4k TV over HDMI give black screen with mouse only

[ojars_krumins]

I have a Dell Latitude 5430 laptop and latest Linux Mint. Just upgraded to 21.1. Laptop have i915 Intel graphics, and 12-gen CPU.
Everything works fine if I'm working with default screen or connect same size monitor to HDMI, but when I connect to my laptop Sharp 4k TV over HDMI, both screens are black and only mouse pointer is visible on both! If I disconnect TV, laptop screen recover to normal. If I connect TV again. both screens turn to black. TV flickers for a moment and then announce that it is now running in 4k resolution like it felt connected device.

Before upgrade I had bit similar situation. I had Mint version 21.0 and if I connect monitor over HDMI, my connected screen become a primary, is able to display all opened windows, but laptop screen is black and with mouse pointer only. If I try to drag and drop a window from externally connected screen to laptop screen, then window is not displayed and only mouse pointer moves. Dragged window is vanished. If I hold the mouse button and drag the window back to the working screen, it becomes visible again.

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# inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
  Kernel: 5.19.0-41-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Console: pty pts/1 DM: LightDM 1.30.0
    Distro: Linux Mint 21.1 Vera base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Latitude 5430 v: N/A serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10
    serial: <filter>
  Mobo: Dell model: 01Y2TP v: A00 serial: <filter> UEFI: Dell v: 1.8.3 date: 10/27/2022
CPU:
  Info: 10-core (2-mt/8-st) model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U bits: 64 type: MST AMCP
    smt: enabled arch: Alder Lake rev: 4 cache: L1: 928 KiB L2: 6.5 MiB L3: 12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1933 high: 2500 min/max: 400/4400:3300 volts: 1.1 V ext-clock: 100 MHz
    cores: 1: 711 2: 2500 3: 982 4: 2500 5: 876 6: 2500 7: 631 8: 2500 9: 2500 10: 2500 11: 2500
    12: 2500 bogomips: 59904
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 0000:00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46a8 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_FHD type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-6:3
    chip-ID: 0c45:673c class-ID: 0e02
  Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.4 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.1 compositors: 1: marco v: 1.26.0
    2: Compton v: 1 driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa gpu: i915 tty: 237x59
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158 size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9")
    diag: 355mm (14") modes: 1920x1080

What can be done to have TV working normally how it was earlier? It was working totally fine on Mint 18.3 with my previous laptop (Thinkpad Carbon X1 (Gen.5))

[SMG]

I have a Dell Latitude 5430 laptop and latest Linux Mint. Just upgraded to 21.1.

Welcome to the forum, ojars_krumins.

Could you please tell us what desktop environment you installed (Cinnamon, MATE, or Xfce) because it appears you did not have it running when you ran inxi.

With a 12th-gen Intel CPU, I normally recommend using a 6 series kernel. You can install the latest 6.1-oem kernel with

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sudo apt-get install linux-oem-22.04c

and reboot. Maybe the newer graphics driver will help.

[ojars_krumins]

I have 21.1 with MATE. Ok, I'll try install 6.x kernel and see, where it brings me. Hope this will not kill my "workhorse"

[ojars_krumins]

Upgrade to 6.x kernel did not help still the same issue - laptop screen becomes black when TV is connected and return to normal, when HDMI is disconnected. Mouse pointer is visible on both screes in the same way it was before.

Code: Select all

# inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-1010-oem x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Console: pty pts/1
    DM: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 21.1 Vera base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
CPU:
  Info: 10-core (2-mt/8-st) model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U bits: 64
    type: MST AMCP smt: enabled arch: Alder Lake rev: 4 cache: L1: 928 KiB
    L2: 6.5 MiB L3: 12 MiB
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 0000:00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46a8
    class-ID: 0300
Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158
    size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9") diag: 355mm (14") modes: 1920x1080

[SMG]

Upgrade to 6.x kernel did not help still the same issue - laptop screen becomes black when TV is connected and return to normal, when HDMI is disconnected. Mouse pointer is visible on both screes in the same way it was before.

The output you posted is not inxi -Fxxxrz which makes it more difficult to understand what is happening (especially because it seems you are in console mode?)

What is the output of xrandr?

[ojars_krumins]

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$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 309mm x 174mm
   1920x1080     60.00 +  60.00*   47.99  
   1680x1050     60.00  
   1400x1050     60.00  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.00  
   1400x900      60.00  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1440x810      60.00  
   1368x768      60.00  
   1280x800      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.00  
   896x672       60.00  
   1024x576      60.00  
   960x600       60.00  
   960x540       60.00  
   800x600       60.00  
   840x525       60.00  
   864x486       60.00  
   700x525       60.00  
   800x450       60.00  
   640x512       60.00  
   700x450       60.00  
   640x480       60.00  
   720x405       60.00  
   684x384       60.00  
   640x360       60.00  
   512x384       60.00  
   512x288       60.00  
   480x270       60.00  
   400x300       60.00  
   432x243       60.00  
   320x240       60.00  
   360x202       60.00  
   320x180       60.00  
HDMI-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

I can not generate any output with TV connected since I have back screen then.

[ojars_krumins]

Regarding inxi - I remove information that does not refer to graphics. Output of the command is much longer. Command output I'm generating from console window opened in graphical mode.

[roblm]

The output you posted is not inxi -Fxxxrz which makes it more difficult to understand what is happening (especially because it seems you are in console mode?)

Part of inxi output from OP's first post:

inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
Kernel: 5.19.0-41-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Console: pty pts/1 DM: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 21.1 Vera base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Graphics:
Device-1: Intel vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: eDP-1
empty: DP-1,DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 0000:00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46a8 class-ID: 0300
Device-2: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_FHD type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 3-6:3
chip-ID: 0c45:673c class-ID: 0e02
Display: server: X.org v: 1.21.1.4 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.1 compositors: 1: marco v: 1.26.0
2: Compton v: 1 driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa gpu: i915 tty: 237x59
Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display res: 1920x1080 dpi: 158 size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9")
diag: 355mm (14") modes: 1920x1080

The pty pts/1 refers to a pseudo terminal device connection, which I assume here is using SSH; instead of tty, which is a native terminal device connection, and the desktop environment won't be listed. Also, Xwayland is listed as a display server, even though it's not used.


ojars_krumins,
You need to post the info that is requested and not post what you think is important. Other sections of the inxi output may have important info that is related to your problem, such as the repositories that are installed. If you are using SSH to connect, then use the command inxi -Fxxxrz --display, so the OpenGL driver is listed.

[ojars_krumins]

