to watch movies, so this is really best option for me...
how would the pelle.k's config above be changed just to display same thing on laptop and TV - instead of two different screens?

pelle.k · 2007-04-29 18:46:39

Well, this tv-out buisness is really _annoying_to setup in linux. Confusing to say the least, as there are many options, for many diffrent drivers and graphic cards.
I hope this will be sorted out with xorg 7.2/7.3.
What you are asking of is
1) cloning (exactly the same output on both displays). This is troublesome, as often you lock both displays to a resolution _and_ refresh rate.
2) overlay (full screen of overlay in video player, on second screen). You'll have to do some research, how far gone this is with nvidia/ati drivers...

nvidia "dualview" might allow such advanced configuration options, but i've only used "xinerama" in my setups.

rivierrakid · 2007-05-23 00:25:47

I have the very same card in my mythtv box and it was a a pain in the arse setting it up xorg.conf.

I live in UK so my TV is pal, and I just couldnt get the image to fit the screen correctly, either huge black borders or the image was way to big for the screen.

The best solution I found was nvtv in AUR, its simple to use and has any amounts of options to fiddle with. I lost the little S-Video adapter so the display wasnt very pleasing on the eyes..... then I found the Convert option, its so good I dont see why nvidia cant add that option
http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?d … s=0&SeB=nd

this is what setting works best for me

nvtv -r 800,600 -s LARGE -C CONVERT -t

kazuya · 2007-12-26 06:48:35

what is the cvommand for launching s-video movie from my laptop which uses an ati card? In dell laptop, they use Function F4. This was done from windows XP, is this similar for Linux or arch linux? Does the videocard setup have to be good for this to work fine? Does one have to launch anything special? Please help. I have a HP laptop, ati radeon videocard, I gig RAM. 4 year old altec lansing machine. Pentium 4.

pelle.k · 2007-12-26 08:57:29

I'm afraid there is no magical command that'll just display a movie for you at a tv connected to your computer. You'll have to set something up by yourself, first.
A good start would be to allow nvidia-settings root access (xorg.conf...) when you set up another monitor with it. I imagine ati has some equivalent application to do this.
You might not even need, to set the tv up with xorg 7.3? I don't know really.

Then just drag the movie to the second screen, or try this method;

DISPLAY=:0.1 mplayer -fs filename

Arch Linux

#1 2007-01-31 22:18:32

How do I get my s-video out working?

#2 2007-01-31 22:58:17

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#3 2007-01-31 23:28:35

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#4 2007-02-01 16:05:06

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#5 2007-04-29 15:18:37

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#6 2007-04-29 18:46:39

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#7 2007-05-23 00:25:47

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#8 2007-12-26 06:48:35

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

#9 2007-12-26 08:57:29

Re: How do I get my s-video out working?

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