Re: VESA mode 0x10B - 132 columns × 50 rows - is it possible?

[Felix Miata <mrmazda@earthlink.net>]

On 2014-04-08 07:39 (GMT+0200) Frantisek Hanzlik composed:

> first, thanks for developing and evolving this powerfull SW piece!
> And now my current research (so far in vain): I want my DOS text app
> run in text mode with resolution 132 columns × 50 rows - which should
> be VESA 2.0 (maybe as early as VESA 1.2) mode 0x10B, according e.g.:

> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BIOS_Extensions#Modes_defined_by_VESA

> but so far I'm unsuccessfull (except in the case when I run DOSEMU in
> console mode in console/X window with this resolution, but this is
> perhaps obvious).
> Nevertheless, modes 0x10A (132 x 43) and 0x010C 132 x 60 are working
> fine under xdosemu. Problem I have only with this 132 x 50 mode.

> I'm using DOSEMU + FreeDOS 1.0, and thus potentially may be problem
> in FreeDOS, but I suspect rather DOSEMU, as:

> 1) when I run commands 'mode con cols=132 lines=43', resp. 'mode con
> cols=132 lines=60', I will get responses:

> VESA 2.0 'DOSEMU VGA/VBE 2.0 Emulator', mode 0x0003, 4096k for BIOS, 57 modes.
> VESA mode 0x010A: 132 x 43 with 8 x 11 font.

> resp.

> VESA 2.0 'DOSEMU VGA/VBE 2.0 Emulator', mode 0x0003, 4096k for BIOS, 57 modes.
> VESA mode 0x010C: 132 x 60 with 8 x 8 font.

> and right mode is set.
> But after 'mode con cols=132 lines=50' command, resolution changes to
> 80 cols x 50 lines (i.e. not 132x50, as I want) and command output is:

> VESA 2.0 'DOSEMU VGA/VBE 2.0 Emulator', mode 0x0003, 4096k for BIOS, 57 modes.
> Using VGA 400 line resolution.
> (this second line is totally different than in previous two cases)

> 2) When I grep DOSEMU source codes to '132' string, there is something
> what may bear on 132xNN text mode in 'src/env/video/vgaemu_modelist.h'.
> But it seems as 132x50 mode there isn't present... or am I wrong?
> Maybe because Trident 8900, it seems, could not do 132x50 mode? But
> what some VBE modes at vga_mode_table end? It would be possible for this
> to be used?

I don't "know", but I suspect the answer will be no. Look at these two setup 
files for QPro DOS and PDox DOS:
http://fm.no-ip.com/PC/video.rsc
http://fm.no-ip.com/PC/paradox.vid

You can see there are no listings for Trident for 50 row. AFAICT, Trident 
never implemented VESA modes, offering only its proprietary modes, at least 
not as of the 9440 series or maybe one newer version I don't any more recall. 
I can't recall ever personally encountering a gfxcard that supported 132x50 
via VESA (but don't trust my recollection). What I'm using now for DOS in 
OS/2 is ATI's proprietary 132x44 mode with an X600 PCIe card. My attempts to 
get acceptable video behavior and disk I/O speed a few years ago out of 
FreeDOS directly or in any VM under Linux proved a big disappointment. DOS in 
OS/2 is fabulously fast in all regards, while OS/2 in its eComStation 
incarnation provides access to modern apps. If you really need 132x50 I 
suspect you need something other than Trident. I'm not sure anything other 
than ATI made since last century supports anything other than 132x43 and/or 
132x25, if that (certainly not from NVidia, which only came into existence 
long after the big commercial DOS app developers all retired).
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

  Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/
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