Acer AL1916W monitor cannot be configured using displayconfig-gtk

[andrewpmk]

I have an Acer AL1916W monitor with a maximum resolution of 1440x900 and an ATI Radeon X1600 video card.

I have installed the fglrx driver, and it appears to be working. The monitor is available in the list in the configuration window - it didn't appear on the live cd (presumably because it was added in a recent update). However, when I select it and click "Test", I either get a distorted screen (if I don't check the "widescreen" box) or an "Input not supported" error message (if I do check the "widescreen box"). The same problem occurs if I choose "Plug and Play" or "LCD Monitor 1440x900".

Output of "ddcprobe":

vbe: VESA 3.0 detected.
oem: ATI ATOMBIOS
vendor: (C) 1988-2005, ATI Technologies Inc.
product: RV530 01.00
memory: 16384kb
mode: 640x400x256
mode: 640x480x256
mode: 800x600x256
mode: 1024x768x256
mode: 1280x1024x256
mode: 132x25 (text)
mode: 132x43 (text)
mode: 640x480x32k
mode: 640x480x64k
mode: 640x480x16m
mode: 800x600x32k
mode: 800x600x64k
mode: 800x600x16m
mode: 1024x768x32k
mode: 1024x768x64k
mode: 1024x768x16m
mode: 1280x1024x32k
mode: 1280x1024x64k
mode: 1280x1024x16m
mode: 320x200x32k
mode: 320x200x64k
mode: 320x200x16m
mode: 1600x1200x256
mode: 1600x1200x32k
mode: 1600x1200x64k
edid:
edid: 1 3
id: ad52
eisa: ACRad52
serial: 62000fa0
manufacture: 20 2006
input: sync on green, analog signal.
screensize: 41 26
gamma: 2.200000
dpms: RGB, active off, no suspend, no standby
timing: 720x400@70 Hz (VGA 640x400, IBM)
timing: 720x400@88 Hz (XGA2)
timing: 640x480@60 Hz (VGA)
timing: 640x480@67 Hz (Mac II, Apple)
timing: 640x480@72 Hz (VESA)
timing: 640x480@75 Hz (VESA)
timing: 800x600@60 Hz (VESA)
timing: 800x600@72 Hz (VESA)
timing: 800x600@75 Hz (VESA)
timing: 832x624@75 Hz (Mac II)
timing: 1024x768@87 Hz Interlaced (8514A)
timing: 1024x768@70 Hz (VESA)
timing: 1024x768@75 Hz (VESA)
timing: 1280x1024@75 (VESA)
ctiming: 1280x1024@60
ctiming: 1280x960@60
ctiming: 1152x864@75
ctiming: 1440x1440@60
dtiming: 1440x900@69
monitorrange: 30-82, 56-76
monitorname: Acer AL1916W
monitorserial: ETL5209005

It is possible to get the monitor resolution working using "sudo dpkg-configure xserver-xorg", as is true with previous versions of Ubuntu.

[andrewpmk (andrewpmk)]

I am using Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy beta with the updates as of October 7.

[andrewpmk (andrewpmk)]

Still broken in Hardy (with Jan 25 updates). The monitor now appears in the list, but when I try to select it (whether widescreen is checked or not), the proper screen resolution does not display. Also, fglrx is broken and appears to have been disabled.

[Loye Young (loyeyoung)]

My company sells the Acer AL1917W, which I believe is the same as the AL1916W but with speakers.

I haven't read the code for displayconfig-gtk, so I can't give you code changes. However, I can give you the necessary changes to /etc/X11/xorg.conf for the Acer 1917W, and then give you a step-by-step to figure it out for other monitors. When you get the answer for your monitor, post it here so the developers can have the benefit of the specifics.

<strong>/etc/X11/xorg.conf settings for the Acer 1917W</strong>

Delete the "Monitor" section and replace with:
[code]
Section "Monitor"
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fd
 # Block type: 2:0 3:ff
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fc
 Identifier "AL1917W"
 VendorName "ACR"
 ModelName "AL1917W"
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fd
 HorizSync 31-84
 VertRefresh 56-76
 # Max dot clock (video bandwidth) 140 MHz
 # Block type: 2:0 3:ff
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fc
 # DPMS capabilities: Active off:yes Suspend:yes Standby:yes

 Mode "1440x900" # vfreq 60.070Hz, hfreq 55.625kHz
  DotClock 89.000000
  HTimings 1440 1488 1520 1600
  VTimings 900 903 909 926
  Flags "+HSync" "+VSync"
 EndMode
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fd
 # Block type: 2:0 3:ff
 # Block type: 2:0 3:fc
EndSection[/code]

In your Screens section , change the Monitor line to:
[code]
 Monitor "AL1917W"[/code]
If the Screens section has a Display subsection, remove that subsection.

Add the following subsection to the Screens section:
[code]
 SubSection "Display"
  Modes "1440x900"
 EndSubSection[/code]

<strong>General solution to finding the proper settings for any monitor</strong>

I don't know the settings for your monitor, but I can tell you how to figure it out. I'll first give you the steps and then show you the specifics.

Here are the steps:
Go to a terminal and become root.
Install some packages.
Test drive read-edid to ensure that the monitor and graphics card can report reliable results.
Update your xorg.conf file using read-edid.
Manually conform xorg.conf to your new settings.
Reboot.

Here are the specifics. Don't type the # or anything that follows on the same line:
[code]
sudo -s
Password:
# Type your password. You won't see anything change while you are typing. Just type on faith.
# Now you are root.

aptitude install read-edid fbset
# aptitude does its usual thing, possibly asking you questions that you should answer.

get-edid | parse-edid | less
# Read the output. It will tell you if you should not trust the answer.
# If it says you shouldn't, stop and find another solution.

# If all is well . . .
get-edid | parse-edid >> /etc/X11/xorg.conf

nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
[/code]

At the bottom of the file is your new Monitor section.
Make note of the Identifier and Mode settings. You will need
them for what follows. My Identifier is "AL1917W", and my
Mode is "1440x900" so they are what I will use. In your Screens
section, change the Monitor line to the Identifier code for
your monitor, to wit:
[code]
    Monitor "AL1917W"
[/code]

If the Screens section has a SubSection called Display, remove
the subsection. Add the following subsection to the Screens section:
[code]
    SubSection "Display"
        Modes "1440x900"
    EndSubSection
[/code]

Save the file and r...

[andrewpmk (andrewpmk)]

This seems to work OK in Ubuntu 8.10 (and I think 8.04 as well). This bug should probably be closed.