Multi-monitor problem A12-pro

[droidhacker]

Ok, so situation is this; HP laptop with a docking station.
model name : AMD PRO A12-8800B R7, 12 Compute Cores 4C+8G

There is, obviously, a built in display, eDP-1
There are TWO DP plugs on the docking station, ONE DP plug accessible on the side of the machine, ONE VGA plug on the docking station, ONE VGA plug on the side of the machine.

If I plug in two DP monitors to the docking station, they end up being mirrors of each other, and xrandr only sees them as one. The second code block below is of this situation.

If I plug a VGA into the docking station, it is seen as DP-1. Problem is that it only lights up random pick 2 of 3 displays. Could be both externals, or one of the externals and the internal, but never all three, and it seems to be entirely random which display is off and which ones are on.

If I plug anything into the side of the laptop, it isn't recognized at all, probably on switches.

I don't know if HP wired this thing right. They're idiots.

Distro is Fedora 24 alpha.
I basically just want this thing to work.

$ dmesg | grep drm
[    2.038622] [drm] Initialized drm 1.1.0 20060810
[    2.156075] [drm] amdgpu kernel modesetting enabled.
[    2.172472] fb: switching to amdgpudrmfb from EFI VGA
[    2.173264] [drm] initializing kernel modesetting (CARRIZO 0x1002:0x9874 0x103C:0x807E 0xC4).
[    2.173293] [drm] register mmio base: 0xD0D00000
[    2.173294] [drm] register mmio size: 262144
[    2.173304] [drm] doorbell mmio base: 0xD0000000
[    2.173305] [drm] doorbell mmio size: 8388608
[    2.173654] [drm] Detected VRAM RAM=512M, BAR=256M
[    2.173656] [drm] RAM width 64bits DDR
[    2.173836] [drm] amdgpu: 512M of VRAM memory ready
[    2.173840] [drm] amdgpu: 1024M of GTT memory ready.
[    2.173862] [drm] GART: num cpu pages 262144, num gpu pages 262144
[    2.179003] [drm] PCIE GART of 1024M enabled (table at 0x0000000000040000).
[    2.179047] [drm] Supports vblank timestamp caching Rev 2 (21.10.2013).
[    2.179048] [drm] Driver supports precise vblank timestamp query.
[    2.179160] [drm] amdgpu: irq initialized.
[    2.179171] [drm] amdgpu: dpm initialized
[    2.184521] [drm] amdgpu atom DIG backlight initialized
[    2.184526] [drm] AMDGPU Display Connectors
[    2.184528] [drm] Connector 0:
[    2.184529] [drm]   eDP-1
[    2.184531] [drm]   HPD1
[    2.184533] [drm]   DDC: 0x4868 0x4868 0x4869 0x4869 0x486a 0x486a 0x486b 0x486b
[    2.184534] [drm]   Encoders:
[    2.184536] [drm]     LCD1: INTERNAL_UNIPHY
[    2.184537] [drm] Connector 1:
[    2.184538] [drm]   DP-1
[    2.184539] [drm]   HPD2
[    2.184540] [drm]   DDC: 0x486c 0x486c 0x486d 0x486d 0x486e 0x486e 0x486f 0x486f
[    2.184541] [drm]   Encoders:
[    2.184542] [drm]     DFP1: INTERNAL_UNIPHY
[    2.184543] [drm] Connector 2:
[    2.184544] [drm]   DP-2
[    2.184545] [drm]   HPD3
[    2.184547] [drm]   DDC: 0x4870 0x4870 0x4871 0x4871 0x4872 0x4872 0x4873 0x4873
[    2.184548] [drm]   Encoders:
[    2.184549] [drm]     DFP2: INTERNAL_UNIPHY1
[    2.187832] [drm] Found UVD firmware Version: 1.64 Family ID: 11
[    2.189117] [drm] Found VCE firmware Version: 50.17 Binary ID: 3
[    2.194908] [drm] ring test on 0 succeeded in 8 usecs
[    2.195121] [drm] ring test on 1 succeeded in 16 usecs
[    2.195158] [drm] ring test on 2 succeeded in 17 usecs
[    2.195165] [drm] ring test on 3 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195172] [drm] ring test on 4 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195179] [drm] ring test on 5 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195185] [drm] ring test on 6 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195192] [drm] ring test on 7 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195198] [drm] ring test on 8 succeeded in 2 usecs
[    2.195228] [drm] ring test on 9 succeeded in 4 usecs
[    2.195244] [drm] ring test on 10 succeeded in 4 usecs
[    2.221269] [drm] ring test on 11 succeeded in 1 usecs
[    2.221273] [drm] UVD initialized successfully.
[    2.441476] [drm] ring test on 12 succeeded in 16 usecs
[    2.441487] [drm] ring test on 13 succeeded in 3 usecs
[    2.441488] [drm] VCE initialized successfully.
[    3.089330] [drm] fb mappable at 0xC059B000
[    3.089334] [drm] vram apper at 0xC0000000
[    3.089335] [drm] size 8294400
[    3.089336] [drm] fb depth is 24
[    3.089337] [drm]    pitch is 7680
[    3.089415] fbcon: amdgpudrmfb (fb0) is primary device
[    5.710870] amdgpu 0000:00:01.0: fb0: amdgpudrmfb frame buffer device
[    5.714547] [drm] ib test on ring 0 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714694] [drm] ib test on ring 1 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714741] [drm] ib test on ring 2 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714788] [drm] ib test on ring 3 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714841] [drm] ib test on ring 4 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714889] [drm] ib test on ring 5 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.714986] [drm] ib test on ring 6 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.715015] [drm] ib test on ring 7 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.715044] [drm] ib test on ring 8 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.715078] [drm] ib test on ring 9 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.715106] [drm] ib test on ring 10 succeeded in 0 usecs
[    5.715481] [drm] ib test on ring 11 succeeded
[    5.715550] [drm] ib test on ring 12 succeeded
[    5.720672] [drm] Initialized amdgpu 3.1.0 20150101 for 0000:00:01.0 on minor 0
[    7.174820] Modules linked in: i2c_designware_platform(+) i2c_designware_core hp_wireless(+) tpm nfsd auth_rpcgss nfs_acl lockd grace sunrpc amdkfd amd_iommu_v2 amdgpu rtsx_pci_sdmmc mmc_core crc32c_intel 8021q garp stp llc i2c_algo_bit mrp drm_kms_helper ttm serio_raw tg3 drm rtsx_pci ptp pps_core wmi fjes video i2c_hid

