Thanks for looking into this!
For the first I did try with only the tv connected. I figured out that if the vga is connected the vga always "wins".
Second, I sure do have a mess here in that config file. At the time I didn't realize some of those options were for nvidia only. I did find the errors in /var/log/XFree86.0.log
I'll paste in here today's version. A bit cleaner.
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "XFree86 Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
# PS/2 Mouse using /dev/input/mice in Kernel 2.6
# Serial Mouse not detected
InputDevice "USB Mouse" "CorePointer"
EndSection
<sniped for brevity>
# Auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "DPMS" "true"
# VendorName "ENC"
# ModelName "ENC1636"
# HorizSync 30 - 50
VertRefresh 60
# The "magic" modelines borrowed from someone else
Modeline "800x600" 40.12 800 848 968 1056 600 601 605 628 #60Hz
# From
http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl
# hfreq: 37.9 kHz
Modeline "800x600@60" 38.21 800 832 976 1008 600 612 618 631
# The "magic" modelines borrowed from someone else
Modeline "640x480" 25.175 640 664 760 800 480 491 493 525 #60Hz
# From
http://xtiming.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/xtiming.pl
# hfreq: 30.43 kHz
Modeline "640x480@60" 24.11 640 672 760 792 480 490 495 505
# These are the DDC-probed settings reported by your monitor.
# 1280x1024, 75.0Hz; hfreq=79.98, vfreq=75.03
# ModeLine "1280x1024" 135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 75.0Hz; hfreq=60.02, vfreq=75.03
# ModeLine "1024x768" 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync
# 1024x768, 70.0Hz; hfreq=56.48, vfreq=70.07
# ModeLine "1024x768" 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync
# 800x600, 75.0Hz; hfreq=46.88, vfreq=75.00
# ModeLine "800x600" 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync
# 800x600, 60.0Hz; hfreq=37.88, vfreq=60.32
# ModeLine "800x600" 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
# 640x480, 75.0Hz; hfreq=37.50, vfreq=75.00
# ModeLine "640x480" 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 72.0Hz; hfreq=37.86, vfreq=72.81
# ModeLine "640x480" 31.50 640 656 696 816 480 481 484 504 -hsync -vsync
# 640x480, 60.0Hz; hfreq=31.47, vfreq=59.94
# ModeLine "640x480" 25.17 640 648 744 784 480 482 484 509 -hsync -vsync
# Extended modelines with GTF timings
# 640x480 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 50.90 kHz; pclk: 43.16 MHz
# ModeLine "640x480" 43.16 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 509 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 35.82 kHz; pclk: 34.96 MHz
# ModeLine "768x576" 34.96 768 792 872 976 576 577 580 597 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 43.27 kHz; pclk: 42.93 MHz
# ModeLine "768x576" 42.93 768 800 880 992 576 577 580 601 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 45.15 kHz; pclk: 45.51 MHz
# ModeLine "768x576" 45.51 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 602 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 51.42 kHz; pclk: 51.84 MHz
# ModeLine "768x576" 51.84 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 605 -HSync +Vsync
# 768x576 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 61.10 kHz; pclk: 62.57 MHz
# ModeLine "768x576" 62.57 768 816 896 1024 576 577 580 611 -HSync +Vsync
# 800x600 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 63.60 kHz; pclk: 68.18 MHz
# ModeLine "800x600" 68.18 800 848 936 1072 600 601 604 636 -HSync +Vsync
# 1024x768 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 81.40 kHz; pclk: 113.31 MHz
# ModeLine "1024x768" 113.31 1024 1096 1208 1392 768 769 772 814 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 53.70 kHz; pclk: 81.62 MHz
# ModeLine "1152x864" 81.62 1152 1216 1336 1520 864 865 868 895 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 77.10 kHz; pclk: 119.65 MHz
# ModeLine "1152x864" 119.65 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 907 -HSync +Vsync
# 1152x864 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 91.50 kHz; pclk: 143.47 MHz
# ModeLine "1152x864" 143.47 1152 1232 1360 1568 864 865 868 915 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 72.07 kHz; pclk: 124.54 MHz
# ModeLine "1280x960" 124.54 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1001 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 75.15 kHz; pclk: 129.86 MHz
# ModeLine "1280x960" 129.86 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x960 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 101.70 kHz; pclk: 178.99 MHz
# ModeLine "1280x960" 178.99 1280 1376 1520 1760 960 961 964 1017 -HSync +Vsync
# 1280x1024 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 108.50 kHz; pclk: 190.96 MHz
# ModeLine "1280x1024" 190.96 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1085 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 65.22 kHz; pclk: 122.61 MHz
# ModeLine "1400x1050" 122.61 1400 1488 1640 1880 1050 1051 1054 1087 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 72.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 78.77 kHz; pclk: 149.34 MHz
# ModeLine "1400x1050" 149.34 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1094 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 75.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 82.20 kHz; pclk: 155.85 MHz
# ModeLine "1400x1050" 155.85 1400 1496 1648 1896 1050 1051 1054 1096 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 85.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 93.76 kHz; pclk: 179.26 MHz
# ModeLine "1400x1050" 179.26 1400 1504 1656 1912 1050 1051 1054 1103 -HSync +Vsync
# 1400x1050 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 111.20 kHz; pclk: 214.39 MHz
# ModeLine "1400x1050" 214.39 1400 1512 1664 1928 1050 1051 1054 1112 -HSync +Vsync
# 1600x1200 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 127.10 kHz; pclk: 280.64 MHz
# ModeLine "1600x1200" 280.64 1600 1728 1904 2208 1200 1201 1204 1271 -HSync +Vsync
# 1920x1200 @ 60.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 74.52; pclk: 193.16 MHz
# Modeline "1920x1200" 193.16 1920 2048 2256 2592 1200 1201 1204 1242 -HSync +HSync
EndSection
Section "Device"
### Available Driver options are:-
# sw_cursor is needed for some ati and radeon cards
#Option "sw_cursor"
#Option "hw_cursor"
#Option "NoAccel"
#Option "ShowCache"
#Option "ShadowFB"
#Option "UseFBDev"
#Option "Rotate"
Identifier "Card0"
# The following line is auto-generated by KNOPPIX mkxf86config
Driver "intel"
VendorName "All"
BoardName "All"
BusID "0:2:0"
screen 0
VideoRam 32768
# Option "PortOrder" "15432"
Option "DisplayDetect" "Yes"
# Option "CloneDisplay" "yes"
# Option "CloneWidth" "240"
# Option "CloneHeight" "180"
# Option "CloneRefresh" "60"
# Option "EDID" "No"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Card0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultColorDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "800x600@60" "640x480@60" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection