2001-02-05 04:48:43

by Louis E Garcia II

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: nvidia fb 0.9.0

I gave upgraded to 2.4.2pre on my RH7 box and while using riva-128 fb
noticed when in X all the white parts of my desktop are to dark, it is
almost unreadable. I think it might have to do with video timing, is
there a way to fix this?

Lou


2001-02-05 16:54:16

by Bakonyi Ferenc

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0 (0.9.2?)


Louis Garcia <[email protected]> wrote:

> I gave upgraded to 2.4.2pre on my RH7 box and while using riva-128 fb
> noticed when in X all the white parts of my desktop are to dark, it is
> almost unreadable. I think it might have to do with video timing, is
> there a way to fix this?

Hi!

Color handling on Riva 128 in 8bpp mode is a little bit confused.
The table below summarizes the depth of color registers in 8bpp mode:

| Riva 128 | Riva TNT and higher
----------------+----------+--------------------
XF86 | 6 bit | 8 bit
----------------+----------+--------------------
rivafb < 0.7.2 | 6 bit | 6 bit 'dark console'
----------------+----------+--------------------
rivafb 0.7.3 | 6 bit | 8 bit
----------------+----------+--------------------
rivafb 0.9.2 | 8 bit | 8 bit
----------------+----------+--------------------

The Riva hardware can be programmed to expect 8 bit or 6 bit color
registers. Rivafb < 0.7.2 used 6 bit color registers, but the hw was
programmed to 8 bit registers on TNT/TNT2. That was causing the so
called 'dark console' bug.
Rivafb 0.9.2 begins to utilize 8 bits on Riva 128, but your X server
uses only 6 bits of them so your desktop's brightness is 1/4. Now
Riva 128 has a 'dark X' bug. :)
The X server should be patched. Which X server/version are you using?

Regards:
Ferenc Bakonyi

2001-02-05 18:59:18

by Louis E Garcia II

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0 (0.9.2?)

Bakonyi Ferenc wrote:

> Louis Garcia <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I gave upgraded to 2.4.2pre on my RH7 box and while using riva-128 fb
>> noticed when in X all the white parts of my desktop are to dark, it is
>> almost unreadable. I think it might have to do with video timing, is
>> there a way to fix this?
>
>
> Hi!
>
> Color handling on Riva 128 in 8bpp mode is a little bit confused.
> The table below summarizes the depth of color registers in 8bpp mode:
>
> | Riva 128 | Riva TNT and higher
> ----------------+----------+--------------------
> XF86 | 6 bit | 8 bit
> ----------------+----------+--------------------
> rivafb < 0.7.2 | 6 bit | 6 bit 'dark console'
> ----------------+----------+--------------------
> rivafb 0.7.3 | 6 bit | 8 bit
> ----------------+----------+--------------------
> rivafb 0.9.2 | 8 bit | 8 bit
> ----------------+----------+--------------------
>
> The Riva hardware can be programmed to expect 8 bit or 6 bit color
> registers. Rivafb < 0.7.2 used 6 bit color registers, but the hw was
> programmed to 8 bit registers on TNT/TNT2. That was causing the so
> called 'dark console' bug.
> Rivafb 0.9.2 begins to utilize 8 bits on Riva 128, but your X server
> uses only 6 bits of them so your desktop's brightness is 1/4. Now
> Riva 128 has a 'dark X' bug. :)
> The X server should be patched. Which X server/version are you using?
>
> Regards:
> Ferenc Bakonyi
>
>
>
>
I'm using XFree86-4.0.1 with the nv driver. You are right, it's ver
0.9.2 for the fb.

Where can I get the patch? Should I upgrade to XFree86-4.0.2?

Lou

2001-02-05 19:06:58

by Bakonyi Ferenc

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0 (0.9.2?)


Louis Garcia <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm using XFree86-4.0.1 with the nv driver. You are right, it's ver
> 0.9.2 for the fb.
>
> Where can I get the patch? Should I upgrade to XFree86-4.0.2?

Not yet, we have to write that patch first... :) I'll grab an XFree
source soon.
Please test other color depths too: 15bpp and 32bpp.

Thanks!
Ferenc

2001-02-08 12:11:46

by Bakonyi Ferenc

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0 (0.9.2?)


/me wrote:

> Louis Garcia <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I'm using XFree86-4.0.1 with the nv driver. You are right, it's ver
> > 0.9.2 for the fb.
> >
> > Where can I get the patch? Should I upgrade to XFree86-4.0.2?
>
> Not yet, we have to write that patch first... :) I'll grab an XFree
> source soon.
> Please test other color depths too: 15bpp and 32bpp.

Hi!

I've tried to reproduce your problem, but I failed. Rivafb 0.9.2 on
Asus V3000 (Riva 128) with nv driver (from XFree-4.0.1g, Debian
Woody) works fine for me. Would you like to try out some other XFree
versions too?

Regards:
Ferenc Bakonyi

2001-02-08 20:30:41

by Louis E Garcia II

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0 (0.9.2?)

Bakonyi Ferenc wrote:

> /me wrote:
>
>> Louis Garcia <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I'm using XFree86-4.0.1 with the nv driver. You are right, it's ver
>>> 0.9.2 for the fb.
>>>
>>> Where can I get the patch? Should I upgrade to XFree86-4.0.2?
>>
>> Not yet, we have to write that patch first... :) I'll grab an XFree
>> source soon.
>> Please test other color depths too: 15bpp and 32bpp.
>
>
> Hi!
>
> I've tried to reproduce your problem, but I failed. Rivafb 0.9.2 on
> Asus V3000 (Riva 128) with nv driver (from XFree-4.0.1g, Debian
> Woody) works fine for me. Would you like to try out some other XFree
> versions too?
>
> Regards:
> Ferenc Bakonyi
>
>
>
>
On a nvidia riva 128 and a stock rh7 with kernel-2.4.1ac4 and above
which has rivafb-0.9.2 when I startx the desktop is dark. This is in
16bit and 24bit modes.
I have been told the Riva hardware can be programmed to expect 8 bit or
6 bit color registers. Rivafb < 0.7.2 used 6 bit color registers, but
the hw was programmed to 8 bit registers on TNT/TNT2. That was causing
the so called 'dark console' bug. Rivafb 0.9.2 begins to utilize 8 bits
on Riva 128, but the XFree86-4.0.1 server uses only 6 bits of them so
your desktop's brightness is 1/4.

Louis Garcia

2001-03-05 08:38:42

by Lucca

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0

I saw earlier posts about this, but never heard any resolution...

Upgrading to a 2.4.2 kernel, my Riva128 based video card behaves strangely
in X; certain colors are dark. The thing that confuses me is that not All
colors are dark; just some of them. Redrawing parts of the screen changes
luminosity in those areas. e.g. in windowmaker, some menus are dark, some
are normal. A background set by xv is normal, but wmsetbg is dark, etc.

Is this a known problem? Are there work-arounds?

Matt Backes
[email protected]


2001-03-07 17:50:37

by James Simmons

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: nvidia fb 0.9.0


>Is this a known problem? Are there work-arounds?

Yes. The problem is caused by the fbdev driver using 8 bit width for its
RAMDAC and the X server uses 6 bits. Try teh UseFBDev option for the X
server.

MS: (n) 1. A debilitating and surprisingly widespread affliction that
renders the sufferer barely able to perform the simplest task. 2. A disease.

James Simmons [[email protected]] ____/|
fbdev/console/gfx developer \ o.O|
http://www.linux-fbdev.org =(_)=
http://linuxgfx.sourceforge.net U
http://linuxconsole.sourceforge.net