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Trying Out The Modern Linux Desktops With 4 Monitors + AMD/NVIDIA Graphics

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  • Trying Out The Modern Linux Desktops With 4 Monitors + AMD/NVIDIA Graphics

    Phoronix: Trying Out The Modern Linux Desktops With 4 Monitors + AMD/NVIDIA Graphics

    As some recent non-performance testing of the AMD and NVIDIA graphics drivers on Linux, I checked in to see how well the various Linux desktop environments were working these days in multi-monitor setups. With the latest AMD Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards and drivers, I tried out Unity, GNOME Shell, Xfce, and (attempted) KDE Plasma 5 on Ubuntu 15.04 to check out the latest experience.

    Phoronix, Linux Hardware Reviews, Linux hardware benchmarks, Linux server benchmarks, Linux benchmarking, Desktop Linux, Linux performance, Open Source graphics, Linux How To, Ubuntu benchmarks, Ubuntu hardware, Phoronix Test Suite

  • #2
    Any strange arrangement issues with GNOME + GDM? For some reason, that combination likes to arrange my 3 monitors differently out-the-box compared to any other DE, BIOS, and Windows. Easily fixable via xorg.conf or just manually re-arranging them, but I still have yet to figure out why it even happens.

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    • #3
      4K

      I'd rather use one 50+ inch 4K/60 display (TV), than 4x1080p displays. Same physical size, but seamless and more flexible.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by macemoneta View Post
        I'd rather use one 50+ inch 4K/60 display (TV), than 4x1080p displays. Same physical size, but seamless and more flexible.
        I agree with seamless.. same size depends on what size you buy.. but would it not be less flexible, rather than more? As in, how can you configure your one 4K display to be 7680x1080 ? With a power saw ?

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        • #5
          Originally posted by macemoneta View Post
          I'd rather use one 50+ inch 4K/60 display (TV), than 4x1080p displays. Same physical size, but seamless and more flexible.
          Seamless. Yes. More flexible... er... what? Your 4k display allows precisely one arrangement.

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          • #6
            hdmi+vga+dvi didnt work

            I have a triple monitor setup with hdmi+vga+dvi monitors. I always get a monitor refusing to turn on with the proprietary drivers. Open source drivers work perfect. Dual monitor setup with any combination of my monitors works with proprietary drivers though. I think I?m jealous it works for you.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by DIRT View Post
              I have a triple monitor setup with hdmi+vga+dvi monitors. I always get a monitor refusing to turn on with the proprietary drivers. Open source drivers work perfect. Dual monitor setup with any combination of my monitors works with proprietary drivers though. I think I?m jealous it works for you.
              I've read about that exact problem here on this forum before. It was a while ago though. A forum search with google might help you find that thread. I don't recall how long ago it was. At least a year ago.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by duby229 View Post
                I've read about that exact problem here on this forum before. It was a while ago though. A forum search with google might help you find that thread. I don't recall how long ago it was. At least a year ago.
                I remember the AMD devs talking about it a year or two ago. IIRC (and i may not), it has to do with how the drivers handle PLL's for display management. If the card is given a situation that they can't support 'cleanly' (maybe some lag or maybe not at the same frequency or some other 'dirty' aspect of it) the closed source drivers say "Nope, sorry, not doing it." Meanwhile the open source drivers say "I'll do it, but you get to keep whatever I spit out."

                Again, that's me remembering from over a year ago, so take it with a giant grain of salt.
                All opinions are my own not those of my employer if you know who they are.

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                • #9
                  I've run 4 monitors for some time on Kubuntu with Nvidia and have had a couple of issues.

                  1. 1080P, 2. 1920x1200, 1. 4K monitor.
                  I started with a GTX 650 Ti and it worked perfect then I upgraded one monitor to 4K and I had to get a better GPU.
                  The GTX 970 is perfect for the job at 7680 x 3240
                  I had to use a 3.18 kernel to get audio out of HDMI output.

                  The setup can be done with both the KDE "Display and Monitor configuration" and the NVidia X server settings.
                  Prior to Kubuntu 14.04 I had to save the settings to the Xserver conf file.

                  One thing I haven't got a solution for is the audio on the HDMI port won't work if my receiver isn't turned on at boot.
                  Then Lightdm needs a restart and the audio works fine again .

                  I a bit concerned about 15.04 isn't working. I better give it a try.

                  I prefer 4 separate monitors over 1 big as I wearing glasses and the reading field is in the bottom of the glass so I'm sure I will get
                  neck pain .

                  Anybody tried with more than 4 monitors?

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by hhbt View Post
                    I've run 4 monitors for some time on Kubuntu with Nvidia and have had a couple of issues.

                    1. 1080P, 2. 1920x1200, 1. 4K monitor.
                    I started with a GTX 650 Ti and it worked perfect then I upgraded one monitor to 4K and I had to get a better GPU.
                    The GTX 970 is perfect for the job at 7680 x 3240
                    I had to use a 3.18 kernel to get audio out of HDMI output.

                    The setup can be done with both the KDE "Display and Monitor configuration" and the NVidia X server settings.
                    Prior to Kubuntu 14.04 I had to save the settings to the Xserver conf file.

                    One thing I haven't got a solution for is the audio on the HDMI port won't work if my receiver isn't turned on at boot.
                    Then Lightdm needs a restart and the audio works fine again .

                    I a bit concerned about 15.04 isn't working. I better give it a try.

                    I prefer 4 separate monitors over 1 big as I wearing glasses and the reading field is in the bottom of the glass so I'm sure I will get
                    neck pain .

                    Anybody tried with more than 4 monitors?
                    More than four monitors would probably require AMD Eyefinity / (Whatever Nvidia calls theirs) which goes over DisplayPort MultiStream Transport... which for the open source drivers just got merged for 4.0 or 4.1. Not sure how well the closed source drivers support MST on Linux, or whether or not the X Server would even accept it as a configuration.
                    All opinions are my own not those of my employer if you know who they are.

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