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  • From: sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] framebuffer kernel with matroxfb module
  • Date: Fri, 6 May 2005 15:03:54 +0000 (UTC)

I am still experimenting with the framebuffer kernel that David Moberg compiled.

I compiled my own fb kernel which did not work at all, that had matroxfb and millenium Y. His has them as modules.

His kernel boots properly. I can then insmod fbcon-cfb4 followed by insmod matroxfb (you need both in that order).

I am told:
Matrox Millenium (PCI) detected
640x480x8bpp (virtual: 640x3276)
framebuffer at 0x01000000, mapped to .....

The console switches from the usual 80x25 to a nice-looking 80x30,
which I appreciate since resizecons will not work in this particular computer (it causes all sorts of problems).

I have things set up to load mdacon during boot and use it with vt1 and vt2. These two terminals no longer work (I see text on them but the last line is a blinking cursor and I cannot enter any more text).
Also vt3 where I insmodded matroxfb from is blank white with a small black area at the bottom with a blinking cursor. I could switch to vt4 which is normal, then back to vt3 which was now usable (the white area graudally shrank as I typed).


David provided with this package (vesafb.tar.gz) a new mdacon.o which he compiled at the same time as the kernel. It is a bit smaller than what I got from sw71.

Usually I cannot rmmod mdacon after loading it. But after insmodding matroxfb I can rmmod mdacon. I renamed his new version and insmodded it and things work perfectly.

I rebooted and discovered vt1 and vt2 were not working again (with the new mdacon) until I rmmodded and insmodded this new mdacon.

So the procedure is
1. Boot without mdacon
2. Insmod fbcon-cfb4 insmod matroxfb
3. insmod the new mdacon

The new mdacon works fine with the non-fb kernel too so I can just replace the old one with the new one, which is smaller and all-purpose.

Next I tried Xvesa and it works correctly with this kernel at 1024 and 16-bit color.

Finally I tried xfbdev and as predicted I got a blue X on a blue background because the default for matroxfb is 8-bit color.

I will need to set up a modes configuration file in order to use fbset, which is specific to matrox, so that I can set resolution and colors before using xfbdev. Typing fbset produces something on screen that is probably the current setting and default

mode "640x480-60"
geometry 640 480 640 3276 8 This is 8-bit color at 640x480
timings 39683......
accel true The millenium module improves accel
rgba 8/0, 8/0, 8/0, 0/0 I need to change this part for xfbdev
endmode

Perhaps I can just copy this into the mode config file and manually add
800x600-60 (should the 60 be changed?) and rgba 16/0

The regular vesafb kernel used with this or other cards works with the older mdacon, as does the BL2 kernel and the one I compiled. Only the matroxfb seems to need a different mdacon.o (which works with the other kernels too). The kernel configuration program has a question specifically about using mdacon with matrox, which produces this new mdacon. I don't know why this mdacon is not the default instead of the larger one.


I have a Matrox Millenium which can be optimized by using an additional modules whose name I don't know, but David also provided fbcon-mac - perhaps this is what I need? It insmodded with no special message.

Does anyone know what fbcon-cfb4.o has to do with 8-bit color, if anything? Or whether I need fbcon-cfb16.o for 16-bit color? David provided modules for fbcon-cfb2.o and fbcon-cfb4.o. The latter was needed by matroxfb. The former would insmod but I don't know what it does. I think they are something to do with color depth in text mode and I have 8-bit color with cfb4.




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