Linux mint 20, two monitors, please?

[clydep]

Hello,
I've tried looking around for days but I'm not getting any straight answers. I want to run dual monitors but to no success and I posted on a solved thread here to see if I could get help but no response so I'm posting here. I'm relatively new to working with hardware and Linux, I have a rather frustrating dilemma. I've been trying to get a dual monitor system working with my mint 20 system. I have one monitor hooked to the VGA port (working) and the other is hooked to the DP-1 port.
The connection from the machine DP-1 to the monitor is as follows: Machines DP-1 port to a DP to HDMI converter, then that goes through a moread HDMI to VGA converter to the monitor via a VGA cable. When I activate my system only one monitor activates (the one connected straight through the VGA with no converters, (dell monitor)) and the other will go straight to a sleep mode as if it's receiving no input from the machine at all. When I use the "xrandr" command in the terminal it shows:

Code: Select all

~ $ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1366 x 768, maximum 16384 x 16384
VGA-1 connected primary 1366x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 410mm x 230mm
   1366x768      59.79*+
   1024x768      75.03    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    60.32  
   640x480       75.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

when I run the inxi -Gx command I get:

Code: Select all

~ $ inxi -Gx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics 
  vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2) 
  v: 4.5 Mesa 20.0.8 direct render: Yes 

for reference here's inxi -Fxxxrz:

Code: Select all

~ $ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-42-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 4.6.7 wm: muffin 4.6.3 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20 Ulyana base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 7020 v: 01 serial: <filter> 
  Chassis: type: 15 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Dell model: 02YYK5 v: A00 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A01 
  date: 08/23/2014 
CPU:
  Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-4790 bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Haswell rev: 3 L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 57465 
  Speed: 998 MHz min/max: 800/4000 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 901 2: 943 
  3: 906 4: 902 5: 914 6: 904 7: 958 8: 939 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics 
  vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:0412 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
  resolution: 1366x768~60Hz 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2) 
  v: 4.5 Mesa 20.0.8 compat-v: 3.0 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio 
  vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:03.0 
  chip ID: 8086:0c0c 
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio vendor: Dell 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:8c20 
  Device-3: KYE Systems (Mouse Systems) type: USB 
  driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo bus ID: 2-1.5:5 chip ID: 0458:708f 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-42-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I217-LM vendor: Dell driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k 
  port: f080 bus ID: 00:19.0 chip ID: 8086:153a 
  IF: eno1 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Ralink MT7601U Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: mt7601u 
  bus ID: 2-1.6:6 chip ID: 148f:7601 serial: <filter> 
  IF: wlx502b73e1a454 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 476.94 GiB used: 62.16 GiB (13.0%) 
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Kingfast model: N/A size: 476.94 GiB 
  speed: 6.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: 4A0 scheme: MBR 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 437.92 GiB used: 62.16 GiB (14.2%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1 
  ID-2: swap-1 size: 31.91 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0 C mobo: N/A 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyana main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
Info:
  Processes: 217 Uptime: 1h 06m Memory: 31.27 GiB used: 1.45 GiB (4.6%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 default: 2 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 
  alt: 5/7/9 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 
  

Here's my monitor info:

Dell Monitor:
Model#: E1910Hc
S/N: CN-0D176P-64180-9BA-0SLS
Rev A00

LG Monitor:
Model#: L196WTQ

I've read stuff about drivers, things on firmware, other things that had some relation but nothing to do with my particular problem. I don't know where else to look. Any help would be most helpful.

[SMG]

I posted on a solved thread here to see if I could get help but no response so I'm posting here.

Always create a new thread for a new question. Pretty much everyone has different combinations of equipment especially when dealing with monitors, connectors to the monitors, and the graphics card connections on the computer. Those helping need to know about your particular setup.

I've been trying to get a dual monitor system working with my mint 20 system. I have one monitor hooked to the VGA port (working) and the other is hooked to the DP-1 port.

Am I correct to presume that with the LG monitor hooked to the VGA port, the LG monitor works in LM20?

