Re: PCI graphics cards on Sun hardware

[Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>]

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Hello,

On Feb 13, 2009, at 6:38 AM, raymond.meyer%rambler.ru@localhost wrote:

> On Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:51:58 -0500
> Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost> wrote:
>
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> > Hello,
> >
> > On Feb 12, 2009, at 5:55 PM, raymond.meyer%rambler.ru@localhost wrote:
> >
> > > Are there any new developments in regard to running 3rd party PCI
> > > graphics cards on Sun hardware?
> > >
> > > Last time I asked, I was told it didn't really work:
> > >
> > > http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-sparc64/2008/04/07/msg000306.html
> > >
> > > I have an old ATI rage128 PCI card that I would like to use for
> > > running
> > > X11 on Sun Ultra 10. What needs to be done to achieve this? Maybe  
> > > it's
> > > possible to write a small fcode "driver" that gets loaded by  
> > > OpenBoot
> > > firmware and sets the PCI card to be the system console?
> >
> > I have some experimental code that lets the Xserver access PCI
> > graphics cards which have a wsdisplay attached to them. So far i  
> > still
> > requires Sun firmware since the r128fb driver only accelerates
> > wsdisplay ops but doesn't do any video mode programming, let alone
> > cold chip setup.
>
> What is the firmware supposed to do?

Get the card into a sane state, setup a sane video mode and tell us  
about it.

> Is it something simple like initialising the card and setting it to  
> be system console.

Except that initializing the card isn't necessarily simple - yes.

> Is there any documentation that describes how ATI rage 128 chips  
> function?

Yes and no - there is documentation but these days ATI/AMD pretends  
they never made those chips and the available docs don't say anything  
about initial setup.

> What's the relationship between r128fb driver and wsdisplay?

I suggest you read at least the man pages.

> Do you need a wsdisplay driver as well as X11 driver for each chip?

Yes. One lives in the kernel and manages the console, the other lives  
in the Xserver and manages one or more X displays.

have fun
Michael

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