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sfaulconer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:21 pm    Post subject: PC Hardware Reply with quote

In compiling my kernel, I noticed the OSS drivers for some PC sound cards, as well as DRI for PC-style video cards. Is it possible to, say, put a Soundblaster Live in my Ultra60 for sound, instead of the onboard sound?

Thanks.

SMF
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Weeve
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Supposedly yes. I tried putting a SB Live in my Blade 100 and the module complained about a difference in how things are implemented between sparc64 and i386 and wouldn't let me load it. I don't recall the exact errror message unfortunately.
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sfaulconer
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 20, 2003 8:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Weeve wrote:
Supposedly yes. I tried putting a SB Live in my Blade 100 and the module complained about a difference in how things are implemented between sparc64 and i386 and wouldn't let me load it. I don't recall the exact errror message unfortunately.

Interesting. Might be worth an attempt for me, just to see if I can make it work.

Thanks Weeve.
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Ferran
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 8:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

sfaulconer wrote:
Weeve wrote:
Supposedly yes. I tried putting a SB Live in my Blade 100 and the module complained about a difference in how things are implemented between sparc64 and i386 and wouldn't let me load it. I don't recall the exact errror message unfortunately.

Interesting. Might be worth an attempt for me, just to see if I can make it work.


It is indeed posible, at least with PCI videocards. I succesfully added an old 3dfx vodoo1 pci card to a R220 and got Xwindow working using the Xvfb driver (and the sstfb kernel driver ofcourse).

Cheers.
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torradan
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ferran, could you drop me a line please on how you got your pci video card to work? something to do in tho OBP perhaps to tell it where to hit video at?

I have a pci geforce4 card sitting here begging to be used..wouldn't mind giving it a shot in my ultra5. Even if I can't get the nvidia drivers to work (no idea, haven't tried to emerge them), should still be snappier than this built on video.
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-Todd <todd@gentoo.org>
-Gentoo/SPARC Developer
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Ferran
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 2:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

torradan wrote:
Ferran, could you drop me a line please on how you got your pci video card to work? something to do in tho OBP perhaps to tell it where to hit video at?

I have a pci geforce4 card sitting here begging to be used..wouldn't mind giving it a shot in my ultra5. Even if I can't get the nvidia drivers to work (no idea, haven't tried to emerge them), should still be snappier than this built on video.


Openboot, doesn't know how to handle a "PC-style" graphics card, so you won't be able to have any of the openboot messages going to the graphics card. However the linux kernel can indeed output all of it's boot messages to the graphic card if you tell it to use a specific vfb console.

The trick here is to tell openboot to use ttya (serial console 0) as its input and output console during bootup. Then passing the appropiate video=ssftb, and console=/dev/fb0 (or whatever number your frame buffer is) parameter to the linux kernel through silo. Of course, the frame buffer driver has to be compiled into the kernel, and not as a module if you want all the bootup messages and a cute nice boot penguin logo. :)

Also, keep in mind that you can't use the VESA bios (vesafb) (it's done for x86). Alse, the mode selection has to be done via the kernel's modedb or use the default one (read docs in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb). Also the card has to have a framebuffer driver, and I believe nvidia geforce cards doesn't have one (talking from memory, havent checked...).

If I manage to have some free time, I might even write a small HOWTO on how to do this, and what problems have I faced during the process. Tomorrow I'll bring the relevant config files and post them here if you people find this interesting.

However, as said, I think you won't be able to use the geforce unless you, or someone else, writes a framebuffer driver for it. :cry:

BTW, we badly need the GRP CD's for sparc (hello weeve? ;) ). I know what I'm talking about, I have gone through the painly process of installing gentoo on a sparc without internet access. 8O (not recomended... I even did a script to figure out the needed distfiles in the portage tree... however I always was missing something. Not to talk about compile times... ). :D
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Weeve
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

GRP is in progress. Unfortunately it takes a good long time to build on sparc. Hoping to have something mid-next week for sparc64.
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