Linux Lite Forums

One thing I’ve always liked about WindowsOS is the simplicity of plug-and-play capability with external devices, e.g. an additional monitor.

[size=1em]In fact,  the only real reason I have WindowsOS dual-booted with Linux [see set-up (1) in sig] is for this plug-and-play capability.  I like to play videos or TV programmes on my laptop through the 26" (66cm) monitor of our Samsung TV (type LE26B450), so that viewing can be shared easily with all the family.  And WindowsOS does this so easily, automatically & instantly resizing and finding the optimal screen resolution without any messing around with settings etc.

[/size][size=1em]With Linux Lite & Linux Mint, and some other distros, I found this to be a bit of a pain to set up.

[/size][size=1em]However, I’ve just discovered a distro that has WindowsOS–like plug-and-play simplicity with our Samsung TV monitor, and wondered if this capability (for additional monitors in general) could be packaged into future releases of LL?  [/size][size=1em]Details are as follows:  it involves set-up (2) in signature, which is a 10” Samsung NP-N145 netbook running with PCLinuxOS (a.k.a. PCLOS). This netbook  doesn't have HDMI output, so I used an ESYNIC VGA to HDMI Converter to play laptop videos & programmes through the TV monitor via an HDMI cable.  It worked: instant plug-and-play, hooray!!![/size]
[size=1em]
Please could we have this capability built into future releases of LL?[/size][size=1em]
The only additional thing you need to do is go to the VLC player toolbar and change the audio setting so that the sound plays through the TV and not through the netbook (just 2 clicks away).

[/size][size=1em]I purchased the VGA to HDMI converter from Amazon for £12.95:[/size][size=1em] https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PAGKZP4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[/size][size=1em]

Hope this is useful to someone[/size]
[size=1em]Cheers[/size][size=1em]
Mike[/size]

They use MATE and KDE so either that's the difference, or they are using newer or patched packages, or newer kernel. You'd have to ask them how they achieve this.

(03-20-2017, 07:43 AM)Jerry link Wrote: [ -> ]They use MATE and KDE so either that's the difference, or they are using newer or patched packages, or newer kernel. You'd have to ask them how they achieve this.

Thanks Jerry - when the PCLOS forum finally accept my request for membership I'll be able to ask them how they achieved this (application for membership of the PCLOS forum is via e-mail) - not a straightforward as with LL membership!

I'm using the KFCE version of PCLOS (produced by the PCLOS community, but officially supported with updates by their repository), not the MATE or KDE versions.  The kernel on the version I'm using is 4.6, though the latest PCLOS KFCE has 4.8.

(03-20-2017, 11:01 AM)m654321 link Wrote: [ -> ][quote author=Jerry link=topic=3997.msg30202#msg30202 date=1489995832]
They use MATE and KDE so either that's the difference, or they are using newer or patched packages, or newer kernel. You'd have to ask them how they achieve this.

Thanks Jerry.  When they finally accept my request for membership I'll be able to ask them how they achieved this (application for membership of the
PCLOS forum is via e-mail) - not a straightforward as with LL membership!

I'm using the KFCE version of PCLOS (produced by the PCLOS community & officially supported with updates by their repository),
not the MATE or KDE versions.  The kernel on the KFCE version I'm using is 4.6.
[/quote]

[member=2]Jerry[/member]
Following on from the above, I did enquire at the PCLOS forum - they said it was excellent hardware compatibility combined with a more up-to-date kernel, though seemed to be keeping schtum about giving away any further details which is a bit of a shame ...

Do you have the link please?

Sent from my mobile phone using Tapatalk

(04-02-2017, 08:16 PM)Jerry link Wrote: [ -> ]Do you have the link please?

Sent from my mobile phone using Tapatalk

The link is...
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php...324.0.html

... also PCLOS doesn't use SystemD - I don't know if this has a bearing on hardware compatibility for plug-and-play, though from what I've experienced it does seem to affect speed on low-powered hardware, e.g. setup(2) in signature runs very well with LL2.8 (hasn't got SystemD), but lags noticeably with LL3.0 or LL3.2 which both have SystemD.

Mike

Have you experimented with a newer LL kernel?

(04-04-2017, 06:07 AM)Jerry link Wrote: [ -> ]Have you experimented with a newer LL kernel?

Good question & really that's the acid test to check if the better compatibility is down to the kernel.

I did think of this, but didn't try as a previous trial with an upgraded LL kernel resulted in the laptop
not performing as well generally so I ended up returning to the previous restore point (using Systemback).

I'll retry, on a spare drive just to safeguard against losing anything, and post the result here when done
when I've got some more free time...

Cheers 
Mike

(04-04-2017, 06:07 AM)Jerry link Wrote: [ -> ]Have you experimented with a newer LL kernel?

Excuse the delay Jerry, in getting back to you on this ...

I tried LL again (both LL3.4 and 3.6) with an updated kernel (version 4.6) to check for plug-n-play capability with our Samsung TV display, but it didn't work.

I chose kernel 4.6, as both Manjaro-xfce and PCLinuxOS-xfce showed plug-n-play capability with our Samsung TV display and both came packaged with kernel 4.6 when I first discovered this.

Therefore, at first glance, LL's lack of plug-n-play capability with an external monitor, doesn't appear to due to its older kernel (4.4.0), as upgrading to 4.6 doesn't solve the issue.