I am running Opensuse 13.1 (x86_64) with KDE 4.11.5 (dual boot with Win 7) on a Lenovo X230 laptop with an Intel (Ivybridge Mobile) HD 4000 (i915 driver) graphics chip and a mini-displayport connector providing DP and HDMI + audio output and a VGA connector. I wish to setup a Bauhn (Aldi) HDTV (1080p - 1920×1080p) as an external monitor and audio/video system.
However, when the HDTV is connected with a DP to HDMI adaptor cable while Opensuse 13.1 is running, the HDTV display is not recognised or shown in the KDE System Settings Monitor Configuration window as an external monitor. Clicking on <I> (identify screens) has no effect. Setting (Phonon GStreamer) Audio to Digital Sterio HDMI has no effect.
Under mswin 7 this connection with a DP to HDMI adaptor cable does work in ‘projector mode’ with native resolution (1366x768). I have not yet tested audio or the ‘external monitor mode’ connection option under mswin 7.
I note that the “SDB:Connecting to TV Monitor” page relates to 12.1 and that multimedia has changed in some respects since then. I have installed pavucontrol, as suggested.
In disconnected state ‘xrandr’ shows:
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1366 x 768, maximum 32767 x 32767
LVDS1 connected primary 1366x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 277mm x 156mm
1366x768 60.0*+
1024x768 60.0
800x600 60.3 56.2
640x480 59.9
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
I have a lot to learn and would be grateful for helpful advice from the forum.
After more testing I find video and audio connection sometimes works when laptop is cold booted and TV restarted before the DP-HDMI adaptor cable is connected. The connection does work as expected under mswin7 and macOS, especially macOS, but Kscreens is looking better all the time.
Pointers to Kscreens user guides appreciated (eg. how to set panel on both screens?) but no specific technical help needed with this for now. Thanks for reading.
This ‘quirky’ behaviour is likely to be down to the graphics driver and your particular hardware. When you connect your external monitor to the display port (via the adapter), is it reported in the xrandr output?
xrandr --verbose
If you want to diagnose further (or want to submit a bug report), the output from the following command might be useful
kscreen-console bug
You can also observe screen/monitor events dynamically with
Thanks df, this ‘adaptor cable’ setup is working so well on my wife’s mac that I don’t know when I will get near it for more testing. I did run xrandr. When it’s working or not, that’s confirmed. Thanks so much for clues about kscreens-console.
Kscreens looks like good work to me. Equivalence to mac functionality looks like a good development goal. Meanwhile I am learning heaps from these forums. Grateful thanks to kind and thoughtful first responders. You’re awesome!