EDID Modelines Direct From Your TV/Monitor (The Collection).

[Porter]

Except when you can't. I have been working with a Sony LCD television (1366x768 native) that has HDMI input and refuses to display an image using most of the EDID modes that it reports. Using gtf and cvt to create modelines is also spectacularly unsuccessful.

"720p" (1280x720) and "1080i" (1920x540) are no problem, they display (albeit badly). Text is visible during BIOS post and the TV indicates "480p", but once Grub takes over the screen goes black, even though the screen mode should be the same between the BIOS and the Grub text menu. 640x480 refuses to display at all except during BIOS post.

This is using fglrx... using the open source radeon driver results in no display at all in any mode after BIOS post.


What I'm saying is that it underlines the futility of making an EDID thread... the displays that actually have problems are ones that report false EDID information, so the results of the EDID output will be largely useless. A better idea would be for a "working modeline" thread focused on displays that are known to be problematic.

[Jade]

Usually your effort is useless. Because most monitors have got correct EDID and for the others there are 2 apps there which can calc em (ie GTF modelines).

Your reference to modelines using the GTF (Generalized Timing Formula) is mostly useless as virtually no modern monitors (and only a few older monitors) actually support it.

Check out the line:

(--) NVIDIA(0): Supports GTF : No

in the log from startx -- -logverbose 6

I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT SAY YES.

Although, I have a limited range of monitors/TVs to play with.

By the way, the EDID modelines have been extremely useful to me as the modelines that come with many distributions have been deliberately sabotaged (in the X-server code).

As you say, "most monitors have got correct EDID." However, the X-server code is often deliberately written to ignore or trash the correct EDID information.

Therefore having a list of correct modelines is very useful to a Linux user. It allows one to circumvent the sabotage.

[Kano]

@Jade

When you refer to TFT with "modern" then look at the 2nd tool! Also Nvidia drivers by default ignore V/H sync entries. Usually new monitors work just without any modeline without any forced res.

[DeepDayze]

Your reference to modelines using the GTF (Generalized Timing Formula) is mostly useless as virtually no modern monitors (and only a few older monitors) actually support it.

Check out the line:

(--) NVIDIA(0): Supports GTF : No

in the log from startx -- -logverbose 6

I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT SAY YES.

Although, I have a limited range of monitors/TVs to play with.

By the way, the EDID modelines have been extremely useful to me as the modelines that come with many distributions have been deliberately sabotaged (in the X-server code).

As you say, "most monitors have got correct EDID." However, the X-server code is often deliberately written to ignore or trash the correct EDID information.

Therefore having a list of correct modelines is very useful to a Linux user. It allows one to circumvent the sabotage.

Wow first time I heard of this...you have any sources of where it says the modelines generally shipped with X servers are rather bogus? I am sure the modelines listed in a stock xorg.conf are standard VESA settings that should work with the vast majority of monitors.

[Porter]

By the way, the EDID modelines have been extremely useful to me as the modelines that come with many distributions have been deliberately sabotaged (in the X-server code).

As you say, "most monitors have got correct EDID." However, the X-server code is often deliberately written to ignore or trash the correct EDID information.

Therefore having a list of correct modelines is very useful to a Linux user. It allows one to circumvent the sabotage.

There's medication available that can help reduce the type of paranoid delusions that you seem to be suffering from. You should seek it out.

[bridgman]

Wouldn't it be easier to just fix the X server ?

I thought one of the big benefits of open source is that you don't need to put as much effort into elaborate workarounds -- if you see a problem just go fix it.

[Jade]

Wow first time I heard of this...you have any sources of where it says the modelines generally shipped with X servers are rather bogus?.

Not so much the modelines, but their interaction with the X-server.

I will post one infamous example that so impressed me, I saved it for a future article. I am not exactly sure where it is but I will find it.

[Jade]

Not so much the modelines, but their interaction with the X-server.

I will post one infamous example that so impressed me, I saved it for a future article. I am not exactly sure where it is but I will find it.

Following is an example of X-server SABOTAGE.

It is an example of how the cirrus X-server and standard modelines were deliberately made to not work for all but a few (5) screen sizes and refresh rates.

This cirrus X-server was distributed with SuSE 10.0.

The xorg.conf file was produced by Sax2.

-------------------------------------------------------

X Window System Version 6.8.2
Release Date: 9 February 2005
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.8.2
Build Operating System: SuSE Linux [ELF] SuSE
Current Operating System: Linux linux 2.6.13-15-default #1 Tue Sep 13 14:56:15 UTC 2005 x86_64
Build Date: 12 September 2005
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.X.Org
to make sure that you have the latest version.

------------------------- CUT -------------------------

(--) CIRRUS(0): VideoRAM: 4096 kByte
(==) CIRRUS(0): Min pixel clock is 12 MHz
(--) CIRRUS(0): Max pixel clock is 85 MHz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Monitor[0]: Using hsync range of 31.00-58.00 kHz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Monitor[0]: Using vrefresh range of 50.00-61.00 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Clock range: 12.00 to 85.50 MHz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x350" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x175" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x400" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "720x400" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "360x200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "400x300" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "400x300" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "400x300" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "400x300" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "400x300" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "512x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "512x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "512x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (hsync out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "512x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "512x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1152x864" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "576x432" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1280x960" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1280x960" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x480" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1280x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x512" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1280x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x512" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1280x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "640x512" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x600" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1792x1344" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "896x672" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1792x1344" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "896x672" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1856x1392" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "928x696" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1856x1392" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "928x696" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "960x720" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "960x720" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "832x624" (vrefresh out of range)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "416x312" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "576x384" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1400x1050" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "700x525" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1400x1050" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "700x525" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1600x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "800x512" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1920x1440" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "960x720" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "2048x1536" (insufficient memory for mode)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using default mode "1024x768" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)
(II) CIRRUS(0): Not using mode "1280x1024" (no mode of this name)
(--) CIRRUS(0): Virtual size is 1152x768 (pitch 1152)
(**) CIRRUS(0): Default mode "1152x768": 65.0 MHz, 44.2 kHz, 54.8 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Modeline "1152x768" 65.00 1152 1178 1314 1472 768 771 777 806 +hsync +vsync
(**) CIRRUS(0): Default mode "1024x768": 65.0 MHz, 48.4 kHz, 60.0 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Modeline "1024x768" 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
(**) CIRRUS(0): Default mode "800x600": 40.0 MHz, 37.9 kHz, 60.3 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Modeline "800x600" 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
(**) CIRRUS(0): Default mode "800x600": 36.0 MHz, 35.2 kHz, 56.2 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Modeline "800x600" 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
(**) CIRRUS(0): Default mode "640x480": 25.2 MHz, 31.5 kHz, 60.0 Hz
(II) CIRRUS(0): Modeline "640x480" 25.20 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync
(==) CIRRUS(0): DPI set to (75, 75)

------------------------- CUT -------------------------

Summary:

The cirrus X-server rejects all but 5 of the standard X-server and VESA modes.

After rejecting nearly all the standard modelines, the cirrus X-server finally finds one mode and refresh rate for each of the resolutions

1152x768 1024x768 640x480 and two for 800x600.

If you had any other requirements, like the 1280x1024 screen I had....

Well, too bad.

[DeepDayze]

wow strong red text...that really hurt my eyes!

Could be that you had some oddball cirrus card...I remember several of them that had weird settings

[Jade]

Could be that you had some oddball cirrus card...I remember several of them that had weird settings

No. The video card works OK.

If you supply the correct modelines (for example to the 1280x1024 resolution) then everything works fine.

It was the same with all the other resolutions I supplied the correct modelines for.

Summary: Card works fine.