Re: [RFC] removing xserver-xorg-video-nv from squeeze
On Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:24:56 -0400 (EDT), Sven Joachim wrote:
> On 2010-07-12 21:09 +0200, Stephen Powell wrote:
>> If nouveau set KMS by default, as the intel driver does, but did not
>> *require* KMS, I would agree. But the last time I checked, using the nouveau
>> driver *forces* KMS. I don't like that. I still use, and prefer, hardware
>> text mode virtual consoles (1-6).
>
> May I ask why? If the reason is that the default font is too small, you
> can easily choose a bigger one, e.g. by "dpkg-reconfigure console-setup".
> And speed shouldn't really be an issue either, unlike with vesafb.
For a number of reasons. First, hardware text video modes seem to scroll
faster in vi, less, etc. The frame buffer overhead is not as bad as it
used to be, but hardware text modes still beat it.
Second, I can't seem to get an 80-column virtual console with KMS.
Yes, I can change the font size, but the traditional 80-column display
doesn't seem to present itself. Maybe I just haven't tried hard enough.
But frankly, I have little incentive to try very hard when I can just
use hardware text modes with the nv driver.
>> Because of that, I still use nv. That's
>> the *only* reason that I still use nv.
I take that back. There is a second reason. But it's related. nouveau
ignores my custom video mode and insists on driving my CRT monitor at
1024x768 resolution (which is what I want) and at 60 Hz vertical refresh
(which is *not* what I want). 60 Hz vertical refresh produces noticeable
flicker and really irritates my eyes after only a few minutes. The only
VESA standard video modes supported by my monitor for 1024x768 resolution
are 1024x768 @ 60 Hz and 1024x768 @ 87 Hz Interlaced. The 87 Hz Interlaced
mode produces far less perceived flicker and eye irritation than the 60 Hz
mode, but I designed a custom video mode for 1024x768 @ 100 Hz Interlaced
that is even better. (100 Hz is the maximum vertical refresh rate of the
monitor). This mode is still within the video bandwidth of the monitor
(maximum supported pixel clock rate). I'm very happy with it.
But I can't get the nouveau driver
to use my custom 100 Hz Interlaced mode, or even the VESA standard 87 Hz
Interlaced mode. It insists on running the monitor at 60 Hz
non-interlaced. And my eyes just won't take that for very long.
At 100 Hz interlaced, I can look at the screen all day long with no eye
strain. But at 60 Hz non-interlaced, my eyes are tired after 30 minutes
or so. I assume that that is due to no support for UMS.
>> There is no bug number here because
>> I'm sure that upstream would consider this a feature and not a bug. In other
>> words, they would consider operation of the driver with KMS off an enhancement
>> request.
>
> Indeed you would be wasting your time, upstream deliberately removed all
> UMS support from the nouveau X driver some months ago.
That really annoys me. I was down on the nv driver because Nvidia decided
not to add support for newer GPUs to it. But at least it supports UMS for
older cards like mine. If you get rid of the nv driver, it looks like I will
have to get another monitor or another video card, even though there is nothing
wrong with either of them.
The intel driver supports both KMS and UMS. I see no reason why the nouveau
people should decide to RAM KMS down our throats, whether we want it or not.
And with my present hardware, nv appears to be my only viable solution.
--
.''`. Stephen Powell
: :' :
`. `'`
`-
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