Paul,

    I think NetBSD (and obviously OF) are trying to "use the card through OF".
Linux may be going straight to the hardware (by assumming it is somewhat VGA
like?). The problem you are having isn't really with NetBSD. It is with OF.
When you boot MacOS with this system, what do you see on the screen before it
starts MacOS. For example my 8600 shows the cross hatch background. I suspect
this is comming from OF (something the AAPL,ROM writes there using OF support
before the OS starts). After MacOS has begun booting, it switches to the funny
background with the faces.

    One interesting point about the ims TT card I have. It has a MacOS driver
on the ROM. This is in addition to the OF support. This can be seen in the
properties. This may be how this card works under MacOS. Maybe its OF stuff is
sorely broken but it has a MacOS driver on the ROM that works.

    It is a long shot, but you might try contacting ATI with the BIOS revision
and asking them if they know whether this card should work with OF?

                    kevin

paul beard wrote:

> Somehow my linuxPPC install CD can find and use the video card I have been
> struggling with. Does this dmesg output give any clues as to what I need to
> try in netbsd?
>
> MacOS display is /bandit/ATY,mach64
> Using unsupported 640x480 ATY,mach64 at 81800200, depth=16, pitch=1280
> Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 80x30
> fb0: Open Firmware frame buffer device on /bandit/ATY,mach64
>
> tried /bandit/ATY,mach64, no difference.
>
> fb0 is new to me, though. how is the frame buffer used in netBSD?
> --
> Paul Beard
> 8040 27th Ave NE
> Seattle WA 98115
>
> Will you loan me $20.00 and only give me ten of it?
> That way, you will owe me ten, and I'll owe you ten, and we'll be even!