Independent Scaling Factors for Two Different Displays

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TrogdorMenoo
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Independent Scaling Factors for Two Different Displays

Post by TrogdorMenoo »

Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon
Cinnamon v 5.0.5
Linux Kernel: 5.4.0-84-generic
CPU: i7-6700HQ
Memory: 15.5 GB
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 530

I installed Mint 20.2 so that I could get away from Windows 10. I have lots of good experiences but a major problem that I cannot work around:

Mint can't properly handle multiple monitors. The primary laptop screen is 3840x2160~60Hz and an external connected monitor is 1920x1080~75Hz. I cannot select a unique User Interface Scale for each monitor. If I want the 1920x1080 to look normal, then I have to select User Interface Scale = Normal, which makes the 3840x2160 too small to be readable. If I select User Interface Scale = Double (HiDPI), then the 1920x1080 is ginormous to where everything is too big to fit on the display. In Windows, I can select different scaling for both monitors independently.

Also, the User Interface Scale: Double (Hi-DPI) is not big enough. It should allow various scaling ratios in 25% increments.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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absque fenestris
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Re: Independent Scaling Factors for Two Different Displays

Post by absque fenestris »

Please see my posting with screenshots of both monitor settings here:

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=333033

One monitor at 100% and one at 200% should actually work with Cinnamon. However, Cinnamon and fractional scaling in 25% steps doesn't work on my laptop. With KDE I can apply it (Debian Buster & Bullseye).
TrogdorMenoo
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Re: Can't get UHD monitor to display

Post by TrogdorMenoo »

<mod note> This post was moved from Can't get UHD monitor to display which is a different issue. </mod note>

I have the same problem. I'm trying to leave Windows but I can't see anything with Linux.

I need 300% scaling on the hiDPI display and 150% scaling on the 1920x1080 display. Right now it only lets me set one scale for both displays no matter what I try. It appears the scaling only applies to all displays simultaenously. Either I can see one display and not the other. (one is too small, the other too big). Now I have to go back to Windows :(
Last edited by SMG on Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Added note this post was relocated from https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=333033 Second mod was to fix my typo.
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absque fenestris
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Re: Can't get UHD monitor to display

Post by absque fenestris »

TrogdorMenoo wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:29 pm ...
I have the same problem. I'm trying to leave Windows but I can't see anything with Linux.

I need 300% scaling on the hiDPI display and 150% scaling on the 1920x1080 display. Right now it only lets me set one scale for both displays no matter what I try. It appears the scaling only applies to all displays simultaenously. Either I can see one display and not the other. (one is too small, the other too big). Now I have to go back to Windows :(

Hi TrogdorMenoo
under Mint Cinnamon I can't offer you any suggestions, because on my laptop Cinnnamons fractional scaling doesn't work at all (200% Hi-DPI on the other hand is excellent).

But I have an other suggestion - it will cost you about $8 to $12 though.
Get a new USB 3.1 flash drive. Download Ventoy and format the new flash drive with Ventoy.

Download the latest Manjaro KDE ISO and copy the complete ISO to the USB drive.
Download the latest Kubuntu ISO and copy the complete ISO to the prepared USB drive.

Turn off the computer - the Ventoy-USB flash drive remains plugged in.
Turn on the computer again and you have Ubuntu's and Manjaro's KDE ready to go.

Start Manjaro in live mode - my device was immediately detected, all drivers offered and the screen correctly set to 200%. Oha! For WiFi the WEP password had to be entered, for the Logitech mouse the Bluetooth detection had to be activated. That was it.
See if this works as well for you. On the KDE desktop, any scaling in 25% steps works: only a log-out / log-in is required.
Kubuntu also runs very well, but without the Oha! that means a little more manual work is called for. After the experience with Manjaro, however, you should also be able to cope with Kubuntu.

The advantage of Manjaro: insanely fast setup, also runs insanely fast. The disadvantage is the lack of the familiar Debian-Ubuntu-Mint foundation - you have to reorient yourself.
Advantage of Kubuntu: the said Debian-Ubuntu substructure. Also very nimble operating system. The disadvantage is the more complicated setup compared to Manjaro.

https://shop.westerndigital.com/product ... 0-032G-A46
https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html
https://manjaro.org/downloads/official/kde/
https://kubuntu.org/getkubuntu/
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