Re: XFree864.01, G4, Ati Rage Pro 128 & Apple Studio 17"

[jon ewing <jon.ewing@mediasurface.com>]

> > If I understand correctly, when I boot with
> >
> > append="video=aty128fb:vmode:20,cmode=32"
> >
> > in my yaboot.conf, the aty128fb driver will be communicating directly with
> > my graphics hardware. When I then start X using the fbdev driver, the 
> modes
> > available to X are limited by the modes available to aty128fb.
>
> No, at least not if you mean the modes in /etc/fb.modes . X should be able to
> use any mode through aty128fb if it can without.

Ok. Even so, using aty128fb I should (assuming I find the right timings and 
add them to my fb.modes) be able to fbset to a 1600x1200 mode, right?

> > (--) r128(0): Virtual Size is 1600x1200 (pitch 1600)
> > (**) r128(0): Mode "1600x1200@60x": 162.0 MHz, 75.0 MHz, 60.0 Hz
> >
> > So, alter Xf86Config firstly to use Mode "1600x1200@65x" which causes the
> > screen to go blank.
> > Reboot, look at /var/log/XFree86.0.log which is identical except for:
> >
> > (--) r128(0): Virtual Size is 1600x1200 (pitch 1600)
> > (**) r128(0): Mode "1600x1200@65x": 175.5 MHz, 81.2 MHz, 65.0 Hz
> >
> > Both of these last two attempts did flash up a mangled image of the X
> > display for a fraction of a second before going blank.
>
> This is strange. It accepts the modes, but they don't get displayed?

yup, exactly :-)

> Which depth are you trying? If possible, try using lower depths.

just tried 16 bit depth and 8 bit depth - no difference.

I also changed back to using aty128fb, changed the cmode down to 16, 
rebooted and tried fbset-ing to different modes - no difference. 
Interestingly (maybe?) I can't fbset to lower resolution modes either - it 
seems that if I use aty128fb I can only use 1280x1024; if i use the OFfb I 
can get a 1600x1200 console but still need to run X in 1280x1024.

I wonder if its the monitor that's causing the problem? According to the 
specs at the Apple site:

http://www.apple.com/displays/asd17/specs.html

The HSync can only operate at 80 kHz. If I change my XF86Config to reflect 
this then *all* the 1600x1200 modes get deleted with HSync out of range. 
Yet OS9 / OSX can both operate at that resolution. I've searched for 
XF86Config files designed for this monitor, eg

http://www.linuxppc.org/blueg3/archive/files/XF86Config-AppleStudio

but using this config and starting X causes my mac to emit one long beep, 
go blank and lock up. Rebooting and looking at the /var/log/XFree86.0.log 
tells me that the last thing X did before dieing was:

(II) FBDev(0): Checking Modes against framebuffer device...

Thanks again,

jon.