Installing new monitor

[craigni]

Hello Fedora gurus, I'm somewhat of a newbie to Fedora, and was massively impressed with anaconda in that it found all of my hardware in the install. I just replaced my daughter's monitor with an LCD one, and am thinking of finally giving up my old friend the Sony Multiscan (the Fedora install happily found and installed, specific model and all,) and getting an LCD monitor. I'll keep my current graphics card, which is much newer.

Question: will Fedora simply recognize the new monitor when I plug it in, or will I need to tinker to install it? And if I need to tinker, can anyone offer advice or point me in the direction of how to do the install?

Many TIA,
Craig

[VictorienSardou]

from the command line, # system-config-display brings up a dialog box which allows configuration of the monitor and graphics card.
probably FC6 will have more of the newer monitors configured than FC5.
how easy it is also depends on whether you have the ATI or Nvidia proprietary drivers installed.

[craigni]

Thanks--ultimately I discovered the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file, and entered my new monitor's specs there. Wow, that was easy. I never cease to be amazed at how configurable linux is. And to think that every kid in Libya (and who knows which countries afterwards) is about to get a wireless laptop with linux as the OS...

Anyway, there's a great section on configuring the monitor in Stanton Finley's install instructions at http://www.stanton-finley.net/fedora...ion_notes.html

I then installed a bunch of fonts ala the unofficial fedora faq instructions
http://www.fedorafaq.org/#installfonts

and set subpixel rendering with gnome-font-properties. WOW.
Craig

[StefanJ]

I've been using a mediocre CTX 1520 ES monitor with my MythTV box. I plug it in when I need to do extensive work . . . the TV is even blurrier!

I recently found, left out by the dumpsters, a spiffy Sony M3780 (I believe . . . working from memory here!)

I used it to install Fedora on the Dell PC that had also been left out for trash. They worked fine with each other and I was able to set it to 1024 x 768. A pleasure to work with such a nice monitor!

Last weekend, I needed to update some packages on my MythTV box. I plugged in the Sony monitor and let it rip. It didn't sync up right away, so I ran system-config-display to get the "dumb" display settings, started X, and used the Display GUI to specify the correct monitor. (It was on the list.)

The configuration "took," but for some reason X11 / KDE would only treat the monitor as though it were 800 x 600. The Nvidia display controller showed the monitor type as "@@@." It wouldn't let me change the resolution.

I ended up re-attaching the clunky CTX monitor. I finished my work and moved on.

But I'd like to know what went wrong. I'd like to donate the CTX monitor and be able to use the Sony. (I mean, how many spare monitors can I have around?) Could the frequency ranges that X's hardware db has for the monitor be incorrect?

Thanks

Stefan