Ubuntu – Unknown monitor, intel driver, want to set VGA resolution to widescreen TV

displayresolutionscreen

I have a Sony Bravia LCD television, which is now plugged into my laptop using a VGA cable.

I am running an HP Compaq laptop, with a video driver of:

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile
915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 03)

In earlier versions of Ubuntu, it was nearly at the right resolution; in a brand new installation of Ubuntu 11.04, however, it has reverted to a maximum of 1024×768.

Trying to set the resolution using xrandr is giving me annoying error messages, and I read conflicting information about the latest version of Ubuntu not using xorg.conf to set my resolution: is that right?

I'd be grateful for a little bit of help here: in either convincing Ubuntu to recognise the monitor, or to force Ubuntu to change the resolution. Since I'm running this as an external monitor, and the internal LCD screen works perfectly, I'm concerned about breaking the internal LCD support with display reconfiguration as well.

Best Answer

From a Google+ discussion from Dean Wallace:

xrandr -q gives you list of modes and displays. The Sony is connected to VGA1 on my setup.

cvt 1360 768 outputs this

# 1360x768 59.80 Hz (CVT) hsync: 47.72 kHz; pclk: 84.75 MHz
Modeline "1360x768_60.00"   84.75  1360 1432 1568 1776  768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync

copy everything AFTER Modeline and paste to xrandr:

xrandr --newmode "1360x768_60.00"   84.75  1360 1432 1568 1776  768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1360x768_60.00
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1360x768_60.00

now that should adjust your resolution, look in the monitors applet in system prefs, should be there, set it and apply... if it doesnt keep after a reboot then add the commands to .xprofile in your home folder. so add

xrandr --newmode "1360x768_60.00"   84.75  1360 1432 1568 1776  768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1360x768_60.00
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1360x768_60.00

save/quit/reboot

(I have yet to save these for a reboot)

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