Re: PCI Graphics/Video Card for Malta Board?

[Jun Sun <jsun@mvista.com>]

Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:

> On Mon, 27 May 2002, Steven J. Hill wrote:
> 
>>Kevin D. Kissell wrote:
>>
>>>I'd like to get a video-capable graphics card up
>>>and running on a MIPS Malta board (therefore
>>>PCI), ideally something mainstream like ATI.
>>>Does anyone on the list have any positive or
>>>negative recommendations in terms of cards
>>>and particularly in terms of the degree to which
>>>the drivers (and PCI set-up) have been ported
>>>to MIPS/Linux?  I'll do what I must, but I hate
>>>re-inventing the wheel.
>>>
>>>
>>I can think of two things. First, a lot of graphics cards
>>rely on BIOS calls to be set up before the operating system
>>even boots. Second, I would stick to graphics cards that
>>have framebuffer support in the kernel as you stand at least
>>half a chance that those cards don't rely so heavily on a
>>peecee bios. Just my $.02.
>>
> 
> Even then, most frame buffer device drivers rely on the firmware (PC BIOS or
> SPARC/PPC Open Firmware) having set up the video card.
> 
> One of the exceptions is matroxfb, 


Steve Longerbeam has a fb driver with BIOS init for ATI Xpert98 card, which 
you can still buy.  Dan Malek also wrote a driver for MQ200.  If you ask 
around, I am sure you can the patch somewhere.

For a while, I also had 3dfx voodoo3 working.  Not sure about its status now. 
  You can find the patch at http://www.medex.hu/~danthe/tdfx/.

Jun