At 2:11 PM +0200 4/19/01, Xavier HUMBERT wrote:

:)For what I read on some sources, there are very few things I can do with
:)the builtin video on my 8600.
:)
:)I even don't know wich model it is (the OF driver answers with Apple's
:)vendor ID), I've been told it's an ATI mach64.

AFAICT (based on user feedback):
http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/macppc/models.html
I have the 8600 listed as using the /chaos/control device, which was used
in almost all of Apples first generation PCI powermacs.

Please double-check for me if you really do think it's an ATI mach64.
In Open Firmware, type:
dev / ls

And see whether /chaos/control shows up or something else, like /ATY,mach64
shows up in your device tree.

:)To summarize :
:)- wscons is not available
:)- XFree is not available (Emmanuel, did you succeed ? )
:)- Xmacppc is limited to 640*480 8 bits resolution

Correct.  wscons is not fully implemented on NetBSD/macppc.  XFree needs to
have specific hardware driver support.  Xmacppc uses the Open Firmware
device, and doesn't talk to the hardware directly, which is why it works on
all NetBSD/macppc models without any effort.  So, what Open Firmware tells
NetBSD is what Xmacppc uses.

:)Well, no problem for a server, but for a station, it's a bit limited, I
:)think.
:)
:)Some clues, some (cheap) 3rd parties card to advise ?

Get XFree working on /chaos/control and/or look in the installation notes
-- I put a list in there of vendors that have video cards that work on
macs.  For a video card to work on a mac, it needs to have Open Firmware
drivers.  For XFree to use such a card, it must also be supported by XFree.

Good luck,
  -- MW