[Needs KMS] Automatically enable mirroring for projectors

Bug #359147 reported by Matthew Nuzum
2
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
gnome-settings-daemon (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Wishlist
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: xorg

Hello, I plugged my wife's computer (running Vista) into a projector and saw it automatically detect the projector and it's resolution then set the laptop's screen res to that resolution and enable mirroring. No interaction required. I definitely got jealous.

Right now when you plug in a projector to Ubuntu nothing visible happens. In recent releases things have improved greatly but we could do one step better.

I don't know if xorg can detect the difference between a projector and an external monitor, but assuming it can't tell, I can think of three use cases where someone plugs in:

  1. They want a second monitor to extend their desktop
  2. They are doing a presentation using a software package like OOo and they want different views on the computer and projector screens
  3. They are doing a presentation and want the same view (mirroring) on the computer and projector screens

So for most presentations either option #2 or #3 is equally suitable. If you plug in your projector and #3 happens automatically you will probably just go with it and be content. You saved some time and fiddling, and in the cases of meetings where there are multiple presenters (for example a user-group meeting) that extra minute of fiddling between presenters can be frustrating (30 sets of eyes staring at you trying to get your OS to work).

In those cases where you really wanted #1 or #2 and mirroring won't work you're no worse than you were with the current situation of having to go to the display settings program and extend your desktop onto the second screen. In fact, you're probably slightly better off with the mirroring because then you at least know things are working right away. (i.e. you get a visual confirmation when you plug the second monitor in)

Changed in xorg (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Wishlist
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Alberto Milone (albertomilone) wrote :

What you're asking hasn't been implemented yet. It involves using KMS (kernel mode setting) and sending events when a cable is plugged in (i.e. interrupt-driven hotplug). Currently these events exist but are sent only when you probe hardware manually (i.e. there's no auto probing). Furthermore, even when all this is implemented there will be a limitation because not all ports (e.g. some vga or tv ports) support hotplug.

Once interrupt-driven hotplug is implemented we'll be able to do what you say when we receive the event.

Bryce Harrington (bryce)
affects: xorg (Ubuntu) → xorg-server (Ubuntu)
summary: - Automatically enable mirroring for projectors
+ [Needs KMS] Automatically enable mirroring for projectors
Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Triaged
Changed in xorg-server (Ubuntu):
status: Triaged → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Chris Halse Rogers (raof) wrote :

I'm going to move this to the gnome-settings-daemon package. We've now got the input-hotplug events necessary to make this happen, and gnome-settings-daemon currently handles these by setting up the monitor as it was last set.

Detecting whether the plugged monitor is a projector, and changing the behaviour based on that determination, is a policy issue which is better implemented above the kernel level.

affects: xorg-server (Ubuntu) → gnome-settings-daemon (Ubuntu)
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