Unknown monitor, intel driver, want to set VGA resolution to widescreen TV
From a Google+ discussion from Dean Wallace:
xrandr -q gives you list of modes and displays. The Sony is connected to VGA1 on my setup.
cvt 1360 768
outputs this
# 1360x768 59.80 Hz (CVT) hsync: 47.72 kHz; pclk: 84.75 MHz
Modeline "1360x768_60.00" 84.75 1360 1432 1568 1776 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
copy everything AFTER Modeline and paste to xrandr:
xrandr --newmode "1360x768_60.00" 84.75 1360 1432 1568 1776 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1360x768_60.00
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1360x768_60.00
now that should adjust your resolution, look in the monitors applet in system prefs, should be there, set it and apply... if it doesnt keep after a reboot then add the commands to .xprofile in your home folder. so add
xrandr --newmode "1360x768_60.00" 84.75 1360 1432 1568 1776 768 771 781 798 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA1 1360x768_60.00
xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1360x768_60.00
save/quit/reboot
(I have yet to save these for a reboot)
I don't use multiple monitors, so I can't answer that part of your question. But maybe I can clarify the logic behind the xorg.conf configuration file.
From man xorg.conf:
Xorg supports several mechanisms for supplying/obtaining configuration and run-time parameters:
- command line options
- environment variables
- the xorg.conf and xorg.conf.d configuration files
- auto-detection
- fallback defaults.
When the same information is supplied in more than one way, the highest precedence mechanism is used. The list of mechanisms is ordered from highest precedence to lowest. Note that not all parameters can be supplied via all methods.
The X server is thus able to automatically detect the connected hardware. As far as I know this is the case for some time. If the auto-detection fails you can do the configuration manually, by creating a configuration file. There are several locations where you can store the configuration file. The locations are listed in the man page of xorg.conf. The default location on Ubuntu is /etc/X11/xorg.conf. If you create a configuration file, then you don't have to configure everything manually. Instead you must only configure the parts where the automatic detection fails.