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http://hpclab.blogspot.com/2007/11/rhel-dual-monitor.html
RHEL dual monitor
Dual monitor test on RHEL 4

Video card

nVidia 128MB PCIe x16 nVidia Quadro NVS 285, Dual DVI or Dual VGA capable

Monitors

Two monitors have different resolution each other;

1)DELL 2007FPW, 1600×1200
2)DELL 1707FPVt, 1280×1024

Test methods

There are two different mode for utilizing 2 monitors on Linux. Both of them can be configured in /etc/X11/xorg.conf file.

TwinView : Single X session

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder26) Wed Mar 29 15:31:59 PST 2006

# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “single head configuration”
Screen 0 “Screen0” 0 0
InputDevice “Mouse0” “CorePointer”
InputDevice “Keyboard0” “CoreKeyboard”
EndSection

Section “Files”

# RgbPath is the location of the RGB database. Note, this is the name of the
# file minus the extension (like “.txt” or “.db”). There is normally
# no need to change the default.
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Red Hat 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
RgbPath “/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb”
FontPath “unix/:7100”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “extmod”
Load “fbdevhw”
Load “glx”
Load “record”
Load “freetype”
Load “type1”
Load “vnc”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “yes”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”

# Specify which keyboard LEDs can be user-controlled (eg, with xset(1))
# Option “Xleds” “1 2 3”
# To disable the XKEYBOARD extension, uncomment XkbDisable.
# Option “XkbDisable”
# To customise the XKB settings to suit your keyboard, modify the
# lines below (which are the defaults). For example, for a non-U.S.
# keyboard, you will probably want to use:
# Option “XkbModel” “pc102”
# If you have a US Microsoft Natural keyboard, you can use:
# Option “XkbModel” “microsoft”
#
# Then to change the language, change the Layout setting.
# For example, a german layout can be obtained with:
# Option “XkbLayout” “de”
# or:
# Option “XkbLayout” “de”
# Option “XkbVariant” “nodeadkeys”
#
# If you’d like to switch the positions of your capslock and
# control keys, use:
# Option “XkbOptions” “ctrl:swapcaps”
# Or if you just want both to be control, use:
# Option “XkbOptions” “ctrl:nocaps”
#
Identifier “Keyboard0”
Driver “kbd”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105”
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse0”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Protocol” “IMPS/2”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
Option “Emulate3Buttons” “no”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0”
VendorName “Monitor Vendor”
ModelName “Dell 2000FP (Digital)”
HorizSync 31.5 – 80.0
VertRefresh 56.0 – 76.0
Option “dpms”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Videocard0”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “Videocard vendor”
BoardName “NVIDIA PCI-Express Quadro 4 285 NVS”

# for TwinView
BusID “PCI:7:0:0”
Option “TwinView”
Option “MetaModes” “1280×1024, 1280×1024; 1280×1024,1280×1024; 1280×1024; 1024×768,1024×768; 1024×768; 800×600,800×600; 800×600”
Option “TwinViewOrientation” “RightOf”
Option “SecondMonitorHorizSync” “30-81”
Option “SecondMonitorVertRefresh” “56-76”

EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen0”
Device “Videocard0”
Monitor “Monitor0”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “SecurityTypes” “VncAuth”
Option “UserPasswdVerifier” “VncAuth”
Option “PasswordFile” “/root/.vnc/passwd”
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes “1600×1200” “1680×1050” “1400×1050” “1280×1024” “1280×960” “1152×864” “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Dual monitor : Dual X session

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 1.0 (buildmeister@builder26) Wed Mar 29 15:31:59 PST 2006

# Xorg configuration created by system-config-display

Section “ServerLayout”
# Identifier “single head configuration”
Identifier “single head configuration”
Screen “Screen0” LeftOf “Screen1”
Screen “Screen1”
InputDevice “Mouse0” “CorePointer”
InputDevice “Keyboard0” “CoreKeyboard”
EndSection

Section “Files”

# RgbPath is the location of the RGB database. Note, this is the name of the
# file minus the extension (like “.txt” or “.db”). There is normally
# no need to change the default.
# Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
# By default, Red Hat 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
# the X server to render fonts.
RgbPath “/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb”
FontPath “unix/:7100”
EndSection

