Ubuntu, HTPC's and HD TV's

PDD

Hi Folks,

I was wondering how many people here are running Ubuntu (or other linux variant) on their HTPC which is connected to a HD TV. How was your experience in setting this up? Does anyone know of half decent definitive guide for how to configure NVidia that is suitable for a n00b.

I have been trying to get Ubuntu running for my HTPC now for a few weeks and Im pretty close to the end of my tether. Most of my frustration comes from Nvidia configuration which I have yet to get right. It is maxed out at 1024 and I cannot get the resolution any higher as Ubuntu fails to detect my HD TV (Panasonic Viera TXL32X10L) so it knows nothing about higher resolutions being available.

From what little I can understand in the numberous articles and posts I've read in relation to this it is all about the xorg.conf file and having to manually edit and insert modelines for the TV. Am I right or am I way off the mark?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, I was really looking forward to running my HTPC with Ubuntu (not to mention winning bets with two mates who are Windows/Apple evangelists).

Dave

Stuxnet

are ya using barebones ubuntu, there are ubuntu distros designed and configured for what your trying to do !

http://www.elementmypc.com/main/index.php --built on ubuntu

http://www.mythbuntu.org/

KAGY

PDD wrote: »

Hi Folks,

I was wondering how many people here are running Ubuntu (or other linux variant) on their HTPC which is connected to a HD TV. How was your experience in setting this up? Does anyone know of half decent definitive guide for how to configure NVidia that is suitable for a n00b.

I have been trying to get Ubuntu running for my HTPC now for a few weeks and Im pretty close to the end of my tether. Most of my frustration comes from Nvidia configuration which I have yet to get right. It is maxed out at 1024 and I cannot get the resolution any higher as Ubuntu fails to detect my HD TV (Panasonic Viera TXL32X10L) so it knows nothing about higher resolutions being available.

From what little I can understand in the numberous articles and posts I've read in relation to this it is all about the xorg.conf file and having to manually edit and insert modelines for the TV. Am I right or am I way off the mark?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated, I was really looking forward to running my HTPC with Ubuntu (not to mention winning bets with two mates who are Windows/Apple evangelists).

Dave

What way are you connecting, VGA cable or HDMI, I've a similar panasonic (tho not full HD) IIRC correctly it behaved differently when I connected via one or the other. Ubuntu has changed to RandR for managing the displays, something else to google for. Can't be much more help because it worked out of the box for me (Xubuntu with a Myth frontend and ATI graphics).

slowlydownwards

Are you using bundled open source nv drivers? Proprietary NVidia drivers seem to much better and allow for easy config via GUI.

Grudaire

slowlydownwards wrote: »

Are you using bundled open source nv drivers? Proprietary NVidia drivers seem to much better and allow for easy config via GUI.

I believe a prob has cropped up with the proprietary nvidia drivers

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/104957

I'm trying to do the same in Linux Mint Debian using a VGA cable and I'm having no joy. :mad:

Jonathan

I have an AppleTV 1.0 running Ubuntu Hardy server and XBMC.

I ran into trouble with audio over HDMI when I tried a Lucid build. Something to do with the NVidia drivers. It required an old version which would only compile against Hardy. I can't remember exactly what the issue was now.

Naikon

slowlydownwards wrote: »

Are you using bundled open source nv drivers? Proprietary NVidia drivers seem to much better and allow for easy config via GUI.

From what I have seen in the latest releases of Ubuntu/Fedora, KMS enabled drivers are far less hassle than dealing with the blob and it's quirks. Once performance is sorted out(gallium 3D is progressing rapidly) I think alot of people will reconsider binary drivers once and for all. It's the last big shackle on what should be a 100% free kernel.