Documentation for tdfxfb

Documentation for tdfxfb

[Andy Sy]

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I made some docs for the still undocumented tdfxfb
driver.  It was rather frustrating trying to get it
to work and I want to save others the trouble.  Should
this be included in Documentation/fb?

vesafb works with Voodoo 3 (and above I believe) but
the advantage of using tdfxfb is being able to use
refresh rates other than 60Hz.  

Text mode at 1152x864/70Hz on a decent 14" color monitor 
is just peachy!  (pseudo-) Text mode rulez!


===============================
a n d y @ n e t f x p h . c o m


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This is just a quickly hacked together doc for using tdfxfb so
you don't have to look at the source or use trial and error to
know how to configure it.

Passing command lines to the tdfxfb driver works similar to
the other framebuffer drivers.

The syntax for kernel parameters is:

  video=tdfx:option1,option2,...

optionn is in the form:

  optionname:value

value being optional.

To set the resolution and refresh, use the following syntax:

WWWWxHHHH-BPP@RR
 
where WWWW = width, HHHH=height in pixels, BPP=bits per pixel,
and RR is the refresh rate.

example:

(in lilo.conf)

append="video=tdfx:font:VGA8x16,1152x864-16@70"

Other options are noaccel,nowrap,nopan,nowhwcursor,inverse,nomtrr.
I have not tried any of these yet, just saw them in tdfxfb_setup()
in /usr/src/linux/video/drivers/tdfxfb.c.

The syntax for setting a mode is explained in 
/usr/src/linux/video/drivers/modefb.c in the comments
for fb_find_mode().  The valid refresh rate/resolution 
combinations and settings for them are listed and will
be taken from there and not /etc/fb.modes.

If you own a Voodoo3/4/5, the nice thing with using the 
tdfxfb driver over vesafb (which also works nicely) is that
you can set the refresh rate for your fbcon mode.  No more 
having to live with 60Hz!  The con is that as of now (2.4.20)
the penguin logo display is still quite glitchy.


Written by: codeboy@postmark.net
Date: 2003-6-14