HDMI Output in Ubuntu

Many of us are used to have an external monitor (or TV) attached to our laptop or computer.  If you are a windows user (windows 7 in my case), then it is a very simple task.

Last weekend I have installed the latest Ubuntu available (version 11.04, the Natty Narwhal), and me and my family wanted to watch an episode of an online series, but of course in our external TV.

To start, I must say that it is not as easy (and direct) as it is in windows. But based on the idea that we use Linux not precisely for its simplicity (although latest versions of whatever Linux available have improved a lot in this matters), then it worth trying.

First we must access the monitor preference, this is (by using the classic Ubuntu interface, not the one with the launcher or the dash or search interface) System --> Preferences --> Monitors.

Here we can see our laptop screen and our external monitor. In this case I have a Sony TV (I don't know why it recognizes as a 72 " TV, I wish it was!). If we want to activate the external monitor, then we have to click on the selected screen (for example Sony 72") and then select the "ON" radio button.

To show the movie or whatever we want to see in that screen, then we only have to drag our window towards the specified external location (in my case, the right of my laptop screen).

But here does not end the story. What about the audio?. Well, it seems that audio and video are not automatically  related in Ubuntu (or Linux). Well, to have the audio as well in the external device, we must go to the menu System --> Preferences --> Sound, go to the hardware tab and then select the proper  "profile" from the options down in the window. In this case, the one with the "HDMI" option.

Well, now it should work. If it doesn't work (the audio), then you can test your configuration with any of the options available in the profile drop down menu.

There are many options to try, for the HDMI and for the Audio. You can go and try until you find exactly what you need. I'll probe some configurations and then I will comment out the results.

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