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxxxrz --display
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-1012-oem x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A Desktop: MATE 1.26.0
    info: mate-panel vt: 7 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 Distro: Linux Mint 21.1 Vera
    base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Latitude 5430 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: 01Y2TP v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
    v: 1.8.3 date: 10/27/2022
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 48.1 Wh (100.0%) condition: 48.1/58.0 Wh (83.0%)
    volts: 17.4 min: 15.2 model: BYD DELL H4PVC27 type: Li-poly
    serial: <filter> status: Full
CPU:
  Info: 10-core (2-mt/8-st) model: 12th Gen Intel Core i5-1235U bits: 64
    type: MST AMCP smt: enabled arch: Alder Lake rev: 4 cache: L1: 928 KiB
    L2: 6.5 MiB L3: 12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1791 high: 2500 min/max: 400/4400:3300 cores: 1: 1322
    2: 2500 3: 901 4: 2500 5: 1343 6: 997 7: 2500 8: 1111 9: 2500 10: 818
    11: 2500 12: 2500 bogomips: 59904
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,HDMI-A-1 bus-ID: 0000:00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:46a8
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Microdia Integrated_Webcam_FHD type: USB driver: uvcvideo
    bus-ID: 3-6:2 chip-ID: 0c45:673c class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.4 compositors: 1: marco v: 1.26.0
    2: Compton v: 1 driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa
    gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.0x11.2")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.9")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 158
    size: 309x174mm (12.2x6.9") diag: 355mm (14") modes: 1920x1080
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel Graphics (ADL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 22.2.5
    direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake PCH-P High Definition Audio vendor: Dell
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 0000:00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:51c8
    class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k6.1.0-1012-oem running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 15.99.1 running: yes
  Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.48 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Alder Lake-P PCH CNVi WiFi driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
    bus-ID: 0000:00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:51f0 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Ethernet I219-LM vendor: Dell driver: e1000e v: kernel
    port: N/A bus-ID: 0000:00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:1a1e class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 3-10:4
    chip-ID: 8087:0033 class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: <filter>
RAID:
  Hardware-1: Intel Volume Management Device NVMe RAID Controller driver: vmd
    v: 0.6 port: N/A bus-ID: 0000:00:0e.0 chip-ID: 8086:467f rev:
    class-ID: 0104
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 238.47 GiB used: 220.05 GiB (92.3%)
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 model: PC SN740 NVMe WD 256GB size: 238.47 GiB
    speed: 63.2 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 73103012
    temp: 23.9 C scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 233.18 GiB used: 219.99 GiB (94.3%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 61.8 MiB (12.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 2 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    file: /swapfile
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 32.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: 2807 note: see --pkg apt: 2793 flatpak: 14
  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 vera main upstream import backport
    2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy main restricted universe multiverse
    3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
    4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu jammy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
    5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ jammy-security main restricted universe multiverse
Info:
  Processes: 421 Uptime: 9h 11m wakeups: 500 Memory: 15.31 GiB
  used: 3.37 GiB (22.0%) Init: systemd v: 249 runlevel: 5 Compilers:
  gcc: 11.3.0 alt: 11/12 Shell: Bash v: 5.1.16 running-in: pty pts/0 (vt 7)
  inxi: 3.3.13

Maybe shell confusion is due to sudo su - what I usually do before issuing inxi. This one is from regular user.
Frankly I doubt that this screen issue is my local installation specific. More feels like " new feature introduced for good, but did not work". For example, something inside goes nuts if external screen have different (bigger) size than default one. In the absolute beginning, second screen I connected was the same size / refresh rate and OS switched to it (and ignored laptops built in. Now I try to mix FullHD on laptop with 4k at HDMI.

[SMG]

Maybe shell confusion is due to sudo su - what I usually do before issuing inxi.

Running inxi does not require sudo.

As an FYI, the latest BIOS/UEFI is version 1.12.0. There were a number of issues fixed, but I don't know if any of them might help with this issue.

Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Dell product: Latitude 5430 v: N/A
serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Dell model: 01Y2TP v: A00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Dell
v: 1.8.3 date: 10/27/2022

You need to clean this root partition ASAP. You will soon not be able to log in. In fact, I recommend you clean before your next shutdown. That full of a root partition may also be affecting this graphics issue. Ideally, you want your system below 75% full for best performance.
Partition:
ID-1: / size: 233.18 GiB used: 219.99 GiB (94.3%) fs: ext4
dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2
ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 61.8 MiB (12.1%) fs: vfat
dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1

More feels like " new feature introduced for good, but did not work". For example, something inside goes nuts if external screen have different (bigger) size than default one. In the absolute beginning, second screen I connected was the same size / refresh rate and OS switched to it (and ignored laptops built in. Now I try to mix FullHD on laptop with 4k at HDMI.

I am not familiar with all the changes in MATE to know if there was something which might relate to this issue. I know changes were added to marco for Wayland support, but your system should not be using that because Linux Mint only runs on X Server.

[roblm]

By default the Intel GPU may try to use a video signal with 12 bpc (bits per channel) and at 4K this is too much bandwith for HDMI 2.0, so you can try changing this to 8 bpc by using this command first and then connect the TV:
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --set "max bpc" 8


EDITED: From what I've seen in other topics, the supported bpc range for newer Intel graphics is usually 8 to 12 bpc but I just saw in another topic where the bpc range was 6 to 12, so if that xrandr command doesn't work, then try: xrandr --output HDMI-1 --set "max bpc" 6

[ojars_krumins]

Thank's for ideas. I'll try to update bios and see where it brings.
I'm curious - did someone else try to connect 4k TV over HDMI from laptop with FullHD built-in screen? Just to understand - is this my laptop specific problem or some sort of "general issue"

Regarding bits per channel - frankly, I doubt that this is an issue. TV declares that there is a connection with 4k resolution and 60 Hz. and mouse pointer on the screen is displayed without any discrepancy. Image is sharp, no trails on move. Or maybe I do not understand something clear enough.