Section “Module”
Load “dbe”
Load “extmod”
Load “fbdevhw”
Load “glx”
Load “record”
Load “freetype”
Load “type1”
Load “vnc”
EndSection

Section “ServerFlags”
Option “AllowMouseOpenFail” “yes”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”

# Specify which keyboard LEDs can be user-controlled (eg, with xset(1))
# Option “Xleds” “1 2 3”
# To disable the XKEYBOARD extension, uncomment XkbDisable.
# Option “XkbDisable”
# To customise the XKB settings to suit your keyboard, modify the
# lines below (which are the defaults). For example, for a non-U.S.
# keyboard, you will probably want to use:
# Option “XkbModel” “pc102”
# If you have a US Microsoft Natural keyboard, you can use:
# Option “XkbModel” “microsoft”
#
# Then to change the language, change the Layout setting.
# For example, a german layout can be obtained with:
# Option “XkbLayout” “de”
# or:
# Option “XkbLayout” “de”
# Option “XkbVariant” “nodeadkeys”
#
# If you’d like to switch the positions of your capslock and
# control keys, use:
# Option “XkbOptions” “ctrl:swapcaps”
# Or if you just want both to be control, use:
# Option “XkbOptions” “ctrl:nocaps”
#
Identifier “Keyboard0”
Driver “kbd”
Option “XkbModel” “pc105”
Option “XkbLayout” “us”
EndSection

Section “InputDevice”
Identifier “Mouse0”
Driver “mouse”
Option “Protocol” “IMPS/2”
Option “Device” “/dev/input/mice”
Option “ZAxisMapping” “4 5”
Option “Emulate3Buttons” “no”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0”
VendorName “Monitor Vendor”
ModelName “Dell 2000FP (Digital)”
HorizSync 31.5 – 80.0
VertRefresh 56.0 – 76.0
Option “dpms”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor1”
VendorName “Monitor Vendor”
ModelName “Dell 1707FP (Digital)”
HorizSync 31.5 – 80.0
VertRefresh 56.0 – 76.0
Option “dpms”
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Videocard0”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “Videocard vendor”
BoardName “NVIDIA PCI-Express Quadro 4 285 NVS”
BusID “PCI:7:0:0”
Screen 0
EndSection

Section “Device”
Identifier “Videocard1”
Driver “nvidia”
VendorName “Videocard vendor”
BoardName “NVIDIA PCI-Express Quadro 4 285 NVS”
BusID “PCI:7:0:0”
Screen 1
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen0”
Device “Videocard0”
Monitor “Monitor0”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “SecurityTypes” “VncAuth”
Option “UserPasswdVerifier” “VncAuth”
Option “PasswordFile” “/root/.vnc/passwd”
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes “1600×1200” “1680×1050” “1400×1050” “1280×1024” “1280×960” “1152×864” “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Screen1”
Device “Videocard1”
Monitor “Monitor1”
DefaultDepth 24
Option “SecurityTypes” “VncAuth”
Option “UserPasswdVerifier” “VncAuth”
Option “PasswordFile” “/root/.vnc/passwd”
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes “1600×1200” “1680×1050” “1400×1050” “1280×1024” “1280×960” “1152×864” “1024×768” “800×600” “640×480”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Results

TwinView shares one X session and it looks virtually one big screen. However, failed to have a optimal resolution since two monitor has different resolution and ether of them does not work in maximum resolution and it looks like big font or low resolution.

Dual monitor looks like you have two machines since it shows you different X session on each monitor. Mouse pointer moves one to another back and forth. It works fine and each monitor has menu bar separately. Best solution for two monitor with different resolution.

References

http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Dual_Monitors
http://www.yolinux.com/TUTORIALS/LinuxAndDualMonitors.html
http://http.download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/1.0-8178/README/appendix-p.html
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P107426/en/usage.htm#display_modes
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/monitors/2007WFP/en/index.htm
http://support2.jp.dell.com/docs/monitors/1707FPV/en/index.htm
Posted by Brian T.S. at 8:27 AM
Labels: Dual monitor, RHEL