[GTALUG] Has the graphics-card world gone mad?

[Russell Reiter]

On Tue, Mar 30, 2021, 9:50 AM o1bigtenor via talk, <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:

> On Tue, Mar 30, 2021 at 8:00 AM Russell Reiter via talk <talk at gtalug.org>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Mar 30, 2021, 1:33 AM Evan Leibovitch via talk, <talk at gtalug.org>
> wrote:
>
> Having spent quite a few hours working on things in this area I have
> found a few things.
> >
> >
> > IMO I think the issue is actually due the display EDID provided by many
> monitor / tv manufacturers is lacking in certain format/reporting respects.
> While linux autodetection generally works well in most use cases, this is
> the type of problem linux users have historically faced. I think this is
> probably due, not in any small part, to certain anti competetative
> practices.
>
> Linux auto-detection is based on manufacturers adhering to standards.
>
> EDID has become a joke - - - - the kernel docs talk about this - - -
> so its not just my opinion.
>

I wouldnt nesessarily call EDID a joke. I mean what exactly is the
alternative. With it you are at least able to parse the binary and output
more human understandable xml structure, which you may then use to try and
craft a customised solution for yourself.


DeviceID should work better but really doesn't have any kind of real
> linux connection.
> At least nvidia - - - - well - - - - they're not too worried about
> adhering to any standard either - - - why should they - - - they KNOW
> they own the market (at least only some 80+%).
> My LG 4k monitor is actually made by Goldstar.
> The extreme level of profits desired in the industry means that cheap
> manufacture wins.
> Also means that details that aren't considered crucial - - - -well - -
> - they're just ignored!
> >
> > Take for example the issues with devices using ccd. The lack of linux
> friendly colour profiles for ccd is one of the largest barriers to linux
> users in their choices of scanners and cameras etc.
> >
> > I think in this case a closer look at the EDID for each monitor,
> assuming they are not exact duplicates of each other, may provide a
> workable solution. In fact it may be fixed already in a kernel/firmware
> upgrade.
> >
> > If that is not possible/desirable then xrandr, get-edid and parse-edid
> will provide a better understanding of the autogeneration of the display
> modelines used by Xorg or whatever server is used.
>
> What is so very fascinating is that both get-edid and parse-edid
> really aren't that useful.
>

I have found them very useful in the past in conjunction with xrandr but
personally havent had to use them for quite a number of years. As others
have said Linux just works.

Its not that the tools don't work but the tools rely on information
> provided and that information is all too often not correct.
> Changing the incorrect information - - - - well - - - I couldn't find
> a way to do that.
>

In some cases is as easy as calling xrandr to author a modeline with the
exact specifications it detects after probing as opposed to relying solely
on information provided by the manufacturers who may not be entirely
concerned with the fact that some users cant just buy the dashboard app
they use in their day to day business.

Enough of the information sites are themselves outdated (lists 4 and 5
> years old really aren't helpful when working with product release in
> the last 18 months).
> >
> > In fact several solutions I have read in the past point to the fact that
> you can counterfit a manufactures EDID to overcome video tearing and
> flicker on both linux and windows.
>
> This is possible but to do so means hacking at the kernel level.
>

Not necessarily, I dont hack kernels, I operate in userland. I've solved
issues with these tools for this sort of thing in the past and fully expect
to do so in the future.

I'm not up to that and I'd bet I'm not the only one out there that is
> that limited.
> >
> > I think linux tools for finer grained control of hi-def monitors are out
> there, you just have to figure out how to stitch them all together.
>
> That would be a reasonable assumption - - - - except that the
> divergence between what should be and what is - - - - well - - - to be
> kind - - - it seems that there is absolutely no connection.
>
> I would support the original subject  - - - but - - - its only one
> more example of our present climate of 'who gives a @#$%^&  about the
> customer'.
> Am expecting things to only get worse.
>
> But then most of the world now wants to live on a 'stupid phone' or
> maybe a laptop - - - in extremis - - - so its a Sysiphisian job of
> gargantuan dimensions to effect ANY change.
>
> Regards
> ---

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Russell
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