Frame Buffer problems

[Stefan Bruda]

At 22:04 -0000 on 2002-12-10 Ellis Skinazi wrote:
 >
 > To use the Frame Buffer in XFree86 there is a line in the XF86Config-4 file
 > with 'Driver "ati"' for the video card, and that has to be changed to
 > 'Driver "fbdev"' ... ignore ' but keep ".

As a matter of fact, I believe that the presence of 

   Driver "fbdev"

in XF86Config-4 implies that a software frame buffer is used, which is
much slower than a hardware frame buffer (in my experience anyway).
The latter is obtained by using a specific driver (I believe it's
"ati" in this particular case) and providing

   Option "UseFBDev"

inside the respective driver section.  Something along the following
idea:

   Section "Device"
      Identifier "ATI"
      Driver "ati"
      Option "UseFBDev"
      # ... other options here if applicable...
   EndSection

Of course, fbset works just as well in this configuration; in
particular, fbset -x still displays a suitable mode line (anyway, a
mode description--how do you call the new mode description which is
not actually on one line??)  ready to be inserted in XF86Config-4.

Hope this helps,
Stefan

-- 
If it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as
it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.
    --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass