Baslinux mailing list

[sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>]

see below for X in 800x600


 X_SVGA server with Steven's modelines.  These modelines did not make
> svgalib work with chipset vesa or unspecified.
Correction - libvga.config would only work as chipset VGA even with the 
modelines that worked with X_SVGA server at 800x600.

> Can I do something to make the characters look less scrawly in X?  This is
> in the rxvt or in Opera.
They are scrawly only at low res, okay at 800x600.

> I was able to comment out the accel section - it is using svga.  I changed
> 8 to 24 for 24 bit color.
>
> It will not do 800x600 in X either, with Steven's modelines.  It has a
> dot-clock limit of 35.079 (for the LCD monitor?) and the first number on
> the 800x600 modelines is 36 or 40.  Is this number the dot-clock?  Are
> there modelines for 800 with smaller numbers?  If so, they should be put
> into the default minimal XF86Config.  I will hunt.

I hunted.

After trying all sorts of modelines from the internet, I ran across 
mention that LCD monitors have vertical refresh rates set by the BIOS, and 
also that in the modelines you only need to get the first two numbers 
correct - dot-clock and display size.

Every time I exited X, I was told the (monitor's) maximum dot-clock is 
35.079.  640x480 uses clock 31.5 (first number on the Modeline). I changed 
the 36 or 40 to 35 in either of Steven's Modeline "800x600" lines and it 
now displays 800x600 with dot-clock 35.

If I change it back from 35 to 40 'no valid modes found'. (I may have 
commented out the 640 lines as well while testing - it used to tell me 
'There is no mode definition named "800x600".  Removing ... from list of 
valid modes.')  I don't know any reason for having anything but that one 
800x600 Modeline - no advantage to having 640 available and I forgot how 
to switch between modes anyway.

HorizSync 31.549 or 31.5-35.5 (but not -31.5), VertRefresh 50-90 or 
even 50-60 (but not 50-50) worked for 800x600.  They may not work on a
plugged in CRT, especially if you want 1024 or higher (1280 needs 49 or 
more HorizSync).


Steven, please change the 36 to a 35 in your first modeline, or at least 
add another 800x600 line with 36 instead of 35, for use with this video 
chip, which is on all our three pentium laptops from about 1998, a good 
BL3 computer (100-233MHz, 16-32MB RAM). CT65555, also used on NEC and 
Thinkpad, according to websites.

The font used by rxvt and Opera looks much better at 800x600.

svgalib may be buggy for CT video but I could not understand how to fix 
it.  I think someone proposed a better driver.  We can live with plain VGA 
for viewing ppm files and use xli at 800x600x24 for jpegs. xli won't view 
pnm files nor with graphical links2 (compiled with support for png, jpg, 
tiff but not p?m).

How can I fix the lack of a backspace in X on this laptop, in rxvt or 
Opera?  The backspace works fine on desktop computers.  Left arrow delete 
works.  Is there some simpler method than xmodmap, which I used for my 
84-key keyboard?


I think there is a bug in the latest lynx, or else it really does need
libz, because at many sites i get an 'error uncompressing temporary file'.
I compiled mine with libz, but was told that was only needed for reading 
the help files (.gz).

Sindi