<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META NAME="GENERATOR" CONTENT="SGML-Tools 1.0.9">
<TITLE>Framebuffer HOWTO: Using framebuffer devices on SPARC platforms</TITLE>
<LINK HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-12.html" REL=next>
<LINK HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-10.html" REL=previous>
<LINK HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO.html#toc11" REL=contents>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-12.html">Next</A>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-10.html">Previous</A>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO.html#toc11">Contents</A>
<HR>
<H2><A NAME="s11">11. Using framebuffer devices on SPARC platforms</A></H2>
<H2><A NAME="ss11.1">11.1 Which graphic cards can work with the framebuffer device?</A>
</H2>
<P>This lists all the graphic cards available:
<P>
<UL>
<LI>MG1/MG2 - SBus or integrated on Sun3 - max. 1600x1280 @ mono (BWtwo)</LI>
<LI>CGthree - Similar to MG1/MG2 but supports colour - max resolution ?</LI>
<LI>GX - SBus - max. 1152x900 @ 8bit (CGsix)</LI>
<LI>TurboGX - SBus - max. 1152x900 @ 8 bit (CGsix)</LI>
<LI>SX - SS10/SS20 only - max. 1280x1024 @ 24 bit - (CGfourteen)</LI>
<LI>ZX(TZX) - SBus - accelerated 24bit 3D card - max resolution ?
(Leo)</LI>
<LI>TCX - AFX - for Sparc 4 only - max. 1280x1024 @ 8bit</LI>
<LI>TCX(S24) - AFX - for Sparc 5 only - max. 1152x900 @ 24bit</LI>
<LI>Creator - SBus - max. 1280x1024 @ 24bit (FFB)</LI>
<LI>Creator3D - SBus - max. 1920x1200 @ 24bit (FFB)</LI>
<LI>ATI Mach64 - accelerated 8/24bit for Sparc64 PCI only</LI>
</UL>
<P>There is the option to use the PROM to output characters to the display or
to a serial console.
<P>Also, have a look at the Sparc Frame Buffer FAQ at
<PRE>
http://c3-a.snvl1.sfba.home.com/Framebuffer.html
</PRE>
<P>
<H2><A NAME="ss11.2">11.2 Configuring the framebuffer devices </A>
</H2>
<P>
<P>During make config, you need to choose whether to compile <CODE>promcon</CODE>
and/or <CODE>fbcon</CODE>. You can select both, but if you do this, you will need
to set the kernel flags to select the device. <CODE>fbcon</CODE> always takes
precedence if not set. If <CODE>promcon</CODE> is not selected in, on boot up, it
defaults to <CODE>dummycon</CODE>. If <CODE>promcon</CODE> is selected, it will use this
device. Once the buses are booted, and <CODE>fbcon</CODE> is compiled in, the
kernel probes for the above framebuffers and will use <CODE>fbcon</CODE>. If there
is no framebuffer devices, it will default to <CODE>promcon</CODE>.
<P>Here are the kernel options
<PRE>
video=sbus:options
where options is a comma separated list:
nomargins sets margins to 0,0
margins=12x24 sets margins to 12,24 (default is computed
from resolution)
off don't probe for any SBus/UPA framebuffers
font=SUN12x22 use a specific font
</PRE>
<P>So for example, booting with
<PRE>
video=sbus:nomargins,font=SUN12x22
</PRE>
gives you a nice fast text console with a text resolution of
96x40, looks similar to a Solaris console but with colours and virtual
terminals just like on the Intel platform.
<P>If you want to use the <CODE>SUN12x22</CODE> font, you need to enable it during
make config (disable the <CODE>fontwidth != 8</CODE> option). The accelerated
framebuffers can support any font width between 1 to 16 pixels, whilst
dumb frame buffers only supports 4, 8, 12 and 16 pixel font widths.
<P>It is recommended that you grab a recent consoletools packages.
<P>
<HR>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-12.html">Next</A>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO-10.html">Previous</A>
<A HREF="Framebuffer-HOWTO.html#toc11">Contents</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>
