[SOLVED] Resolution not scaling correctly to TV (2)

[Kobalt]

Hi there,

a similar topic is found here: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=326794, but before messing with modelines I'd like to ask if that is really my last chance.

Problem:
Linux Mint is showing up as expected but the Login screen and the Desktop is not scaled correctly, hence I cannot see the Mint menu (at the bottom) for example. I can move the mouse cursor outside of the display view and use the menu though. How to make the Desktop to scale correctly?

I know that on many TVs (or just monitors?) there are (were?) functions to auto-scale, but this is not available here. The TV has very basic and limited settings with respect to the display. So I guess, the software (Linux Mint) has to do the scaling/fitting task.

System specs.:
Linux Cinnamon 20
Onboard Graphic: Intel 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller with DVI-I Output
Monitor: Polaroid TLU-02241W with HDMI Input

Display program shows:
Plain Tree Systems Inc 22"
Resolution: 1680 x 1050 (16:10) recommended

I wonder, is Plain Tree Systems the manufacturer for Polaroid's TVs?

Thanks for any hint in advance.

Best regards
Kobalt

[roblm]

In the TV's on-screen display (OSD) menu there should be a setting to turn off overscan. It can be called “Just Scan”, “Screen fit”, "1:1" mode, "true pixel", Full Pixel, Dot by Dot, “native mode”, 16:9 image scan, UNDERSCAN for 720p, or something else.

On my HDTV, in Settings > Picture > Aspect Ratio, there is an option called “Just Scan”.

However, some manufacturers bury this capability in the service menu which is only meant for TV techs to access. You can sometimes find how to access it yourself online, but be careful as you can mess up your set if you don't know what you are doing.


Otherwise you can try the xrandr transform feature. You will need to open the Terminal, use this command and post the output: xrandr

[Kobalt]

Thanks for your reply, roblm!

The first option would make it necessary to find out how to get into the mode, which TV techs can access. As I have no clue how to do this atm., I prefer the second option and present my xrandr output for examination:

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~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 connected primary 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 474mm x 296mm
   1680x1050     59.95*+
   1920x1080i    60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1280x1024     75.02    60.02  
   1440x900      59.90  
   1280x720      60.00    50.00    59.94  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   800x600       72.19    75.00    60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       60.00    59.94  
   640x480       75.00    72.81    60.00    59.94  
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

How to proceed?

Best regards
Kobalt

[roblm]

Transform syntax: --transform <a>,<b>,<c>,<d>,<e>,<f>,<g>,<h>,<i>
Default values: 1,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,1
Typically, a and e corresponds to the scaling on the X and Y axes, c and f specify the x and y offset of the area, and g, h, and i are respectively 0, 0 and 1.

Use this command for the initial overscan correction:

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xrandr --output HDMI-1 --panning 1680x1050 --transform 1.05,0,-35,0,1.05,-20,0,0,1

To reverse the effect, use this command. If it doesn't work or the display gets messed up, then log out and back in:

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xrandr --output HDMI-1 --panning 1680x1050 --transform 1,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,1

You may need to make more adjustments to the command to remove all of the overscan.
Increase the value of A by .01 to reduce the horizontal overscan on the right edge.
Increase the value of E by .01 to reduce the vertical overscan on the bottom edge.

Here's a tip in case you're not aware of it, while using the Terminal. Press the UP Arrow key to bring up previously typed and executed commands, so you won't need to retype them. Use the Left and Right Arrow keys to move the cursor to the character that needs to be changed.

[Kobalt]

Thanks for this hint and clear explanation. It works for me with these settings:

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xrandr --output HDMI-1 --panning 1680x1050 --transform 1.1,0,-87,0,1.1,-59,0,0,1

It has two major drawbacks though. Maybe you can hint me how to solve this, too:

1) Really a major issue: After restarting the pc, the transform settings are reset, obviously. I have to run this command again (after every restart of the pc). How to set these transform setting permanently?

2) The mouse area seems not to be in clipped to the viewport area. The top border and the left border get hit by the mouse (as expected), but for the right and bottom boder, the mouse leaves the screen as if there would be more area. Is this normal?

