1da177e4c3
Initial git repository build. I'm not bothering with the full history, even though we have it. We can create a separate "historical" git archive of that later if we want to, and in the meantime it's about 3.2GB when imported into git - space that would just make the early git days unnecessarily complicated, when we don't have a lot of good infrastructure for it. Let it rip!
158 lines
6.3 KiB
Text
158 lines
6.3 KiB
Text
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What is sisfb?
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==============
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sisfb is a framebuffer device driver for SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems)
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graphics chips. Supported are:
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- SiS 300 series: SiS 300/305, 540, 630(S), 730(S)
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- SiS 315 series: SiS 315/H/PRO, 55x, (M)65x, 740, (M)661(F/M)X, (M)741(GX)
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- SiS 330 series: SiS 330 ("Xabre"), (M)760
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Why do I need a framebuffer driver?
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===================================
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sisfb is eg. useful if you want a high-resolution text console. Besides that,
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sisfb is required to run DirectFB (which comes with an additional, dedicated
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driver for the 315 series).
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On the 300 series, sisfb on kernels older than 2.6.3 furthermore plays an
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important role in connection with DRM/DRI: Sisfb manages the memory heap
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used by DRM/DRI for 3D texture and other data. This memory management is
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required for using DRI/DRM.
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Kernels >= around 2.6.3 do not need sisfb any longer for DRI/DRM memory
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management. The SiS DRM driver has been updated and features a memory manager
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of its own (which will be used if sisfb is not compiled). So unless you want
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a graphical console, you don't need sisfb on kernels >=2.6.3.
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Sidenote: Since this seems to be a commonly made mistake: sisfb and vesafb
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cannot be active at the same time! Do only select one of them in your kernel
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configuration.
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How are parameters passed to sisfb?
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===================================
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Well, it depends: If compiled statically into the kernel, use lilo's append
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statement to add the parameters to the kernel command line. Please see lilo's
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(or GRUB's) documentation for more information. If sisfb is a kernel module,
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parameters are given with the modprobe (or insmod) command.
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Example for sisfb as part of the static kernel: Add the following line to your
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lilo.conf:
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append="video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,mem:12288,rate:75"
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Example for sisfb as a module: Start sisfb by typing
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modprobe sisfb mode=1024x768x16 rate=75 mem=12288
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A common mistake is that folks use a wrong parameter format when using the
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driver compiled into the kernel. Please note: If compiled into the kernel,
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the parameter format is video=sisfb:mode:none or video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16
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(or whatever mode you want to use, alternatively using any other format
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described above or the vesa keyword instead of mode). If compiled as a module,
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the parameter format reads mode=none or mode=1024x768x16 (or whatever mode you
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want to use). Using a "=" for a ":" (and vice versa) is a huge difference!
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Additionally: If you give more than one argument to the in-kernel sisfb, the
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arguments are separated with ",". For example:
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video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,rate:75,mem:12288
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How do I use it?
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================
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Preface statement: This file only covers very little of the driver's
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capabilities and features. Please refer to the author's and maintainer's
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website at http://www.winischhofer.net/linuxsisvga.shtml for more
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information. Additionally, "modinfo sisfb" gives an overview over all
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supported options including some explanation.
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The desired display mode can be specified using the keyword "mode" with
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a parameter in one of the follwing formats:
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- XxYxDepth or
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- XxY-Depth or
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- XxY-Depth@Rate or
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- XxY
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- or simply use the VESA mode number in hexadecimal or decimal.
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For example: 1024x768x16, 1024x768-16@75, 1280x1024-16. If no depth is
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specified, it defaults to 8. If no rate is given, it defaults to 60Hz. Depth 32
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means 24bit color depth (but 32 bit framebuffer depth, which is not relevant
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to the user).
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Additionally, sisfb understands the keyword "vesa" followed by a VESA mode
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number in decimal or hexadecimal. For example: vesa=791 or vesa=0x117. Please
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use either "mode" or "vesa" but not both.
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Linux 2.4 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to "no mode" (mode=none) if
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compiled as a module; if sisfb is statically compiled into the kernel, it
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defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2 type is LCD, in which case the LCD's native
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resolution is used. If you want to switch to a different mode, use the fbset
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shell command.
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Linux 2.6 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2
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type is LCD, in which case it defaults to the LCD's native resolution. If
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you want to switch to another mode, use the stty shell command.
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You should compile in both vgacon (to boot if you remove you SiS card from
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your system) and sisfb (for graphics mode). Under Linux 2.6, also "Framebuffer
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console support" (fbcon) is needed for a graphical console.
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You should *not* compile-in vesafb. And please do not use the "vga=" keyword
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in lilo's or grub's configuration file; mode selection is done using the
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"mode" or "vesa" keywords as a parameter. See above and below.
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X11
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===
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If using XFree86 or X.org, it is recommended that you don't use the "fbdev"
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driver but the dedicated "sis" X driver. The "sis" X driver and sisfb are
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developed by the same person (Thomas Winischhofer) and cooperate well with
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each other.
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SVGALib
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=======
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SVGALib, if directly accessing the hardware, never restores the screen
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correctly, especially on laptops or if the output devices are LCD or TV.
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Therefore, use the chipset "FBDEV" in SVGALib configuration. This will make
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SVGALib use the framebuffer device for mode switches and restoration.
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Configuration
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=============
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(Some) accepted options:
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off - Disable sisfb. This option is only understood if sisfb is
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in-kernel, not a module.
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mem:X - size of memory for the console, rest will be used for DRI/DRM. X
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is in kilobytes. On 300 series, the default is 4096, 8192 or
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16384 (each in kilobyte) depending on how much video ram the card
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has. On 315/330 series, the default is the maximum available ram
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(since DRI/DRM is not supported for these chipsets).
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noaccel - do not use 2D acceleration engine. (Default: use acceleration)
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noypan - disable y-panning and scroll by redrawing the entire screen.
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This is much slower than y-panning. (Default: use y-panning)
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vesa:X - selects startup videomode. X is number from 0 to 0x1FF and
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represents the VESA mode number (can be given in decimal or
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hexadecimal form, the latter prefixed with "0x").
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mode:X - selects startup videomode. Please see above for the format of
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"X".
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Boolean options such as "noaccel" or "noypan" are to be given without a
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parameter if sisfb is in-kernel (for example "video=sisfb:noypan). If
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sisfb is a module, these are to be set to 1 (for example "modprobe sisfb
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noypan=1").
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--
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Thomas Winischhofer <thomas@winischhofer.net>
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May 27, 2004
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