Use VGA connector on FreeBSD

[Eric Anderson]

Pierre-Luc Drouin wrote:
> Arnt Gulbrandsen wrote:
> 
>> Pierre-Luc Drouin writes:
>>
>>> I would like to buy a laptop and I would like to know if this is 
>>> usually possible to use the external VGA connector on FreeBSD.
>>
>>
>>
>> It is. That's not OS-dependent.
>>
>> FreeBSD probably cannot switch output destination, but the magic key 
>> on the keyboard can (Fn-F10 on my laptop).
>>
>> Arnt
>>
> ok thanks. I had heard of some people unable to use projectors with 
> Linux (while it worked on Windows) so I thought it could depend on the 
> OS. I had also read that we have to edit de X config file and add the 
> configuration parameters for the external monitor/projector so I thought 
> the X11 driver had something to do with it.

You can have multiple x.org (or XFree86) config files, and then load the 
appropriate one when you start X.  I believe you can also have one 
config file, and have two setups in it for screens, and then choose 
which one to use when you start X.  People use that feature for dual 
screen capabilities.

I have a Dell D610, and I have used the external VGA a few times.  You 
can set a different resolution for it too if you want.

Also - the acpi_video module does allow you to turn on/off the different 
video ports it finds.  Mine sees all three (VGA, LCD, Svideo).

Eric



-- 
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Eric Anderson        Sr. Systems Administrator        Centaur Technology
A lost ounce of gold may be found, a lost moment of time never.
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