Very Computer

Howdy,

I am trying to setup a laptop running X as a web demo machine, and so far can
only get 16 color working right with the ct server (chips and technologies)
this laptop has the ct65540 chipset, and the server from sunsite only seems
to go to the 65530 version.  I am getting bad snow and spotting whenever I move
the trackball, and when I exit X it may or may not, depending on mood, restore
the screen.  I could not find a list of options to the server, when I had a s
similar problem with my cirrus card under xfree2.0 I was able to get around it
with the no_bitblt option, anyone know of a way around this one?

sean

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See http://www.santafe.edu/~nelson/versa-linux/ for some information
about XFree86 3.1.1 and the CT655xx series of chips.

Quote:>I am trying to setup a laptop running X as a web demo machine, and so far can
>only get 16 color working right with the ct server (chips and technologies)
>this laptop has the ct65540 chipset, and the server from sunsite only seems
>to go to the 65530 version.

Are you running XFree86 3.1.1? It doesn't support them very well, but
it should do any 655xx. (If not, I think it's an oversite - when I
looked at the code it looked like it treated all 655xx the same). I
can get 800x600x256 running with the XFree86 server, but no better.
I think I'm lucky doing more than 640x480, to be honest. The code is
very buggy.
--
                               __                      

:-) I should add that I'm doing this on a NEC Versa with an 800x600 LCD.

Quote:>the problem is that the driver was written for one of the older
>chipsets, and the programmer aparently never figured out how to
>program the clock chip.  Hence, a probe only returns the VGA mode
>clocks.  Just a bunch of 25's and 28's.

With XFree86, I've been able to specify modelines with a clock of 65.
No idea if it's actually putting out 65, but it looked sharper than
the equivalent modeline at a 28.3 clock. This is all for an external
monitor, btw - the LCD doesn't seem to care about sync pulses or clocks.

Quote:>An alternative is Metro X.  I learned today that they will most likely
>be shipping a new driver for those chips with their X server version
>2.3.4 in about a month.  Still at the introductory price of $99.  

Great! Is there contact information for them somewhere? I found
http://www.metrolink.com/Metro.html, is that them?

Quote:>No, I don't work for them or represent them, nor do I know if X
>Inside offers any support for that chip or not in their newest version

XInside is http://www.xinside.com/. I was able to use one of their
beta servers to drive an external monitor at 1024x768, but there were
some bugs. Last I heard they were having trouble getting the Versa to
work (something about needing to develop for the LCD as well as the
chipset), so they might or might not have Versa support in a
commercial release.

Quote:>You might also contact XFree86 and see if they are working on
>a driver at all...that chip is becoming increasingly popular in
>laptops for some reason.

I've never gotten an answer from the XFree folks :-( I'm in contact
with a few people who sounded like they may be interested in hacking
on the driver, but no one has gotten anywhere. At this point I'm ready
to buy a server.
--
                               __                      

Count yourself *very* lucky.  You are the only one I know...the problem
is that the driver was written for one of the older chipsets, and the
programmer aparently never figured out how to program the clock chip.
Hence, a probe only returns the VGA mode clocks.  Just a bunch of
25's and 28's.  Now, the original contributors to the code have moved
on to other cards, and no one has picked it up that I know of.

An alternative is Metro X.  I learned today that they will most likely
be shipping a new driver for those chips with their X server version
2.3.4 in about a month.  Still at the introductory price of $99.  

No, I don't work for them or represent them, nor do I know if
X Inside offers any support for that chip or not in their newest
version (I do know that at least previous versions of their R5
server only did 640x480x256, but call them to be sure they don't
have something newer).

You might also contact XFree86 and see if they are working on
a driver at all...that chip is becoming increasingly popular in
laptops for some reason.

--Donnie

--
Donnie Barnes
Systems Programmer
Red Hat Software

Hmm...now that is interesting.  We'll have to try that at work...couple
of the guys have AMS SoundPro laptops and want to drive external
monitors.  

Quote:>>An alternative is Metro X.  I learned today that they will most likely
>>be shipping a new driver for those chips with their X server version
>>2.3.4 in about a month.  Still at the introductory price of $99.  

>Great! Is there contact information for them somewhere? I found
>http://www.metrolink.com/Metro.html, is that them?

That's the place!

Quote:>>No, I don't work for them or represent them, nor do I know if X
>>Inside offers any support for that chip or not in their newest version

>XInside is http://www.xinside.com/. I was able to use one of their
>beta servers to drive an external monitor at 1024x768, but there were
>some bugs. Last I heard they were having trouble getting the Versa to
>work (something about needing to develop for the LCD as well as the
>chipset), so they might or might not have Versa support in a
>commercial release.

Hmm..sounds like you might have to have a Dual Scan hack.  I've
seen that before on Toshibas.  I know Metrolink is working on
the chipset, but I have no clue as to whether they are working
to have support specifically for the Versa.  Might want to let
them know that you need it :-)

Quote:>>You might also contact XFree86 and see if they are working on
>>a driver at all...that chip is becoming increasingly popular in
>>laptops for some reason.

>I've never gotten an answer from the XFree folks :-( I'm in contact
>with a few people who sounded like they may be interested in hacking
>on the driver, but no one has gotten anywhere. At this point I'm ready
>to buy a server.

Not surprising...they are busy guys.  I don't think any of us can
complain for lack of support from XFree.  First of all, their stuff
is free...second, they do support alot of hardware.  Most times
you have to be kinda picky, but it generally isn't hard to get
XFree supported stuff.

Good luck...

--Donnie

I am using XFree86 3.1.1 SVGA X-server in my Digital HiNote CT475 and
get 256 colors. CT475 has ct65540 chip that is supported by the mentioned
X-server.

I hope this helps,

Martti

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Martti Penttonen                     Department of Computer Science