I would like to create the following setup:
3 monitors: 1 2 3
monitor 1 and 3: 4:3 monitors, running 1600x1200, rotated 90 degrees
monitor 2: 16:9 monitor, running 1920x1080
Can this be done in Linux? If so: how? If not: what’s preventing it from being possible?
All that stuff is done by the propritary drivers for your video cards (which are??)
I don’t know if you can do what you want with the hardware you have. But if you can’t write a letter to your video card maker and ask/demand that they support Linux drivers that will do the job. You see the video card makers don’t share how they do things. So, the community can not fix their problems and expand the functionality because they like to keep secrets. Because they keep secrets you must depend on the companies to provide the drivers. So if the drivers do not do what you want how is Linux to blame??
It’s more the other way around: is there a hardware setup (graphics card), combined with the proper drivers and X-Windows (+KDE) that will allow me to use the monitor setup I’d like to use or is this simply not supported in any of the graphics card drivers?
Your best bet is to look into NVIDIA and ATI cards and drivers.
There is no big thing to do 3 monitors with at minimum 2 NVIDA cards the question is can you do the different orientations you are specifying.
You are still at the mercy of the manufacturer to what the drivers the THEY provide can do.
Don’t know about three monitors, but for two screens and NVIDIA video my experience is that it is impossible to have different orientations (i.e. one monitor in portrait mode), 3D acceleration, and one single desktop simultaneously. The reason is that NVIDIA drivers do not support XRandR 1.2 which would make this possible.
Your choice is:
a. Twinview, with full compositing and a single desktop, but no way to rotate one monitor only (you can rotate but only all monitors together);
b. Two separate Xscreens with Xinerama, but Xinerama disables compositing (so no Compiz or Kwin).
c. Two separate Xscreens without Xinerama, in which case you get compositing but no way to move windows between the screens (though the mouse pointer will cross the boundary).
ATI might (probably is) different in that it supports XRandR 1.2 from what I’ve heard. NVIDIA have promised same for years but not delivered.
That doesn’t sound too hopeful then. I guess I will have to rethink my planned monitor setup (I’m currently using 2x20" 4:3 monitors, and was planning on adding a 27" 16:9 monitor). Is this a driver only issue or are there also limitations in X that cause this problem?
It’s a driver problem. NVIDIA drivers are in many ways superior to ATI and Intel - caveat: I’ve never used ATI but have and still use Intel on other machines - but their multi-monitor support for Linux sucks. Their Windows driver does it beautifully, of course…