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1 | |
2 | What is sisfb? |
3 | ============== |
4 | |
5 | sisfb is a framebuffer device driver for SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems) |
6 | graphics chips. Supported are: |
7 | |
8 | - SiS 300 series: SiS 300/305, 540, 630(S), 730(S) |
9 | - SiS 315 series: SiS 315/H/PRO, 55x, (M)65x, 740, (M)661(F/M)X, (M)741(GX) |
10 | - SiS 330 series: SiS 330 ("Xabre"), (M)760 |
11 | |
12 | |
13 | Why do I need a framebuffer driver? |
14 | =================================== |
15 | |
16 | sisfb is eg. useful if you want a high-resolution text console. Besides that, |
17 | sisfb is required to run DirectFB (which comes with an additional, dedicated |
18 | driver for the 315 series). |
19 | |
20 | On the 300 series, sisfb on kernels older than 2.6.3 furthermore plays an |
21 | important role in connection with DRM/DRI: Sisfb manages the memory heap |
22 | used by DRM/DRI for 3D texture and other data. This memory management is |
23 | required for using DRI/DRM. |
24 | |
25 | Kernels >= around 2.6.3 do not need sisfb any longer for DRI/DRM memory |
26 | management. The SiS DRM driver has been updated and features a memory manager |
27 | of its own (which will be used if sisfb is not compiled). So unless you want |
28 | a graphical console, you don't need sisfb on kernels >=2.6.3. |
29 | |
30 | Sidenote: Since this seems to be a commonly made mistake: sisfb and vesafb |
31 | cannot be active at the same time! Do only select one of them in your kernel |
32 | configuration. |
33 | |
34 | |
35 | How are parameters passed to sisfb? |
36 | =================================== |
37 | |
38 | Well, it depends: If compiled statically into the kernel, use lilo's append |
39 | statement to add the parameters to the kernel command line. Please see lilo's |
40 | (or GRUB's) documentation for more information. If sisfb is a kernel module, |
41 | parameters are given with the modprobe (or insmod) command. |
42 | |
43 | Example for sisfb as part of the static kernel: Add the following line to your |
44 | lilo.conf: |
45 | |
46 | append="video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,mem:12288,rate:75" |
47 | |
48 | Example for sisfb as a module: Start sisfb by typing |
49 | |
50 | modprobe sisfb mode=1024x768x16 rate=75 mem=12288 |
51 | |
52 | A common mistake is that folks use a wrong parameter format when using the |
53 | driver compiled into the kernel. Please note: If compiled into the kernel, |
54 | the parameter format is video=sisfb:mode:none or video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16 |
55 | (or whatever mode you want to use, alternatively using any other format |
56 | described above or the vesa keyword instead of mode). If compiled as a module, |
57 | the parameter format reads mode=none or mode=1024x768x16 (or whatever mode you |
58 | want to use). Using a "=" for a ":" (and vice versa) is a huge difference! |
59 | Additionally: If you give more than one argument to the in-kernel sisfb, the |
60 | arguments are separated with ",". For example: |
61 | |
62 | video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,rate:75,mem:12288 |
63 | |
64 | |
65 | How do I use it? |
66 | ================ |
67 | |
68 | Preface statement: This file only covers very little of the driver's |
69 | capabilities and features. Please refer to the author's and maintainer's |
70 | website at http://www.winischhofer.net/linuxsisvga.shtml for more |
71 | information. Additionally, "modinfo sisfb" gives an overview over all |
72 | supported options including some explanation. |
73 | |
74 | The desired display mode can be specified using the keyword "mode" with |
75 | a parameter in one of the following formats: |
76 | - XxYxDepth or |
77 | - XxY-Depth or |
78 | - XxY-Depth@Rate or |
79 | - XxY |
80 | - or simply use the VESA mode number in hexadecimal or decimal. |
81 | |
82 | For example: 1024x768x16, 1024x768-16@75, 1280x1024-16. If no depth is |
83 | specified, it defaults to 8. If no rate is given, it defaults to 60Hz. Depth 32 |
84 | means 24bit color depth (but 32 bit framebuffer depth, which is not relevant |
85 | to the user). |
86 | |
87 | Additionally, sisfb understands the keyword "vesa" followed by a VESA mode |
88 | number in decimal or hexadecimal. For example: vesa=791 or vesa=0x117. Please |
89 | use either "mode" or "vesa" but not both. |
90 | |
91 | Linux 2.4 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to "no mode" (mode=none) if |
92 | compiled as a module; if sisfb is statically compiled into the kernel, it |
93 | defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2 type is LCD, in which case the LCD's native |
94 | resolution is used. If you want to switch to a different mode, use the fbset |
95 | shell command. |
96 | |
97 | Linux 2.6 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2 |
98 | type is LCD, in which case it defaults to the LCD's native resolution. If |
99 | you want to switch to another mode, use the stty shell command. |
100 | |
101 | You should compile in both vgacon (to boot if you remove you SiS card from |
102 | your system) and sisfb (for graphics mode). Under Linux 2.6, also "Framebuffer |
103 | console support" (fbcon) is needed for a graphical console. |
104 | |
105 | You should *not* compile-in vesafb. And please do not use the "vga=" keyword |
106 | in lilo's or grub's configuration file; mode selection is done using the |
107 | "mode" or "vesa" keywords as a parameter. See above and below. |
108 | |
109 | |
110 | X11 |
111 | === |
112 | |
113 | If using XFree86 or X.org, it is recommended that you don't use the "fbdev" |
114 | driver but the dedicated "sis" X driver. The "sis" X driver and sisfb are |
115 | developed by the same person (Thomas Winischhofer) and cooperate well with |
116 | each other. |
117 | |
118 | |
119 | SVGALib |
120 | ======= |
121 | |
122 | SVGALib, if directly accessing the hardware, never restores the screen |
123 | correctly, especially on laptops or if the output devices are LCD or TV. |
124 | Therefore, use the chipset "FBDEV" in SVGALib configuration. This will make |
125 | SVGALib use the framebuffer device for mode switches and restoration. |
126 | |
127 | |
128 | Configuration |
129 | ============= |
130 | |
131 | (Some) accepted options: |
132 | |
133 | off - Disable sisfb. This option is only understood if sisfb is |
134 | in-kernel, not a module. |
135 | mem:X - size of memory for the console, rest will be used for DRI/DRM. X |
136 | is in kilobytes. On 300 series, the default is 4096, 8192 or |
137 | 16384 (each in kilobyte) depending on how much video ram the card |
138 | has. On 315/330 series, the default is the maximum available ram |
139 | (since DRI/DRM is not supported for these chipsets). |
140 | noaccel - do not use 2D acceleration engine. (Default: use acceleration) |
141 | noypan - disable y-panning and scroll by redrawing the entire screen. |
142 | This is much slower than y-panning. (Default: use y-panning) |
143 | vesa:X - selects startup videomode. X is number from 0 to 0x1FF and |
144 | represents the VESA mode number (can be given in decimal or |
145 | hexadecimal form, the latter prefixed with "0x"). |
146 | mode:X - selects startup videomode. Please see above for the format of |
147 | "X". |
148 | |
149 | Boolean options such as "noaccel" or "noypan" are to be given without a |
150 | parameter if sisfb is in-kernel (for example "video=sisfb:noypan). If |
151 | sisfb is a module, these are to be set to 1 (for example "modprobe sisfb |
152 | noypan=1"). |
153 | |
154 | -- |
155 | Thomas Winischhofer <thomas@winischhofer.net> |
156 | May 27, 2004 |
157 | |
158 | |
159 |
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