NVidia framebuffer driver to replace vesafb

[Loial]

I'm currently using the UNaccelerated vesafb driver that is in the Linux kernel. My grub kernel line:
kernel /bzImage root=/dev/hda3 hdc=ide-scsi hdd=ide-scsi vga=0x346 video=vesa:mtrr,ywrap:1600x1200@60

Now I was wondering if it would be possible for NVidia to provide a driver to replace this generic console driver and make it possible to use all resolutions and colordepths that are also available in XFree86 and provide accelerated graphics for us console lovers? I can only run 1600x1200@16 bits atm, and that was a pain to find out (no decent docs available anywhere on the web at the time)

There is atm the rivafb driver which does some acceleration, but it won't swallow my Geforce2 GTS let alone more recent cards. This is a concern for me, which I would like to see resolved so I can buy a replacement videocard and know that it is being put in full service and not that it is idling on some oldschool unaccelerated vesa thingies.

Hopefully, such a driver in the kernel can also fix a problem I've been having, that changing between XFree and console messes things up badly when running a framebuffer application, because now it keeps resulting in me doing a reboot to reinitialize and fix things.

I would like to know if such a driver is planned or if it is already being developed (I'm sure you will have thought of similar things a thousand times already:P)

[broose]

Yes please Nvidia!

Would love to be able to use the features of my MX420 and 440 in framebuffer console.

[ribx]

since i registered here i am trying to find a solution for your problem. i realy love the console, but i can only run it at a max of 640x480 .. and this is realy ugly on my 19" screen. i am using lilo and i will try to use your settings.. i hope it will work we ll see

but now the main problem: i dont see any experenced people here in the linux section.. i think they dont care about us..

WHAT CAN WE DO TO CONTAKT A MOD or AN ADMIN here in the linux forum?
start a new thread in the open forum???

i think i ll do this if i cant find a solution soon

_____________
NV18

[bactrimel]

If all you want is a nice, big text mode (e.g. 192x60@70Hz) you could try using a patched version of SVGATextMode. See here:

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/show...721#post233721

[broose]

Hi

I'm sure I read somewhere, SVGATextMode is no longer being developed.

[broose]

Originally posted by Loial
I'm currently using the UNaccelerated vesafb driver that is in the Linux kernel. My grub kernel line:
kernel /bzImage root=/dev/hda3 hdc=ide-scsi hdd=ide-scsi vga=0x346 video=vesa:mtrr,ywrap:1600x1200@60

Now I was wondering if it would be possible for NVidia to provide a driver to replace this generic console driver and make it possible to use all resolutions and colordepths that are also available in XFree86 and provide accelerated graphics for us console lovers? I can only run 1600x1200@16 bits atm, and that was a pain to find out (no decent docs available anywhere on the web at the time)

There is atm the rivafb driver which does some acceleration, but it won't swallow my Geforce2 GTS let alone more recent cards. This is a concern for me, which I would like to see resolved so I can buy a replacement videocard and know that it is being put in full service and not that it is idling on some oldschool unaccelerated vesa thingies.

Hopefully, such a driver in the kernel can also fix a problem I've been having, that changing between XFree and console messes things up badly when running a framebuffer application, because now it keeps resulting in me doing a reboot to reinitialize and fix things.

I would like to know if such a driver is planned or if it is already being developed (I'm sure you will have thought of similar things a thousand times already:P)

I am still trying to get someone at nVidia to comment on support for 2D/3D acceleration in the Linux console framebuffer.

I for one am more than satisfied with the drivers nVidia supply for X-windows, have had no problems with any of thier driver. Keep up the good work.

X-windowing system is a great piece of kit, for those who utilise all its facilities, but there are people using thier computers to just read e-mails, surf the web, write letters etc; in other areas where people are restricted to old/low resource hardware i.e. schools, X then becomes overkill and is too resource hungry.

I have two machines at home:

Machine A has Athlon 2200+, nVidia GForce4 64Mb, vesafb.
Machine B has Pentium 200, 3Dfx Voodoo2 16Mb, tdfxfb.

and have compiled the demo app that comes with TrollTech's Qt-Embedded (that uses the framebuffer only) and the app runs faster and smoother on Machine B. Just think how fast that app would run on Machine A if it had an nVidiafb, and ribx could have better resolution on his/her 19" monitor.

Thaks for listening, sorry, reading.

broose

[analogue]

We need framebuffer support ! Could you at least release the 2D specs of your chips so we get a decent framebuffer module ?

Actually it just make our computers crash :/

[broose]

Originally posted by analogue
We need framebuffer support ! Could you at least release the 2D specs of your chips so we get a decent framebuffer module ?

Actually it just make our computers crash :/

Why?

[nyteryda]

Have there been any answers on this yet as it is what i am looking for as im looking at XDirectFB instead of XFree/Xorg

[LordMorgul]

I spend lots of time staring at VTs (using vesafb) and would appreciate the ability to control refresh rates in high resolution modes above all else (I find the speed adequate). There is no way to do this that I am aware of -- you get 60Hz. Unfortunately.. since the vesafb module is initialized very early in the kernel I believe such support from nvidia may require some level of bootstrapping in the mainline kernel at least -- they could not release a driver that would handle 2/3D accelerated framebuffers without part of the code being included in the kernel it is to run on. Comments?

Update: Yes it takes code active at kernel boot.. but VTs can be run in higher refresh rates with vesafb.
Here's the thread where I found out how, and got the patches -- Gentoo forums to the rescue once again. Updated patches are linked from the very end, page 9 right now. This still works with the nVIDIA driver just fine -- no its not the accellerated solution others would like.

[mklemm]

I think NVIDIA should change the driver architecture on Linux such that the X specific stuff will be based on a kernel mode driver that also could be used by a NVIDIA-specific framebuffer device. This will avoid problems most people currently have with the open source rivafb driver, and all graphics stuff could be based on a common architecture. Other OSes (like e.g. Solaris) already do this: They have a good framebuffer driver, and X just sits on top of it. Why should it be so hard to do that on Linux?

[SuLinUX]

Thats down to the kernel devs and distro developers, SuSE works and other are fine so why would is be upto nvidia for a framebuffer?