Baslinux mailing list

["Samual Acorn" <sam.acorn AT gmail.com>]

On 28/02/07, sindi keesan <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org> wrote:
> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, Samual Acorn wrote:
>
> > heres freeware s3 specific vesa tsr;
> > http://mephitus.no-ip.org/archive/Software/DOS/Utilities/s3vbe20.zip
> > only gives vesa 2.0 but hey... its free..
> >
> > ...tho i still think using dos tsrs of any kind with linux is a bad idea....
> >
> > note: link will only work at night... 7pm to 7am...
>
> It was posted in TWO locations online, one of them only for members.  To
> be used with OS/2 to play Quake. I downloaded it. Only 12K.  Thanks a
> bunch!
>
> You only need VESA 2.0 for framebuffer.  I will compare the results.
>
> Do you have a better idea than using this TSR, other than paying (shudder)
> for a different video card?  The S3s are perfect for Xvesa and svgalib.

using a card-specific X... youll gain more than more video modes with
it... youll get hardware accelerated 2d and sometimes even 3d
(depending on card... the s3 virge supports 3d acceleration but doesnt
have enough features to do so with opengl) functions rather than just
a framebuffer.... a framebuffer is best suited to video and
software-rendered games (like quake)... which is why its called a
'framebuffer'... using it for a gui puts more strain on the CPU than
is necessary..

> >> sdd653-d.exe  Shareware.  I used to use the older univesa to upgrade ISA
> >> cards so they would display 1024 at 256 colors in DOS programs.
>
> This is about 1MB.  It also worked with my Matrox Millenium II with 8MB
> RAM.  Went from Vesa 2.0 to Vesa 3.0 with 58 instead of 20 modes.
> 4MB framebuffer before and after.

ive never messed with the scitech display doctor due to it being
shareware... the vidcard companies themselves will release DOS vesa
TSRs (ATI has their own TSR) and if not.. if its a popular card like
early s3 series then there will be free stuff for them...

> Xvesa worked for this card BEFORE I loaded SDD, but afterwards did not.
> Interrupt pointer does not point at ROM.  xfbdev loads faster than Xvesa.
> You have to use fbset -n 1024x768-68 etc. to set the resolution of the
> console before using the same resolution X (unlike Xvesa, which can
> specify resolution).
>
> xfbdev worked with and without SDD.  insmod the matrox fb modules first.
>
>
> Xvesa -listmodes lists 27 modes without SDD, including 1280 and 1600 in
> 16-bit color.  (8MB should do better?).
>
> After loading SDD
>
> Xvesa -listmodes:
>
> Interrupt pointer doesn't point at ROM
> Modes only up to 640x480, and 1 or 4-bit color except for 320x200x8, which
> is similar to what i810 does with Xvesa, I think.

interrupt pointer doesnt point at ROM because its pointing to the DOS
based SDD TSR that cant be accessed from inside linux... the cards
that do work after loading SDD are most likely given a shadow bios by
the program in ram (similar to the system bios 'video shadow'
function) the ones that dont have to be accessed -through- the running
program... which isnt possible from inside linux but is from DOS...

this is just -one- example of why not to use dos TSRs (and why its a
bad idea IMO to boot linux from dos in the first place... linux is its
own OS... it isnt a dos program...)

imagine a TSR that hooked and replaced the bios int13 functions (the
harddrive) or one that hooked irq8 (the clock)... have an idea of the
problems that could happen in linux?

> Xvesa won't load even at 640x480x4. Interrupt pointer doesn't point at ROM
> again.  Segmentation fault.

like i said its pointing to the inaccessable dos program in ram rather
than a bios

> Maybe it would still help the i810 but it could disable Xvesa entirely.
>
> I should check the Virge for Xvesa.  vesafb does not allow use of fbset to
> change resolutions so xfbdev would work only at the resolution into which
> you boot (vga=788, etc., on the loadlin line).

ive never used framebuffer kernels... vesa or otherwise so i cant help 
there...

> xfbdev loads faster - does it work better in some way than Xvesa?
>
> X SVGA is scrambled with or without SDD on this card, which may be newer
> than the server (2000) and SDD (1998).
>
> I see no advantages to SDD for the Matrox. It disables Xvesa.  It still
> does not make possible 1600x1200x24.
>
> The Virge does not need Xvesa.  There is a Virge server.

which would make the most use of the functions provided by the
chipset... and is the best way to go... (note: beware buggy s3 bioses
that may cause problems with the s3 X... if you encounter a buggy bios
when using the s3 X you will know instantly... trust me...)

> Sindi


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