Subject: Re: OT: SS20 video RAM source?
To: None <port-sparc@netbsd.org>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
List: port-sparc
Date: 02/25/2003 01:49:18
> I'm starting to get more and more annoyed with the 8bpp video coming
> out of the cg6 I have in my SS20.

:-)

> I hear that if I can find some "special" memory for the double
> slotted RAM locations, I can end up with an onboard cg14 that does
> 24bpp.

Basically, yes.  I suspect it's actually more than just special memory
- that a nontrivial part of the framebuffer is on there too.  But it's
got the form-factor of a stick of memory with some extra length pasted
onto the end to fit into the "extra" socket.

> Anyone done that?  Does X work?  Work well?

Yes, me.

Yes, after I wrote the necessary ddx code.

Yes, fairly well, after I improved my first attempt at an X server.
Not as good as the cg6 for 8bpp performance (I have no doc telling me
how to use the acceleration the cg14 apparently has), but certainly
usable.  Indeed, I'm typing this letter using it.

I hear X works, albeit relatively poorly, if you just use Xsun24.  I
never got that to behave myself, but I didn't put a lot of time into
it, because I wanted a more sophisticated server.

I ended up with a server capable of 8bpp and 24bpp on the same screen,
so you get 8bpp speed when doing non-demanding things but 24bpp
capability for real pictures and such.

I think someone is working on rolling my stuff into xsrc; I'll also, of
course, be happy to give anyone who wants copies of what I've done.

> And where can I find these magic little doodads?

Good question.  Mine was a present from a kind soul in Germany (you
know who you are - and thank you!).

> I did find a memory vendor or two that would sell me new 64MB memory
> sticks, but I suspect that is not exactly useful, as I already have
> some of those...

Definitely not what you want.  What you want comes in two sizes: 4MB
and 8MB.

http://memoryx.net/sparc20.html lists "4MB Sun Sparc 20 Video DIMM
upgrade (p/n X325A)" and "8mb Sun Sparc 20 Video DIMM upgrade (p/n
X326A)"; I think those are what you want, though since I didn't get
mine there I can't be certain.  What appear to be the same things are
listed in http://www.memoryx.net/spar20frambu.html.  (My only
relationship with MemoryX is that of satisfied customer, and even that
neither recently nor often.  I'm sure lots of other Sun parts resellers
sell them too; they just happened to be the first place I looked.)

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