Howto set external tv/monitor resolution?

[naggis]

I have managed to sort out my laptop resolution by adding "Intel" to the xorg file. Now a resolution of 1280 x 768 is available which it good.
But I would like to connect the laptop to my tv to view pictures and video. The connection between the laptop and tv is by normal monitor vga cable. Using Preferences > Display, I can find and select the tv but the maximum available resolution for it is 1024 x 768 (4x3) which does not give the same screen picture as the laptop. The situation gets more complicated as the instructions for my tv says that the max resolution when connected to a pc is 1024 x 768. The tv is a plasma 42 inch Samsung widescreen with a vga input socket so it should know all about pc connections. I just can't understand why it says that this resolution is ok when it is a 4x3 and the tv is 16x10. Why can't Mint offer the same resolution for the tv as the laptop - 1280 x 768?
As I am dual booting Mint and Windows on the laptop, I can connect Windows to the tv and the resolution is ok - that is it is widescreen and shows all the desktop available on the laptop.
So to the question - does anyone have any idea how to fix the Mint connection between laptop and tv to give a better resolution on the tv?
Thanks for any help you can offer

[barrieluv]

Try installing the gnome-randr-applet and adding it to the panel. Worked for me.

[naggis]

I have installed the applet but the main problem still remains. The native resolution of the tv is 1024 x 768 and the applet lets me switch to the tv with this resolution when it is connected. The problem is that at this resolution the image on the tv is not widescreen (as you would expect) and it does not include all that is shown on the laptop screen. Originally I thought that this was a resolution problem but am now not sure as Mint sees the native resolution of the tv and allows me to connect at that.
Hang on a minute, how does the tv display widescreen pictures if its native resolution is 4 x 3? I wonder if there is a means of changing this on the tv? The instruction manual doesn't seem to cover it. I'll do a bit of further searching but am not too hopeful.
Is there something I am missing?

[naggis]

The tv does allow the format to be changed between 16x10 and 4x3 but in either configuration the amount of the laptop desktop that is visible on the tv is still restricted by the same amount. I did try reducing the laptop resolution to the same as the tv but the tv still did not show the full laptop desktop.
This is a frustrating situation - has anyone experienced the same problem? Better still, did you sort it? Please let me know.
Thanks

[misskutiekat]

Did you resolve this problem? if you have please reply. i'm having the same problem now and i'm new to linux. When ever i connect my laptop to the tv the view goes to normal screen not wide screen on both my laptop screen and tv screen. Its not the tv as i can set this to dot by dot.

If anyone else could help it would be much appreciated.
Thanks

[wyrdoak]

http://www.jejik.com/articles/2008/10/s ... ian_lenny/

I use a sh file when using an eternal monitor but I only use a 22in screen.

This one is set up for me with a extended desktop. LVDS1=LAPTOP MONITOR/ VGA1=EXTERNAL MONITOR
You want to run xrandr to see what your system calls yours.

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

sleep 2 && xrandr --output LVDS1 --auto --right-of VGA1