A Guide to Video on Dell Computers with an Ubuntu Operating System

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Video Types
3. Video Issues
4. Video Solutions

Introduction

This article takes you through the various video types and how they work in a Dell computer using the Ubuntu operating system. It covers common issues and fixes and link to further articles that deal with some of the topics in greater detail.

This article is provided more as a reference than a troubleshooting guide and sometimes points elsewhere for further support. Remember that Dell supports the Hardware that ships with the computer. It supports the reinstall or recovery of the Operating system that came installed on the computer. I hope you find the following information useful.

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Video Types

There are four basic types of video that is used on both Dell computers and with the Ubuntu Operating System.

Check your computers hardware list to see which modes you must configure:

Integrated Video

Integrated Video is the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) built into your Motherboard. (Most commonly Intel.) This can also include Add-on graphics cards in Desktops. The BIOS is set up to disable the integrated GPU when a card is fitted. The card becomes the default video GPU.

• Integrated Video Issues

Hybrid Graphics

Hybrid Graphics is where there is an additional GPU built on to the motherboard in addition to the Integrated GPU. (Most commonly either Radeon or Nvidia on laptops and All in One (AIO) computers.)

• A guide to Hybrid Graphics on Dell computers with an Ubuntu Operating System

Nvidia Optimus Technology

Nvidia Optimus is technology from Nvidia. The integrated and discrete GPUs are linked so that you can use both GPUs for separate applications - saving power and battery life.

• A guide to Nvidia Optimus on Dell computers with an Ubuntu Operating System

Webcam Video

Notebook and AIO systems come with integrated Webcams and there are various external ones available. They are used for video capture, video streaming, and Chat.

• A guide to webcams on Dell laptop and desktop computers with Ubuntu operating systems

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Video Issues

There are some common video issues that can be seen on any GPU and operating system over time. I have listed some below:

• No Display (that is nothing seen on screen.)
• Distorted Display (that is you can see something on the screen, but not make it out.)
• Resolution Issues (that is the screen is too big or too small.)
• Settings issues (that is Brightness.)

Check out the section below for some common troubleshooting to resolve the kind of issues listed above.

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Video Solutions

• Does the hardware pass our checks?
• Does an operating system reinstall from the recovery partition fail to resolve the issue?

No Display (that is nothing seen on screen.)

Are you experiencing the issue outside of the Ubuntu operating system?

1. Do you see the issue outside of the operating system? Then go to either article for an External Screen or article for an Internal Screen to troubleshoot further.

2. You do not see the issue outside of the operating system:

   1. In the Grub bootloader menu - select boot your computer into recovery mode.

   2. Choose resume normal boot from the recovery menu.` (This starts a normal boot with failsafe video settings.)

   3. If the normal boot does not resolve the issue, you can go back into recovery mode and select the run in failsafe graphic mode option.

   4. Do you still have no video? You may be looking at an operating system reinstall. You can also drop to the root shell prompt if you have the experience. Alternatively, you can use a guide to troubleshoot further using Terminal.

Distorted Display (that is you can see something on the screen, but not make it out.)

Are you experiencing the issue outside of the Ubuntu operating system?

1. Do you see the issue outside of the operating system? Then go to either article for an External Screen or article for an Internal Screen to troubleshoot further.

2. You do not see the issue outside the operating system:

   1. Performance Issues and Video Stability can be helped by disabling the visual effects. (This means changing to the 2D desktop environment.)

   2. Open Terminal (CTRL + ALT + T) and install compiz settings manager:

      sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

   3. On Ubuntu Dash, search for compiz settings manager and open the application and disable or clear:

      • Effects > Animations, Fading Windows, Windows Decoration

   4. If you see distorted video, you may be looking at an operating system reinstall to resolve.

Resolution Issues (that is the screen is too big or too small.)

The default resolution for Ubuntu is 640x480 at the low end and 1024x768 at the top.

If you have an additional discrete GPU, see the Hybrid Graphics article for more information:

• A guide to Hybrid Graphics on Dell computers with an Ubuntu Operating System

Where you are using the default video GPU and only see the low end of 640x480. It is recommended that you run Xdiagnose and tick all three Debug options. This has been known to restore the screen to the upper default 1024x768.

To get resolutions above 1024x768, you must use the xrandr command in Terminal to add a new mode with the new resolution. (This is not kept past a Reboot.)

Are you an experienced Ubuntu user and looking to keep the changes past a reboot? You can look to add the xrandr newmode and addmode commands into /etc/gdm/Init/Default before "initctl ...".

It should look similar to the code below:

xrandr --newmode "1280x1024_60_new" 138.54 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1069 -HSynch +V
xrandr --addmode VGA-0 1280x1024_60_new

Settings issues (that is Brightness.)

If the Fn shortcut keys for adjusting the brightness do not work. Or you need more control than they provide. There are applets that you can install that gives you a Graphical User Interface window with various display settings. If you are an experienced Ubuntu user, Terminal commands such as gksu and leafpad enable you to create a file to resolve the Fn shortcuts. You can even use xrandr to affect the brightness output. (You should be sure about the hardware in your computer and be confident in whichever guide you find to use. Do not attempt too much in Terminal with the sudo command before you are more experienced in Terminal.)

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