[ojars_krumins]

BIOS update did not give any good changes. Got back the same habit I had before. Made a short video to demonstrate the problem. Most probably this refer also to displaying the stuff on TV.

https://youtube.com/shorts/81p2Zzf6d80?feature=share

[SMG]

Thank's for ideas. I'll try to update bios and see where it brings.
I'm curious - did someone else try to connect 4k TV over HDMI from laptop with FullHD built-in screen? Just to understand - is this my laptop specific problem

I have been looking, but have not been able to find if there is a specific overall dimension which this laptop can do and maybe the combination of the external and the internal screens exceeds it. The specs I found (page 32-33) specify the max for the individual screens and say four total screens are possible.

TV declares that there is a connection with 4k resolution and 60 Hz. and mouse pointer on the screen is displayed without any discrepancy.

And I suspect that xrandr output shows the laptop screen as on.

I'm wondering if a different display/windows manager might give different results. Are you mirroring or extending the displays? (I don't recall what options are available for MATE so I might not be using the applicable terms.)

I seem to recall someone else having the issue you show in your video, but I do not recall the details of the situation (such as screen sizes and desktop environment).

[ojars_krumins]

Did some more playing with screens and now I have condition like this:
If I set mirroring to have same picture on all screens, I have good picture.
If I set monitor on HDMI to be on right hand side, then I have good picture in laptop screen and nothing in attached screen so it means that system have difficulties to display something on the right screen.
Don't know, can this be as hint but there is no such issues on the laptop of same make but with Ubuntu. So it feels now that problem is Mint or maybe Mint / MATE specific.

[SMG]

Did some more playing with screens and now I have condition like this:
If I set mirroring to have same picture on all screens, I have good picture.
If I set monitor on HDMI to be on right hand side, then I have good picture in laptop screen and nothing in attached screen so it means that system have difficulties to display something on the right screen.

Does it remain the primary monitor regardless of which position it is in?

I went through a number of bugs reported against MATE and found these older ones, HIDPI auto function doesn't work #324 and HIDPI per monitor #323 . Reading through the discussions, I thought some of the discussion in them might be clues for you of some things to check.

It's my understanding MATE only supports X11 and it will be quite a while until it might support Wayland, so I do not have any guesses what might be different between your Ubuntu install and one with Linux Mint.

[ojars_krumins]

External monitor becomes primary, but it is able to display only mouse pointer if it is placed on right side. So left screen show everything, right screen is black and show only mouse pointer unless I enable: "Same output all monitors". When I do so, I get a flickering for a second or a bit more and both screen show content.

What is pity - all this screen thing was working excellent on older devices and Mint / MATE 18.x

[SMG]

External monitor becomes primary, but it is able to display only mouse pointer if it is placed on right side. So left screen show everything, right screen is black and show only mouse pointer unless I enable: "Same output all monitors". When I do so, I get a flickering for a second or a bit more and both screen show content.

This is reminding me of some issues people have described with Xfce in regards to which screen is to the right or left of the other and having odd things happen. I do not know enough about it to offer suggestions of what might be happening. Sorry.

[ojars_krumins]

Well, I do not expect or demand immediate solution, but it would be cool to forward case like this to persons who do really awesome work for us and at some moment can understand the root cause and fix it. If we do not report issues, no one will know about them.

[SMG]

Don't know, can this be as hint but there is no such issues on the laptop of same make but with Ubuntu.

What version of Ubuntu and what version of X.Org on that Ubuntu install?

And by "laptop of the same make" do you mean with this exact laptop or a different laptop of the same model?