Is NVIDIA ever going to fix the xinerama + composite problems?

[RazZziel]

Looks like this issue is very secondary for the x.org people
It was proposed as a Google Summer of Code project (http://xorg.freedesktop.org/wiki/SummerOfCodeIdeas) but nobody got it this year.

[hvengel]

I suspect that the reason that this is low on XOrgs list is because the open source commumity is in the process of transitioning away from xinerama to xrandr 1.2 and eventually xinerama will go away. It is also my understanding that the composit specific issues with xinermama are fairly significant at the architectural level and will not be easy to solve. So it comes down to how you use the resources that are available. We can either get composit/xinerama and have full featured xrandr 1.2 delayed or we can get full featured xrandr 1.2 sooner. Because xinermama is now legacy XOrg is focusing on moving xrandr 1.2 forward.

Of course this sort of begs the real question. When will the nvidia driver have xrandr 1.2 support? Most of the open source drivers have at least some xrandr 1.2 support (even the nouvea and nv drivers) and this is rapidly maturing but we have yet to see anything in this area from nvidia even though they said that this was on their list of thing to do over a year ago.

[AaronP]

Originally Posted by hvengel

I suspect that the reason that this is low on XOrgs list is because the open source commumity is in the process of transitioning away from xinerama to xrandr 1.2 and eventually xinerama will go away.

This is a common misconception. RandR 1.2 does not provide a replacement for Xinerama because it doesn't bind multiple X screens together into a single screen at the protocol level like the server's Xinerama implementation does. What it does do is provide so-called "Fakerama" information to clients about where the display devices are, similar to the how the NVIDIA driver provides information about TwinView displays. Just like TwinView, it currently requires a single GPU with a single framebuffer. For the most part, you can think of RandR 1.2 as being equivalent to TwinView.

There's been some brainstorming about how to tie multiple screens together in a Xinerama-like way with RandR, but nobody's made any concrete plans.

[irishdunn]

As another user mentioned earlier, is there any way to expand the functionality of twinview to handle more than one card at a time?

[AaronP]

Originally Posted by irishdunn

As another user mentioned earlier, is there any way to expand the functionality of twinview to handle more than one card at a time?

Yes: http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro_...saic_mode.html

[JaXXoN]

Originally Posted by AaronP

Yes: http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro_...saic_mode.html

MEEEEEEP! Wrong Answer!

FT URL:

# Operating System support
    * Windows XP, Linux at Beta Launch
    * 32bit and 64bit

SCNR *g*

EDIT: OK, i guess it is a little bit nitpicking that the linux support is beta at launch
time, only :-)

Bernhard

[hvengel]

Originally Posted by AaronP

For the most part, you can think of RandR 1.2 as being equivalent to TwinView..

The operative phrase is "For the most part." There are things that XRandR 1.2 can do that TwinView can not. For example, it is possible to use a dual monitor XRandR 1.2 machine for color critical work because it supports separate video card gamma tables for each connected monitor and TwinView does not.

[jda10487]

I know this is an old thread but...

I've been looking for a solution to this for years.. I'm contemplating purchasing a Mac Pro (*shudders*) just to be able to get a Unix-based solution that can support >2 monitors elegantly.

I began to realize that I was considering purchasing a significantly overpriced machine and it occurred to me that with that money I could sponsor a bounty on just getting this issue resolved in Linux.

I'd be more than happy to put down a few hundred dollars towards getting this problem solved. I couldn't find any help on the xorg IRC; where else should I be asking for something like this?

[JaXXoN]

Originally Posted by jda10487

I'm contemplating purchasing a Mac Pro (*shudders*) just to be able to get a Unix-based solution that can support >2 monitors elegantly.

How many displays at which resolution do you intend to use?

You can very well operate up to four 1920x1200 LCDs or six 1680x1050 LCDs
with a single GPU when using a video splitter box. For details, please check:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=106517
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=126134
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=127402

regards

Bernhard

[JaXXoN]

Originally Posted by jda10487

I couldn't find any help on the xorg IRC; where else should I be asking for something like this?

I couldn't even find anybody who could state specifically what the actual problem
is! The situation didn't changed for a couple of years and unless somebody is willing
to dive deep into the Xinerama and Composite code to fix it, i fear nothing will happen
for the next couple of years :-)

So if you want to spend money, then i suggest purchasing those TH2G splitter boxes
in order to get a solution today rather then hoping somebody may fix this problem
in some far distant future :-)

regards

Bernhard

[jda10487]

Sad day.

I worry about screen maximization, etc. with a splitter.

Also, I just looked through their products and it doesn't look like it will work. (Hate to complain about this, but...) I have a 30" monitor at 2560 width. Won't be able to fit the other two on the sides with a max horizontal resolution of 3840.

I'm not in a huge rush; I could wait a few months and I figure it would be more helpful to get the problem solved. I just need to find someone who knows the code and is interested in making a few hundred, I think..

And I'm using three monitors (from left to right):
22" rotated vertically: 1050x1680
30": 2560x1600
22" rotated vertically: 1050x1680

[JaXXoN]

Originally Posted by jda10487

I worry about screen maximization, etc. with a splitter.

That's not an issue: the nvidia xinerama extension can provide proper
information using the "TwinViewXineramaInfoOverride" option in xorg.conf.

Originally Posted by jda10487

Won't be able to fit the other two on the sides with a max horizontal resolution of 3840.

Just for the sake of completeness, the TH2G can do up to 5040x1050.

Originally Posted by jda10487

I'm not in a huge rush; I could wait a few months and I figure it would be more helpful to get the problem solved. I just need to find someone who knows the code and is interested in making a few hundred, I think..

I guess the best bet would be to ask at the xorg mailing list.

Originally Posted by jda10487

And I'm using three monitors (from left to right):
22" rotated vertically: 1050x1680
30": 2560x1600
22" rotated vertically: 1050x1680

Ok, then the TH2G definitely won't do it for you.

regards

Bernhard