The connection from the machine DP-1 to the monitor is as follows: Machines DP-1 port to a DP to HDMI converter, then that goes through a moread HDMI to VGA converter to the monitor via a VGA cable.

And you've tried connecting it to a different Display Port? Some people working to get three monitors connected have found that certain combinations work (which display is connected to which port) when there doesn't necessarily seem like an underlying logic to why one does and the other does not. I do not know enough about connector hardware combinations to make any comments on whether what you have used is a good solution.

When I activate my system only one monitor activates (the one connected straight through the VGA with no converters, (dell monitor)) and the other will go straight to a sleep mode as if it's receiving no input from the machine at all.

When I use the "xrandr" command in the terminal it shows:

Code: Select all

~ $ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1366 x 768, maximum 16384 x 16384
VGA-1 connected primary 1366x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 410mm x 230mm
   1366x768      59.79*+
   1024x768      75.03    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    60.32  
   640x480       75.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

This does indicate your computer recognizes only one display is attached.

The normal drivers (bolded) seen when using Intel graphics are showing as loaded, so that looks correct.
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics
vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0
Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
resolution: 1366x768~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 4600 (HSW GT2)
v: 4.5 Mesa 20.0.8 direct render: Yes

Until someone with more experience than me comes along to help, perhaps this thread, dual monitors on a dell optiplex? might give you some ideas of why only one is visible to LM20.

[roblm]

The connection from the machine DP-1 to the monitor is as follows: Machines DP-1 port to a DP to HDMI converter, then that goes through a moread HDMI to VGA converter to the monitor via a VGA cable.

I don’t remember anyone trying to use two adapters to connect a monitor. Have you verified it works on another PC? I suspect it doesn’t work. Why don’t you use a single DisplayPort to VGA adapter?

[clydep]

@SMG
Answers:
Q1
It's the Dell monitor not the LG that's connected to the VGA. Although they both individually work if I connect them to the VGA port. (tested both with different computers to ensure they worked)
Q2
I have tried switching the ports around to no avail. both DP-1 and 2 have the same result regardless of what monitor is running through them it seems the only working thing is VGA. but there should be a way to connect those ports.


@roblm
I would like a straight port converter but for now I'm sort of stuck with what I have. I'm sort of remote with little time to be messing around. I tested both monitors with different computers to ensure they worked. Also I'm using what I have on hand so I can avoid sinking too much money on one problem. Also I found it doesn't matter which DP port I run through, as both DP-1 & 2 are disconnected, if I can find a way to activate them both then I'll sink the money to get the adapters. I can get dual screen to work when I'm running the monitors through a laptop. The laptop monitor will continue to work with the other monitor working as a secondary. Though I might try to back door the problem by picking up a vga splitter:

https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Cable-B ... 239&sr=1-5

Although I'm leery to do so as what if that doesn't work and/or instead of getting a dual screen I get a cloned one where it essentially one monitor on two screens?

[SMG]

I have tried switching the ports around to no avail. both DP-1 and 2 have the same result regardless of what monitor is running through them it seems the only working thing is VGA. but there should be a way to connect those ports.

Apparently there was an issue with the OptiPlex 7020. OptiPlex 7020 displaying no video through the DisplayPort connection using a dual-monitor configuration indicates "If using a DisplayPort to DVI adapter to connect the monitor, video appears correctly." otherwise one needs to download a driver which I presume only works for Windows.

Though I might try to back door the problem by picking up a vga splitter:

https://www.amazon.com/Splitter-Cable-B ... 239&sr=1-5

Although I'm leery to do so as what if that doesn't work and/or instead of getting a dual screen I get a cloned one where it essentially one monitor on two screens?

Reading through the questions and reviews on that page does not give me warm fuzzies about finding success--seems like it could be hit or miss.

[roblm]

I tested both monitors with different computers to ensure they worked.

But did you test using the same cable connection using the two adapters?

Does the monitor connected to DP work if the other monitor is not connected?

Don’t get a VGA splitter. As the product description says, you will get the same mirrored display on both monitors.

Since you’re familiar with the Moread brand, here is an inexpensive DP > VGA adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/Moread-DisplayPo ... 1PEDH&th=1