POP OS Not Retaining Monitor Layout

[AdnanT-ADN]

I have a 3 monitor setup, 2 actual monitors and one TV.

For normal day-to-day use I have the TV not being used as a monitor (the TV is still connected to the computer but through display settings it is told not to use it). However, when I turn on the computer it will always use the TV as a monitor even though I would like it to remain off.

Additionally, if I use the computer with just one of the monitors switched on and later turn on the second monitor, the entire display setup changes. This usually leads to all monitors' resolutions changing to the highest option; the virtual layout of the monitors being different and the TV also being used as a monitor.

I would like to request if there is a way to fix this issue, maybe some form of global display setup that can be configured and used from the moment the computer is switched on.

[ghost]

Good ole chatgpt has some input- and unlike github issues, you get an instant answer...here it is............

It seems like you're encountering an issue where the TV is being treated as a monitor by default, even though you'd prefer it to remain off, and when monitors are turned on or off, the display settings change unexpectedly. Here's how you might address this issue on Pop!_OS:

Persist Display Settings on Startup: One way to make sure the TV doesn't automatically turn on as a monitor is by saving your preferred display layout settings. You can configure the display settings using xrandr in a script, and then have it run automatically on startup. Here's what you can try:

Open a terminal and use xrandr to set up your display layout the way you want it. For example, you could use commands like:

xrandr --output TV --off
xrandr --output HDMI-1 --mode 1920x1080 --primary
xrandr --output DP-1 --mode 1920x1080

Replace HDMI-1, DP-1, and TV with the appropriate identifiers for your monitors.

Once you have your configuration, save the commands in a script. You can create a file, for instance ~/disable-tv.sh, and add your xrandr commands to it.

Make the script executable: chmod +x ~/disable-tv.sh

Then, add it to your startup applications. Open "Startup Applications" (you can search for it in the application menu), and add the script to the list.

Prevent Resolution Changes When Adding a Monitor: If your display settings are resetting when you turn on the second monitor, this could be a behavior of the display manager or the X server. You can try adjusting your display manager settings to avoid automatic resolution changes. A tool like arandr might help you visually manage and save display configurations.

Install arandr if it’s not already installed: sudo apt install arandr

Run arandr, adjust your screen layout, and save it as a script. You can then add this script to your startup applications, similar to the previous method.

Check the Display Manager Settings: If these methods don't resolve the issue, you might want to investigate the display manager (like GDM) settings or check Pop!_OS for any special display configuration options that could be managing the behavior of connected displays. Sometimes certain display managers have defaults that reset when hardware is plugged in or turned on.

These steps should help make your display setup more stable, preventing the TV from acting as a monitor when it's not needed and preserving your preferred configurations even after turning monitors on and off.