no HDMI (DP) Output over Dock

[beta-user]

I get now output with Fedora kernel which uses the 5.1.15 Kernel, so I hope it is just a matter of time when the fix gets into mobian

Mobian just got an update with 5.15 kernel. Video output works now, but the USB hub is still very buggy and getting any USB device to work with it is a nightmare. This makes PinePhone unusable as a PC and the video output feature not very useful.

[amosbatto]

I'm using the PinePhone Beta with a recent Mobian weekly and Linux 5.15. I kept seeing the Mobian background image (geometric blue shapes) when I tried to use video out over Pine64's USB-C hub, but I couldn't see anything else. However, I plugged and unplugged the hub repeatedly, and then for some reason it suddenly worked. (I never got it to work with an HDMI to VGA converter for my monitor, but it does work with HDMI on my projector.)

In the quick access menu on the top, Phosh still says "undocked", but the external mouse and keyboard do work on the external screen. Most applications open in a maximized window that covers the entire screen and there is no option use them inside of a movable window. However, the King's Cross terminal, Calculator and Weather open by default inside a window and they can be moved and resized, so the same should be possible for the other apps, but I haven't figured out what gsetting allows this. Alt+Tab on the external keyboard can be used to switch applications, but I can't figure out how to get to a main menu to execute apps or get to the default launcher screen. If I close all the available apps, I just see the blue background image, but I can't do anything. The Phosh documentation and source code page provide no info on how to use Phosh in "docked" mode.

Any ideas?

---

OK, I figured out what is going on. When I dock with an external monitor, it defaults to the background image and it is only showing me the bottom right corner of the background image, so most of the screen is not being displayed on my external monitor. To get around this, I pressed Alt+Tab to switch to one of the open apps (which I can't see because it is on part of the screen which isn't being displayed on the external monitor. Then, I pressed Alt+F10 to maximize the app and now I can see it. Hooray!

You can maximize/unmaximize a window by pressing Alt+F10 or by double clicking on its title bar. When unmaximized, you can resize and move the window. 

I still haven't figured out how to get to the start screen to start apps when using an external monitor, so I am having to use the PinePhone's screen to start apps. However, I found a work-around. I can press Alt+F2. I won't see the dialog box on the external monitor to enter a command, but I can type a command (like "kgx" or "firefox-esr") and then press ENTER, and then the app will appear on the screen. Sometimes I have to press Alt+F10 to see the app, but it works.

[amosbatto]

OK, another question. How the heck do I change the keyboard when using an external screen? I am stuck using the "us" keyboard.

I have tried the following commands, but none of them seem to work:

Code:

loadkeys latam
setxkbmap latam
setxkbmap -layout latam

[nelstomlinson]

I'm still on the 5.13 kernel and using a Nexdock as monitor and keyboard, everything is working great. This is the downside to beta software. There are steps back as well as forward.

[grump_fiddle_reinstall]

I reinstalled (to SD card) in the last couple of weeks and output to a HDMI screen is working for the first time. This is using a BILTEMA USB-C dock (Art. 84-8726). I haven't tried the dock that came with my Pinephone yet. The BILTEMA one has a VGA output as well so I will give that a whirl in the next couple of days (not that I expect it will work).

[grump_fiddle_reinstall]

I reinstalled (to SD card) in the last couple of weeks and output to a HDMI screen is working for the first time. This is using a BILTEMA USB-C dock (Art. 84-8726). I haven't tried the dock that came with my Pinephone yet. The BILTEMA one has a VGA output as well so I will give that a whirl in the next couple of days (not that I expect it will work).

The VGA output on the above BILTEMA USB-C dock works for me too, at least with the one screen I tried. OOB without having to configure anything.

[Peter Gamma]

I'm hoping it's a software issue because it wouldn't be very smart to market and sell a convergence package specifically for docking and displaying on a monitor if that package's hardware doesn't actually work for that purpose. It's like selling a car for driving without an engine. Just pointless.

We agree. We did quite some google research about PinePhone and HDMI. Here the options.

1. Pine64 adapter: some say it works

2. Third party HDMI adapter: we could not find someone which says it works.

3. Google Chromecast Adapter: many say it works great, but we could not find anyone exept us who want to use it on the PinePhone.

4. PinePhone and SSH or VNC connection to Windows: work in progress:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...75&page=3f

5. Some say it is easier to have a remote desktop connection from a Linux PC to the PinePhone

[zltpxqhp69o2]

2. Third party HDMI adapter: we could not find someone which says it works.

I have seen someone say Lenovo dock station works.

My current experience: Lenovo dock station with USB-c and dual HDMI output works (but the two HDMI outputs are treated as clones). «hama» (local German brand) adapter works (I mostly use its VGA output). Pinephone adapter works, including with HDMI-VGA converter.

(I think right now the 5.15 kernel package in Mobian might be broken, though; migrated to Mobian unstable 5.17 package due to keyboard case module missing completely, so maybe video out story is also hit by that configuration issue)

ETA: Hmmmm. Tested Pine dock again… Somehow with the 5.17 I have some weird unpredictable works/does not work behaviour from it. On the bright side, Renkforce dock which I was giving up on w.r.t. its VGA output seems to work now…