[3) Minor issue: The screen seems to be a little blurred by the transformation (a little bit it is already blurred by some TV corrections itself without the transform), but it gets more blurry by the transform. Is there a way to re-sharpen the screen?]

Thanks in advance!
Best regards
Kobalt

[roblm]

That xrandr command has an error which I have corrected in my last post. HDMI1 should be HDMI-1.

1) Really a major issue: After restarting the pc, the transform settings are reset, obviously. I have to run this command again (after every restart of the pc). How to set these transform setting permanently?

Open Startup Applications and click the plus sign to create a Custom command. For the Command, add the xrandr command. You will have to try this out by logging out/in. If your system is set up for displaying a login screen, then another method may need to be used.

2) The mouse area seems not to be in clipped to the viewport area. The top border and the left border get hit by the mouse (as expected), but for the right and bottom boder, the mouse leaves the screen as if there would be more area. Is this normal?

No, if everything is working as it should. I don’t remember any other user reporting that in any of the other similar topics I’ve been involved in. It must be some peculiar behavior with your particular brand of TV. You could try changing panning 1680x1050 to panning 1680x1030.

[3) Minor issue: The screen seems to be a little blurred by the transformation (a little bit it is already blurred by some TV corrections itself without the transform), but it gets more blurry by the transform. Is there a way to re-sharpen the screen?

Not that I know of. Some extra blurriness is expected. If that is too much of a problem, then I suggest getting a newer TV which has a setting to eliminate overscanning.

[Kobalt]

1) Really a major issue: After restarting the pc, the transform settings are reset, obviously. I have to run this command again (after every restart of the pc). How to set these transform setting permanently?

Open Startup Applications and click the plus sign to create a Custom command. For the Command, add the xrandr command. You will have to try this out by logging out/in. If your system is set up for displaying a login screen, then another method may need to be used.

This works well, thank you! Though, as you already mentioned, I would prefer to have this setting at the login screen already. I read about .xinitrc or xorg.conf to be the right places, maybe?

2) The mouse area seems not to be in clipped to the viewport area. The top border and the left border get hit by the mouse (as expected), but for the right and bottom boder, the mouse leaves the screen as if there would be more area. Is this normal?

No, if everything is working as it should. I don’t remember any other user reporting that in any of the other similar topics I’ve been involved in. It must be some peculiar behavior with your particular brand of TV. You could try changing panning 1680x1050 to panning 1680x1030.

I tried this. This gave an error. As I have the system not at hand right now, I cannot reproduce and paste the error message now.

[roblm]

I would prefer to have this setting at the login screen already.

Open the File Manager. Create a document in Home (/home/your-user-name) named .login and add the xrandr command.

Right click on the file and select Properties > Permissions. Mark the checkbox next to Allow executing file as program.

Use this command to open the 70-linuxmint.conf file:
xed admin:///etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/70-linuxmint.conf

Add this line: display-setup-script=/home/your-user-name/.login, changing your-user-name to your actual user name.


I did some testing and changing the xrandr --panning command won't help. Try these commands:

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xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1680x1050 --panning 1680x1050 --transform 1.1,0,-87,0,1.1,-59,0,0,1
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1680x1050 --transform 1.1,0,-87,0,1.1,-59,0,0,1

[Kobalt]

I would prefer to have this setting at the login screen already.

Open the File Manager. Create a document in Home (/home/your-user-name) named .login and add the xrandr command.

Right click on the file and select Properties > Permissions. Mark the checkbox next to Allow executing file as program.

Use this command to open the 70-linuxmint.conf file:
xed admin:///etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/70-linuxmint.conf

Add this line: display-setup-script=/home/your-user-name/.login, changing your-user-name to your actual user name.

Thanks, this works well!

The removal of panning I will try out another day, since I have the machine not at hand right now. Thanks for that, too.

[Kobalt]

I did some testing and changing the xrandr --panning command won't help. Try these commands:

Code: Select all

xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1680x1050 --panning 1680x1050 --transform 1.1,0,-87,0,1.1,-59,0,0,1
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1680x1050 --transform 1.1,0,-87,0,1.1,-59,0,0,1

I tried these now. They do not work. Thanks again, anyway!