Re: port-sparc64/52060: ifb driver for Sun XVR-1200

[Maurizio Caltabiano <kalta59%gmail.com@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR port-sparc64/52060; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: Maurizio Caltabiano <kalta59%gmail.com@localhost>
To: gnats-bugs%netbsd.org@localhost
Cc: 
Subject: Re: port-sparc64/52060: ifb driver for Sun XVR-1200
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2017 18:52:33 +0100

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 Hi Michael,
 sad news by your side...
 I could swap XVR-1200 to a cheaper XVR-100 64 ( ATI Radeon 7000 - 64Mb).
 please could you say me if XVR100-64 is supported with a driver already
 present in the distribution?
 Thanks a lot,
 Maurizio
 
 
 2017-03-11 18:15 GMT+01:00 Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>:
 
 > The following reply was made to PR port-sparc64/52060; it has been noted
 > by GNATS.
 >
 > From: Michael <macallan%netbsd.org@localhost>
 > To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost
 > Cc:
 > Subject: Re: port-sparc64/52060: ifb driver for Sun XVR-1200
 > Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2017 12:11:47 -0500
 >
 >  There is no Xorg driver for the XVR-1200 or any other wildcat-based
 >  cards, not in NetBSD or anywhere else that I'm aware of. It wouldn't be
 >  too hard to write one though, we have limited documentation for at
 >  least a few chips.
 >  The problem is that we get the hardware in a rather weird state - two
 >  framebuffers and a control plane which ( likely among other things )
 >  selects which pixel's colour info is taken from what framebuffer. This
 >  control plane contains garbage and we don't know how to access it.
 >  Currently the kernel's wcfb driver works around this by writing into
 >  both framebuffers.
 >  An Xorg driver would either need to use a shadow framebuffer with a
 >  specialized update routine that writes both framebuffers ( not hard to
 >  do, I did something similar for the mgx board ) or, on boards where we
 >  know how to use the blitter, one could write a simple exa driver with
 >  an UploadToScreen() method that takes care of this.
 >
 >  have fun
 >  Michael
 >
 >
 
 
 -- 
 
 -------------------------
 Maurizio Caltabiano
 Mob. +39.348.2292474
 E-mail: kalta59%gmail.com@localhost
 Skype: macal.pointsec
 -------------------------
 
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 <div dir=3D"ltr"><div><div><div><div>Hi Michael,<br></div>sad news by your =
 side...<br></div>I could swap XVR-1200 to a cheaper XVR-100 64 (<span class=
 =3D"gmail-spec"></span>
                             <span class=3D"gmail-value">
                                                                        =20
                                                                        =20
         ATI Radeon 7000 - 64Mb)</span>.<br>please could you say me if XVR10=
 0-64 is supported with a driver already present in the distribution?<br></d=
 iv>Thanks a lot,<br></div>Maurizio<br><br></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra">=
 <br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">2017-03-11 18:15 GMT+01:00 Michael <span dir=
 =3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:macallan%netbsd.org@localhost"; target=3D"_blank">macal=
 lan%netbsd.org@localhost</a>&gt;</span>:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=
 =3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">The foll=
 owing reply was made to PR port-sparc64/52060; it has been noted by GNATS.<=
 br>
 <br>
 From: Michael &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:macallan%netbsd.org@localhost";>macallan%netbsd.or@localhost=
 g</a>&gt;<br>
 To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost<br>
 Cc:<br>
 Subject: Re: port-sparc64/52060: ifb driver for Sun XVR-1200<br>
 Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2017 12:11:47 -0500<br>
 <br>
 =C2=A0There is no Xorg driver for the XVR-1200 or any other wildcat-based<b=
 r>
 =C2=A0cards, not in NetBSD or anywhere else that I&#39;m aware of. It would=
 n&#39;t be<br>
 =C2=A0too hard to write one though, we have limited documentation for at<br=
 >
 =C2=A0least a few chips.<br>
 =C2=A0The problem is that we get the hardware in a rather weird state - two=
 <br>
 =C2=A0framebuffers and a control plane which ( likely among other things )<=
 br>
 =C2=A0selects which pixel&#39;s colour info is taken from what framebuffer.=
  This<br>
 =C2=A0control plane contains garbage and we don&#39;t know how to access it=
 .<br>
 =C2=A0Currently the kernel&#39;s wcfb driver works around this by writing i=
 nto<br>
 =C2=A0both framebuffers.<br>
 =C2=A0An Xorg driver would either need to use a shadow framebuffer with a<b=
 r>
 =C2=A0specialized update routine that writes both framebuffers ( not hard t=
 o<br>
 =C2=A0do, I did something similar for the mgx board ) or, on boards where w=
 e<br>
 =C2=A0know how to use the blitter, one could write a simple exa driver with=
 <br>
 =C2=A0an UploadToScreen() method that takes care of this.<br>
 <br>
 =C2=A0have fun<br>
 <span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888">=C2=A0Michael<br>
 <br>
 </font></span></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br><div clas=
 s=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gmail_signature"><br>--------------=
 -----------<br>Maurizio Caltabiano<br>Mob. +39.348.2292474<br>E-mail: <a hr=
 ef=3D"mailto:kalta59%gmail.com@localhost"; target=3D"_blank">kalta59%gmail.com@localhost</a><br>=
 Skype: macal.pointsec<br>-------------------------</div>
 </div>
 
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