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 2160, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+1080 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 344mm x 193mm
   1920x1080     60.01*+  40.01  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98    59.98  
   1280x1024     59.89    60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00    59.94  
   1280x854      59.89  
   1280x800      59.81  
   1280x720      59.86  
   1152x768      59.78  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00    59.92  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    59.86    56.25  
   848x480       59.66  
   700x525       59.98  
   720x480       59.71  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    59.94    59.38  
   512x384       60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05  
DP-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+
   3840x1080     60.00  
   2560x1024     60.00  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.04    70.07    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       70.00    65.00    60.00    60.32    56.25  
   700x525       59.98  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    60.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
   512x384       70.07    60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05

[bridgman]

If the laptop is not docked do the VGA and DP ports on the laptop work ?

With the caveat that my knowledge here is low-quality and years old, for the docking station I would have expected the two DP ports to be wired to DP1 and DP2 respectively, and VGA to take one of the DP ports (so you could have 1 VGA + 1 DP or 2xDP) and for the laptop they could have used separate chip connections (if we have them) or the same as the docking station (if we don't).

So assuming the chip only has enough display outputs for 2 external displays (I don't know this) then the only thing that sounds wrong is the two DP connectors both being wired to DP2.

I know this will sound trite but very occasionally the person writing the manual understands the technology really well, so it's actually worth checking the manuals even if the last 10 manuals have been a waste of paper. Every so often I get surprised.

[droidhacker]

If I disconnect from the docking station, the behavior is the same as with the docking station, except that obviously the machine only has one DP plug on its side.

So one of the externals connected via DP is "DP-2", one external connected via VGA is "DP-1", and I get the same random 2 out of 3 displays light up (between those and the built in eDP-1). If I could get them to all light up, then I really don't care if I'm using a VGA plug instead of a DP on one of them.

The fact that the DRM driver sees 3 connectors (eDP-1, DP-1, and DP-2) tells me that I should be able to light them all up.

[droidhacker]

A little bit more info;
With the two externals connected via DP + VGA, the "monitor preferences" program (I'm running Fedora-Mate) indicates three monitors present, but with one of the monitors (currently DP-1) switched off. If I try to switch it on, it waits for a little bit, but nothing happens.

xrandr shows this;

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1920 x 2160, maximum 16384 x 16384
eDP-1 connected primary 1920x1080+0+1080 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 344mm x 193mm
   1920x1080     60.01*+  40.01  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98    59.98  
   1280x1024     59.89    60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00    59.94  
   1280x854      59.89  
   1280x800      59.81  
   1280x720      59.86  
   1152x768      59.78  
   1024x768      60.04    60.00    59.92  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       60.00    60.32    59.86    56.25  
   848x480       59.66  
   700x525       59.98  
   720x480       59.71  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    59.94    59.38  
   512x384       60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05  
DP-1 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1920x1080     60.00 +
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.04    70.07    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       70.00    65.00    60.00    60.32    56.25  
   700x525       59.98  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    60.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
   512x384       70.07    60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05  
DP-2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 477mm x 268mm
   1920x1080     60.00*+
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.04    70.07    60.00  
   960x720       60.00  
   928x696       60.05  
   896x672       60.01  
   800x600       70.00    65.00    60.00    60.32    56.25  
   700x525       59.98  
   640x512       60.02  
   640x480       60.00    60.00    59.94  
   720x400       70.08  
   512x384       70.07    60.00  
   400x300       60.32    56.34  
   320x240       60.05

Trying to switch it on with xrandr gives this;

$ xrandr -d :0 --output DP-1 --auto
xrandr: cannot find crtc for output DP-1

With this, I am able to manipulate which 2 out of 3 monitors light up;

$ xrandr -d :0 --output eDP-1 --off
$ xrandr -d :0 --output DP-1 --auto

But while I'm now able to switch it from the laptop display to both of the externals, it really isn't ideal to be stuck with just 2.

[droidhacker]

And still more... looks like the docking station is DP1.2, which means that it may be wired up as a hub.
DP1.2 supposedly supports multiple monitors per plug using hubs or daisychaining.

I know that the APU supports DP1.2, but how about the driver? I think that if the driver does NOT support DP1.2 (fully/properly), that would explain when the two externals are mirrors when both hooked up to DP.

If I am reading the feature matrix correctly, I think this APU should be able to drive up to **seven** displays.
http://xorg.freedesktop.org/wiki/Rad...ture/#index7h2


I just know I'm in a bad situation here...
modinfo radeon shows mst as experimental. I bet it hasn't been added to amdgpu yet....

[droidhacker]

Anybody? Still around bridgman?

Another observation; if I boot it up with all the monitors connected and enabled (at the kernel) on eDP-1, DP-1 (VGA), and DP-2 (DP), I get an out of control kworker thread, sucking up an entire core, and making the whole machine run dead slow. If I boot it with one of the connectors disabled (video=eDP-1:d) then everything looks normal, except obviously, for the missing display output.

[droidhacker]

Holy crap, I got it working.
Its not perfect, but it is *adequate*.
Plugged both monitors into the DP ports on the docking station -- i.e., both of them are connected to DP-2.
If I set the resolution to 1920x1080, I get mirrored displays.
If I set the resolution to 3840x1080, I get a massive "single" display spanning both monitors.
This is adequate because the space is all usable.
This is not perfect because if I maximize any window, it ends up covering both of them.

There is still some kind of bug affecting the use of DP-1 simultaneous with eDP-1 and DP-2.