sisfb.rst 6.5 KB

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  1. ==============
  2. What is sisfb?
  3. ==============
  4. sisfb is a framebuffer device driver for SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems)
  5. graphics chips. Supported are:
  6. - SiS 300 series: SiS 300/305, 540, 630(S), 730(S)
  7. - SiS 315 series: SiS 315/H/PRO, 55x, (M)65x, 740, (M)661(F/M)X, (M)741(GX)
  8. - SiS 330 series: SiS 330 ("Xabre"), (M)760
  9. Why do I need a framebuffer driver?
  10. ===================================
  11. sisfb is eg. useful if you want a high-resolution text console. Besides that,
  12. sisfb is required to run DirectFB (which comes with an additional, dedicated
  13. driver for the 315 series).
  14. On the 300 series, sisfb on kernels older than 2.6.3 furthermore plays an
  15. important role in connection with DRM/DRI: Sisfb manages the memory heap
  16. used by DRM/DRI for 3D texture and other data. This memory management is
  17. required for using DRI/DRM.
  18. Kernels >= around 2.6.3 do not need sisfb any longer for DRI/DRM memory
  19. management. The SiS DRM driver has been updated and features a memory manager
  20. of its own (which will be used if sisfb is not compiled). So unless you want
  21. a graphical console, you don't need sisfb on kernels >=2.6.3.
  22. Sidenote: Since this seems to be a commonly made mistake: sisfb and vesafb
  23. cannot be active at the same time! Do only select one of them in your kernel
  24. configuration.
  25. How are parameters passed to sisfb?
  26. ===================================
  27. Well, it depends: If compiled statically into the kernel, use lilo's append
  28. statement to add the parameters to the kernel command line. Please see lilo's
  29. (or GRUB's) documentation for more information. If sisfb is a kernel module,
  30. parameters are given with the modprobe (or insmod) command.
  31. Example for sisfb as part of the static kernel: Add the following line to your
  32. lilo.conf::
  33. append="video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,mem:12288,rate:75"
  34. Example for sisfb as a module: Start sisfb by typing::
  35. modprobe sisfb mode=1024x768x16 rate=75 mem=12288
  36. A common mistake is that folks use a wrong parameter format when using the
  37. driver compiled into the kernel. Please note: If compiled into the kernel,
  38. the parameter format is video=sisfb:mode:none or video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16
  39. (or whatever mode you want to use, alternatively using any other format
  40. described above or the vesa keyword instead of mode). If compiled as a module,
  41. the parameter format reads mode=none or mode=1024x768x16 (or whatever mode you
  42. want to use). Using a "=" for a ":" (and vice versa) is a huge difference!
  43. Additionally: If you give more than one argument to the in-kernel sisfb, the
  44. arguments are separated with ",". For example::
  45. video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,rate:75,mem:12288
  46. How do I use it?
  47. ================
  48. Preface statement: This file only covers very little of the driver's
  49. capabilities and features. Please refer to the author's and maintainer's
  50. website at http://www.winischhofer.net/linuxsisvga.shtml for more
  51. information. Additionally, "modinfo sisfb" gives an overview over all
  52. supported options including some explanation.
  53. The desired display mode can be specified using the keyword "mode" with
  54. a parameter in one of the following formats:
  55. - XxYxDepth or
  56. - XxY-Depth or
  57. - XxY-Depth@Rate or
  58. - XxY
  59. - or simply use the VESA mode number in hexadecimal or decimal.
  60. For example: 1024x768x16, 1024x768-16@75, 1280x1024-16. If no depth is
  61. specified, it defaults to 8. If no rate is given, it defaults to 60Hz. Depth 32
  62. means 24bit color depth (but 32 bit framebuffer depth, which is not relevant
  63. to the user).
  64. Additionally, sisfb understands the keyword "vesa" followed by a VESA mode
  65. number in decimal or hexadecimal. For example: vesa=791 or vesa=0x117. Please
  66. use either "mode" or "vesa" but not both.
  67. Linux 2.4 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to "no mode" (mode=none) if
  68. compiled as a module; if sisfb is statically compiled into the kernel, it
  69. defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2 type is LCD, in which case the LCD's native
  70. resolution is used. If you want to switch to a different mode, use the fbset
  71. shell command.
  72. Linux 2.6 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2
  73. type is LCD, in which case it defaults to the LCD's native resolution. If
  74. you want to switch to another mode, use the stty shell command.
  75. You should compile in both vgacon (to boot if you remove you SiS card from
  76. your system) and sisfb (for graphics mode). Under Linux 2.6, also "Framebuffer
  77. console support" (fbcon) is needed for a graphical console.
  78. You should *not* compile-in vesafb. And please do not use the "vga=" keyword
  79. in lilo's or grub's configuration file; mode selection is done using the
  80. "mode" or "vesa" keywords as a parameter. See above and below.
  81. X11
  82. ===
  83. If using XFree86 or X.org, it is recommended that you don't use the "fbdev"
  84. driver but the dedicated "sis" X driver. The "sis" X driver and sisfb are
  85. developed by the same person (Thomas Winischhofer) and cooperate well with
  86. each other.
  87. SVGALib
  88. =======
  89. SVGALib, if directly accessing the hardware, never restores the screen
  90. correctly, especially on laptops or if the output devices are LCD or TV.
  91. Therefore, use the chipset "FBDEV" in SVGALib configuration. This will make
  92. SVGALib use the framebuffer device for mode switches and restoration.
  93. Configuration
  94. =============
  95. (Some) accepted options:
  96. ========= ==================================================================
  97. off Disable sisfb. This option is only understood if sisfb is
  98. in-kernel, not a module.
  99. mem:X size of memory for the console, rest will be used for DRI/DRM. X
  100. is in kilobytes. On 300 series, the default is 4096, 8192 or
  101. 16384 (each in kilobyte) depending on how much video ram the card
  102. has. On 315/330 series, the default is the maximum available ram
  103. (since DRI/DRM is not supported for these chipsets).
  104. noaccel do not use 2D acceleration engine. (Default: use acceleration)
  105. noypan disable y-panning and scroll by redrawing the entire screen.
  106. This is much slower than y-panning. (Default: use y-panning)
  107. vesa:X selects startup videomode. X is number from 0 to 0x1FF and
  108. represents the VESA mode number (can be given in decimal or
  109. hexadecimal form, the latter prefixed with "0x").
  110. mode:X selects startup videomode. Please see above for the format of
  111. "X".
  112. ========= ==================================================================
  113. Boolean options such as "noaccel" or "noypan" are to be given without a
  114. parameter if sisfb is in-kernel (for example "video=sisfb:noypan). If
  115. sisfb is a module, these are to be set to 1 (for example "modprobe sisfb
  116. noypan=1").
  117. Thomas Winischhofer <thomas@winischhofer.net>
  118. May 27, 2004