Following up yet again...

The log shows the following text:

II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libddc.a
(II) Module ddc: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
	compiled for 4.4.0, module version = 1.0.0
	ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC supported
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC Level none
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC transfer in appr. 0 sec.
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC read failed


The corresponding section on a FreeBSD Live CD looks like this:

(II) Loading sub module "ddc"
(II) LoadModule: "ddc"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libddc.a
(II) Module ddc: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
        compiled for 4.3.0, module version = 1.0.0
        ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.6
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC supported
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC Level 2   
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC transfer in appr. 1 sec.
(II) I810(0): VESA VBE DDC read successfully
(II) I810(0): Manufacturer: DEL  Model: 7077  Serial#: 878134084
(II) I810(0): Year: 1999  Week: 11
(II) I810(0): EDID Version: 1.1
(II) I810(0): Analog Display Input,  Input Voltage Level: 0.700/0.300 V
(II) I810(0): Sync:  Separate  Composite
(II) I810(0): Max H-Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 34  vert.: 25
(II) I810(0): Gamma: 2.76  
(II) I810(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off; RGB/Color Display
(II) I810(0): redX: 0.625 redY: 0.340   greenX: 0.285 greenY: 0.605
(II) I810(0): blueX: 0.150 blueY: 0.065   whiteX: 0.281 whiteY: 0.311
(II) I810(0): Supported VESA Video Modes:
(II) I810(0): 720x400@70Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 640x480@75Hz   
(II) I810(0): 800x600@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 800x600@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@60Hz
(II) I810(0): 1024x768@75Hz
(II) I810(0): 1280x1024@75Hz
...

It also detects the monitor name and capabilities, which NetBSD is not 
doing.  I had similar success with a Knoppix CD.  I strongly suspect 
that that's the cause of my problems, since the VESA modesa are 
apparently being deteted by DDC.

Both of those are running XFree86 4.3.x; my machine, being up-to-date
-current, has 4.4.  I don't know if the problem is with that difference
or with NetBSD itself.  Suggestsions welcome.  (At this point, I'm 
convinced enough that my problems are not due to my config file that 
I've changed the subject line and will file a PR very soon.)

		--Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb