panorama not remembering monotor resolution

[ivan]

I have a very annoying problem.  If I boot the computer without the monitor being on panorama reverts to something like 640 x 480 which is stupid on my 1920 x 1200 28 inch monitor. 
Is there a way to make panorama remember the monitor resolution?  I have no problems like this with Linux on the same monitor via a kvm switch.

[Paul Smedley]

Following, as I have this with a Thinkcentre I have upstairs, although in my case it reverts to 1024x768 - which is tolerable via VNC - but I'd prefer something higher res...

[Dave Yeo]

Perhaps setting a Custom Resolution in the Screen object under Custom Resolutions? I had to do that at one point as my monitor was slightly broken.

[Lars]

I have a very annoying problem.  If I boot the computer without the monitor being on panorama reverts to something like 640 x 480 which is stupid on my 1920 x 1200 28 inch monitor. 
Is there a way to make panorama remember the monitor resolution?  I have no problems like this with Linux on the same monitor via a kvm switch.

Same happens for me. I doubt that there is an easy way to circumvent that.

[Neil Waldhauer]

For monitors that implement EDID, it should be working. For the rest, I think you can use panoutil -P (x) (y).

Also, there is panoutil -e... to set custom EDID. It works on my monitor, so I can't really test this.

[ivan]

So you are implying that those settings will work when the computer boots even with the monitor disconnected via a KVM switch - that has NOT been my experience, sorry.

[Neil Waldhauer]

Maybe your KVM doesn't adequately supply EDID? I think I did not imply that it did.

[ivan]

Sorry, I fail to see just how the monitor can communicate with the computer when it is disconnected before and during boot.  Just how does the monitor send EDID when, to all intents it is disconnected which is what I am talking about?

There are no problems if the monitor is powered on when the computer boots.  It is when it is powered off that the problem occurs.

[Neil Waldhauer]

Well, ideally, the KVM sends EDID back to the computer, even if the computer is not selected for display.

There is manual resolution on the screen applet, but that does not work on all computers, mine included.

[Doug Bissett]

I have a very annoying problem.  If I boot the computer without the monitor being on panorama reverts to something like 640 x 480 which is stupid on my 1920 x 1200 28 inch monitor. 
Is there a way to make panorama remember the monitor resolution?  I have no problems like this with Linux on the same monitor via a kvm switch.

I think we need a bit more information:
What are the video adapters?
What is the KVM switch?
What is the monitor?
When you say "without the monitor being on", is it unplugged? Just sleeping? Switch off, but still plugged in? All but unplugged often returns things like EDID information, but not always.

I tried turning the monitor switch off, on my old DELL system, then turned the computer on. I pressed <enter> (for Air Boot) with the screen off. The machine booted, so I tuned the monitor power on. It was in the selected 1280x1024 mode. The monitor did take a second, or so, to figure it out, but then it worked normally.

My video adapter seems to be something that DELL invented.
The KVM switch is a Compucessory 2-Port PS2 KVM switch Model 10353. I got it a number of years ago for $5 CAD. It was in the surplus bin.
I am using a HPf1905b monitor.

Some thoughts:
Do you have the problem if you plug the monitor directly to the computer (no switch)?
What setting did you select in System Setup-> Screen-> Screen, left side under resolutions? Mine is set for the desired 1280x1024 resolution.

[Andi B.]

Sorry, I fail to see just how the monitor can communicate with the computer when it is disconnected before and during boot.  Just how does the monitor send EDID when, to all intents it is disconnected which is what I am talking about?

There are no problems if the monitor is powered on when the computer boots.  It is when it is powered off that the problem occurs.

As Doug says it depends on different things. EDID can be read even when a monitor is switched off. It does not matter if stdby or really off (power switch or putting out the power cord completely). For DVI and HDMI it's mandatory that the source (the computer) delivers power to the destination (monitor) which is exactly used for this situation. Reading EDID even when a monitor is switched off. Of course this can't work if the monitor is disconnected (DVI or HDMI cable unplugged).

Unfortunately this situation changed with the invention of Display Port. Beside being a big fan of DP in general, reading EDID now is more problematic. Although there is also specified a power output on all DP connectors it is not intended for reading EDID. These 3.3V (instead the 5V) are also NOT connected on cables conforming DP (VESA) standard. So I see now way how fully switched off monitors connected via DP are able to put back EDID information to the computer. In this case usually the BIOS falls back to 'save' values and may report only low resolutions.

Of course situation is even more complicated when you put some other stuff (KVM, adapters to different interfaces) between computer and monitor. Then it depends on that stuff to report something useful.

Other OSes which have dedicated video drivers do not suffer so much from all these problems as they can read EDID during operation and react appropriately. But we (Panorama) rely on what the BIOS finds at boot up.

[ivan]

HiDoug,

The video is built into the AMD A8 and Ryzen processors and the electronics on the mother boards only act as passthrough and formatting for the HDMI output to the monitor (Hanns-G HH281).
The KVM switch is a 4 port 4K HD (TCNEWCL HDS 4P).
When I said the monitor wasn't on maybe I should have said when it was switched to another computer.

Hi Andi,

You might have hit the nail on the head - I assume what you said about the DP also applies to the HDMI port.

[Andi B.]

I assume what you said about the DP also applies to the HDMI port

No. HDMI is based on DVI and does have a +5V power supply too (although it only deliveres 50mA instead 500mA AFAIR). I always had the impression, that this +5V is used for the EEPROM in the monitor which delivers EDID (same as it was with DVI and RGB/VGA interface). But honestly I never was much interested in HDMI raped for computer use.

In your case ideally the KVM should take over the task of delivering matching EDID data to the computer. Theoretically a KVM can do this even when the monitor is switched to another computer cause the monitor is attached to the KVM and so the KVM can 'know' the monitors EDID information. But it needs some intelligence in the KVM. A simple multiplexer can't do that. I also don't know if KVM manufactures do this in this way or only the high prices ones or ....? I'm not sing KVMs.

The other option would be forcing video output resolution regardless what monitor (if any) is connected. This was the usual way until more than 15 years ago. Anyone remember how often we need 'Reset to VGA' (or similar things on other OSes) when we falsely selected a resolution a monitor didn't support? But I fear this is not (easily) possible anymore with Panorama and current motherboards and BIOSes. Probably David A. can comment on this.

[ivan]

Thanks Andi.  The other interesting thing with this KVM switch is the fact they use the HDMI cable to carry USB signals as well so I assume they use the 5 volt line for toe positive of the USB.

[Dariusz Piatkowski]

Hi ivan,

Not sure as to the actual Root Cause...however, here is an option you might be able to use: Extron EDID 101D (https://www.extron.com/product/edid101d).

Specifically, this little gadget is an in-between/stand-in EDID filter/provider, which means that you have a series of pre-defined EDID profiles that the video source will see (therefore panorama drivers assuming they are correctly processing the monitor EDID information).

You can also record the actual monitor EDID on that device and then serve that back to your video source (even when your display is used by another video source - such as when you're using your KVM for example).

These usually pop up pretty cheap on eBay and/or other online marketplaces. I had acquiired both the Digital and Analog versions as I was previously struggling with my Samsung 245T display and SNAP EDID processing (which did have some errors).

Anyways, I've attached a few of spec sheets and info manuals I saved up here, but all of this is available on their Product Page.