External monitor on with panel off causes screen distortion

[Jamu Kakar]

Binary package hint: xrandr

I'm using a rev2 Macbook with Ubuntu hardy. Until now I've been
successfully using these commands to run my external monitor as the
main display while having the laptop panel powered off.

xrandr --output LVDS --auto
xrandr --output LVDS --same-as TMDS-1
xrandr --output TMDS-1 --same-as LVDS
xrandr --output TMDS-1 --mode 1920x1200
xrandr --output LVDS --off

The external monitor on TMDS-1 is a Dell 2407FPW LCD panel with a
resolution of 1920x1200. When I run the commands above it initializes
but is unusable because of distortion. The desktop is displayed but
all lines in the image are shifting horizontally at random. The
desktop is still usable, though I'm blindly using the keyboard and
mouse, while this is happening.

If I press the button that switches from external display to laptop
panel the distortion stops when the image shown on the external
monitor is mirrored on the laptop panel. The laptop panel, at a
resolution of 1280x800, displays on a portion of the image displayed
on the external monitor.

Is there a way to make this distortion stop?

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

You didn't tell what driver you use. Please attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log

[James Li (lijamez)]

I seem to have the same problem with a Samsung SyncMaster 225BW on a Macbook2,1. To be sure, I've posted a video of the problem here http://youtube.com/watch?v=H0fIacaO-_U and attached my /var/log/Xorg.0.log

[Jayson Rowe (jayson.rowe)]

Since it's been a very long time since any additional info was added to this bug, I'm just checking to see if this is still an issue, and find out what additional work should be done on this bug.

[veiho (veiho)]

I can confirm exacltly same bug for Ubuntu 7.10, 8.04 and 8.10. It's been very annoying bug. For 7.10 it helped when some movie was playing while switching LVDS off, then external display didn't get distorted. But for Hardy and Intrepid, there is no way I can avoid it. And since last Intrepid update it's even worse, because now background light of LVDS cant be turned completely blank.
I have Macbook 2.1, using intel driver.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

We're closing this bug since it is has been some time with no response from the original reporter (and neither me-too'er provided any details on their own issue sufficient to begin troubleshooting). However, if the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. Also, if you could, please test against the latest development version of Ubuntu, since this confirms the bug is one we may be able to pass upstream for help.

[veiho (veiho)]

Please open it again. Tested with current Jaunty. Same symptoms. I'm currently writing this description with LVDS turned off and glxgears running, when I close glxgears, my external monitor (TMDS-1) becomes unreadable because of distortion described previously.

Also, after logging in after boot, I'm unable to get picture on external monitor. Only after switching to text terminal and back, I can see desktop.

[veiho (veiho)]

Output of dmidecode

[veiho (veiho)]

I did some more tests.
While glxgears running, closed all programs and logged off. After logging in, I did not have to switch to text terminal to get picture on external monitor, but the picture was distrorter. I opened (alt+f2) glxgears and distortion stopped immediately. While glxgears running, I opened some xvid movie with mplayer (-vo xv) and then closed glxgears. Picture stayed normal, no distortion even when I stopped movie, but did not close mplayer, the picture stays normal, no distortion.

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Thanks for indicating this is still a problem, however I have to re-close it because we need the info from the primary reporter, and Jamu still has not responded.

If others are seeing similar problems when using the -intel driver on current Jaunty, please file a new report using this command:

  ubuntu-bug xserver-xorg-video-intel

Upstream has a one-person-one-issue requirement, so we can't address the issue without data from the primary reporter, and thus if this is an issue we need complete data from someone who can act as primary reporter.

[Jamu Kakar (jkakar)]

I have a new machine (a Thinkpad) where I cannot reproduce the
issue. The Macbook that had the issue no longer has Ubuntu
installed on it, so I can't easily retest it.

[Massimo D. (dantoni)]

 Just upgraded to Intrepid and I have the same problem.
When I turn off the internal monitor on my Macbook 2,1 the external one becomes unreadable.
It does not happen when glxgears is running.