JerryKnight.com

While still being worth it for obvious reasons, configuring X11 (X.org and XFree86 alike) has historically been a hair-pulling/head-banging task, though it is still lower than Apache 1.x on the HP/HB scale. Add to that the mysterious proprietary NVidia drivers. (I have no problem with the proprietary part, since it works, and it’s “free” with the NVidia card.) For my last X11 reconfig, probably over a year ago, I had to look up the ModeLine parameters (manually sets the resolution and refresh timings), but apparently X.org 6.8 has a wide range of built-in resolutions that it tries out. I probably could have even left out all of the options specifying the monitor resolution, since it may have magically found out the best resolution by asking the monitor. The only other glitch was the order of the two monitor outputs. I use the non-TwinView setup (can’t drag windows between monitors, but virtual desktops run independently), and when I swapped out the first monitor’s VGA cable for the new DVI-D cable, X11 swapped the monitor outputs. This caused the high-res monitor settings to go to the small monitor and the low-res settings to go to the big monitor. After a little HP/HB, I found an option that tells the NVidia driver which plug each display is supposed to use.

Section “Monitor”

… Option “ConnectedMonitor” “DFP-0″ # or CRT-0, CRT-1, etc. depending on what is hooked up

EndSection

I still use the small 15″ monitor, even though it’s quite dim and puny next to the 24″ monitor. I tried running MythTV on the 24″ and while the menus, etc. looked fantastic at 1920×1200, the video was fuzzy. (640×480 enlarged around 6x doesn’t look very good.) I may switch it back to the bigger monitor if I want to watch something from across the room (or across the street), but at my desk, my beloved 15″ Viewsonic does a good job. This leaves me with an extra 17″ widescreen LCD monitor (with TV/Video inputs). Unless I find a use for it, it could be available to go to a new home. Note: I realize that most people will only understand the “Posted in Computer” line below. Pretty much, the new monitor works great after a short, but valiant battle.

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