Using Linux with HDMI cable to TV

[buksida]

I've tried connecting my laptop to the TV via HDMI to watch movies however Mint doesn't play with this!

All you can see is the desktop background on the TV.

Tried pulling up display settings and switching to the second screen - this screws things up completely and gives me a split screen on the laptop with no way to get back into it aside from pulling up the terminal window and rebooting.

So the question is ... how do I connect a Linux laptop to a TV via HDMI?

Thanks.

[Mattyboy]

Make sure you have installed any Graphics drivers that you may need from the driver manager.

You say you can see the desktop background which describes that your laptop is primary display and your TV is 'extended'. Can you drag a window from the laptop screen to the TV screen?

Go into settings/display and you should see the two displays as an option. Set the TV as 'primary'.

If this doesn't solve your problem provide the results of this command in a reply.

inxi -Fz

[buksida]

Thanks for the reply, there isnt a lot in driver manager, just says '1 proprietary driver in use' - intel-microcode. Nothing about GPU or any other drivers at all.

Setting TV as primary completely screws both displays, no mouse working and cant access anything, can only pull up the terminal and reboot.

Results of inxi -Fz below:

System: Host: linux-X555LAB Kernel: 4.6.4-040604-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.0.7 Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine: System: ASUSTeK (portable) product: X555LAB v: 1.0
Mobo: ASUSTeK model: X555LAB v: 1.0
Bios: American Megatrends v: X555LAB.503 date: 08/04/2015
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-5200U (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB
clock speeds: max: 2700 MHz 1: 1810 MHz 2: 1774 MHz 3: 1767 MHz
4: 1842 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1920x1080@60.05hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 5500 (Broadwell GT2)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 11.2.0
Audio: Card-1 Intel Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel
Card-2 Intel Broadwell-U Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.6.4-040604-generic
Network: Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169
IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Card-2: Realtek RTL8821AE 802.11ac PCIe Wireless Network Adapter
driver: rtl8821ae
IF: wlp3s0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1000.2GB (8.1% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD10JPVX size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 19G used: 13G (71%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
ID-2: /home size: 255G used: 49G (20%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda8
ID-3: swap-1 size: 16.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda7
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 43.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 2600
Info: Processes: 211 Uptime: 5:16 Memory: 1506.0/7413.3MB
Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.2.35

[kukamuumuka]

Install Arandr and select the primary monitor.

Code: Select all

apt install arandr

[buksida]

Nice one, that worked a treat!!!

[buksida]

[UNSOLVED]

Had to reopen this one ...

Tried again yesterday and simply plugging in the HDMI cable crashes the entire system - complete Linux lockup, can't even pull up the terminal window - power off is the only option.

Any ideas what is up with it, not hardware as HDMI works fine on the laptop when using Windows.

[Benoît]

Hello.

I'm jumping on your thread because I see that you have a Intel HD5500. I am experiencing problems with this card too. Basically it concerns black screen at startup where nothing is displayed but the mouse cursor. A simple reboot makes it go away, but it will reappear randomly.
Do you also experience this? Do you think it could be linked to your HDMI problem?

[ZakGordon]

To get my laptop to display on a TV screen using the HDMI cable i do these steps:

1. Have the laptop and TV turned on ready to go. Disconnect one end of the HDMI cable (it is normally in use on my desktop PC) and plug it into the laptop HDMI socket.

2. Then select on the Mint Desktop 'Menu>Preferences>Display' to get the Display dialog box. In that box it will show the current laptop screen and the now plugged in TV screen side by side. One (the laptop screen) is active and green, the TV is currently not active and black.

3. Click on the TV screen and switch 'On' and 'Set as Primary'.

4. Click back on the laptop screen and switch to 'Off'.

5. Click 'Apply'. When it is working (you should now be fully on the Tv screen) click the 'keep configuration' dialog that will have popped up.

That should put the image fully on your TV with the mouse cursor and everything. Switching 'Off' your laptop screen is important or you just get the blank desktop on the TV screen.

You also might need to go into the Menu>Preferences>Sound menu to set the sound to come from the TV, using the same kind of process as above (don't need to switch off the laptop sound though!).

To switch back just reverse the steps as outlined above.

[buksida]

@ Benoit - I have had that black screen yes, but I think it was a different issue.

@ ZakGordon - Tried that and it does extend the screen to the TV, but when switching back to laptop it kind of splits the screen into four and completely locks up, I cant click anything.

[GELvdH]

I have my desktop connected to the 47" TV so it doubles as a TV/ monitor. In the TV setup you have to select RGB as the input source. I am assuming your TV has this kind of setup available, my TV has several input modes available. All the modern TV's are able to select from a list of input sources. My TV controller lets me select any one of the input modes.

[Petermint]

I had similar problem with an earlier LM, 19.? I have not tested my current LM 20.1.

I had problems with the TV connection across boots and closing the lid on my notebook. I had to disconnect before any shutdown then connect after restart. I had the problem only with a TV, not with a dedicated monitor. I had various differences depending on the HDMI cable. It never worked with a cable long enough to let me sit at a comfortable distance from the TV. The external monitor was always on the same desk with a short cable.

I ended up copying the media to my smartphone and playing from there. Lots of people have success plugging in those little wireless TV adaptors and I am looking at buying one to do away with the cable.

Have you tested a very new short HDMI cable? Do you know the level of HDMI supported by your computer,your cable, and the TV? A miss match can create that type of problem. Different versions of HDMI limit the length of the cable, the main reason I am looking at a wireless connection.

[Jimhow78]

I've tried connecting my laptop to the TV via HDMI to watch movies however Mint doesn't play with this!

All you can see is the desktop background on the TV.

Tried pulling up display settings and switching to the second screen - this screws things up completely and gives me a split screen on the laptop with no way to get back into it aside from pulling up the terminal window and rebooting.

So the question is ... how do I connect a Linux laptop to a TV via HDMI?

Thanks.

It's possibly a sizing problem. My laptop thinks I'm using a 72inch TV when in actual fact it's a 42inch, so all it will display is the middle of the desktop. Try using the super/Windows key to launch the menu on your laptop, navigate to preferences/display with your cursors and select 'mirror displays', click apply.

[GELvdH]

It has to do with the manufacturers software. My TV is a 47" LG but when I select the monitor resolution it shows a 72" LG as the default.