Re: Questions about framebuffers and X (was: Re: XFree doesn't work (B&W Mac G3 - Ati r128))
On Wed, 2 Jan 2002, Rogério Brito wrote:
> In the x86 platform the xserver talks to the hardware and is
> then, able to use its capabilites (all kinds of 2d and 3d
> acceleration). But what about platforms where you have to use
> a framebuffer? Is the xserver able to use the hardware as well
> as it would in a x86?
Yes. The only thing that the "UseFBDev" option does is tell the X server
to use the /dev/fbX device (probably fb0) that corresponds to the system
display to manage virtual consoles and display modes. Otherwise, if you
aren't using the 'fbdev' driver, but the native driver (like with most
Macs, the 'ati driver), it talks directly to the hardware for the actual
drawing work.
> I'm asking this because I have a very old mac here with an
> imstt card that took me quite a while to use the native driver
> (instead of the fbdev driver) and while it is no doubt faster
> than the fbdev, I've heard that it would be quite fast. Would
> X it be faster if I used a mach64-based ATI driver (which, I
> suppose, would be more mature)?
If you have a Mach64-based display card that you can use instead of the
IMSTT, you might pop it in and try it. It may perform better, or it may
not. On an old Mac, it's hard to say - I've not run X on anything
pre-NewWorld myself.
Derrik Pates | Sysadmin, Douglas School | #linuxOS on EFnet
dpates@dsdk12.net | District (dsdk12.net) | #linuxOS on OPN
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