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kalisphoenix
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 10, 2004 9:35 pm    Post subject: Conspiracy Against Me regarding Sun displays. Reply with quote

Okay. First of all:

2 Sun SS-20s, using motherboard's framebuffer.

1 Axil Ultima 2, an UltraSPARC clone. Using various different single-width GX video cards, LSI (?), a couple different video cards at any rate. 5 total.

I got a 21" Sun monitor, of course with the 13W3 connector.

Problem:
Computers don't use it, sadly. It never syncs, and the machines never find it. Booting in serial console, the SS-20s report "no screen found" (no elaboration), and continue to boot.
The monitor did flash a white screen once, one that I could adjust using the buttons on the front (contrast, brightness, etc). It hasn't been back since, but I did do a weird button combination to get it to do that in the first place. I can understand it not having video output normally with nothing attached to it :-(


Using Sun keyboard, same thing -- "no screen found," "keyboard located," and so on. What's wrong?

I've tested the monitor using SGI workstations (to see if someone rewired the monitor cable and used SGI pinouts instead of Sun) -- No good.
I've tested the monitor with my x86 using a 13W3 connector -- No good.
I've tested the monitor with all video cards in the Axil, switching around the bus sockets too, basically in all combinations -- No good.
I've tested the monitor with both of the motherboard framebuffers in the SS-20s. No good.

I know (at least suspect) that the Axil's not to blame, nor are its video cards -- I had it working occasionally with a 13W3 adaptor going to a VGA monitor. That seemed to stop working, sadly. It only worked three times or so, and ceased after I installed Slowaris.

I don't think the monitor's to blame, as the damn thing is practically brand new. It's not got a scratch on it, and the seller sold it to me (I believe) in good faith, etc. If you guys can't suggest anything, I might just be screwed :evil: :evil: :evil:

I was really enthused about actually having a desktop on these machines :cry:
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Shan
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll be honest, I know squat about Sun stations, but from the sounds of it, it sounds like your monitor is dead, though not neccisarily your fault (nor that of the previous owners) It could have been working fine when s/he was using it, and just happened to have died sometime in between.

The only thing I can think of (and this is a highly x86 based thought pattern) is that the video out line has been disabled (in your bios, or whatever it is that Sun calls it) or on the main board itself.
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Ferris
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If the open boot prom on neither SS20 can see the monitor, no matter
which video connector you plut it in to, you would have to think there is
something wront with the monitor. (And, if your SS20s have several video
13W3 connectors, try them all :? )

(After all. OBP doesn't care what system you are going to be running.)

It would be worth checking with another monitor if you have one or
can get access to one. The SS20s are probably picky about what monitor
you try; the Axil should be less so, depending on the video cards.

Can you put a Creator card in the Axil U2-clone? You would be looking for
FFB2+(Horizontal), and the last I knew, they were very cheap. But they
don't require a Sun monitor (I know from experience that Samsung
SM 171V is fine on U2+Creator.)
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kalisphoenix
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Things I have learned:

Apparently, this 13W3 standard is a piece of shit. It's not really a standard, just a connector with some brainstorming attached. Some Sun framebuffers, oddly enough, seem to require different pinouts in order to talk to different monitors.

There is, however, a guy on eBay who specializes in marketing the precise connectors for each situation -- I ordered one from him that is situated to this particular monitor connecting to this computer, so I guess we'll see whether this theory holds water or if it is a dead monitor. At any rate, I guess I'll be shelling out some $ for an adaptor so that my other machines can use a KVM switch.... it's not too bad, but this whole situation would be so much better if Sun could just make their damn minds up about ONE THING, JUST ONCE. SunOS vs. Solaris was bad enough, the model numbers were confusing enough, but then they have to have forty-eleven different kinds of framebuffers, none of which are apparently tolerant of the thirty-sixteen different @#$%ing monitors. Christ. From now on, when I see a machine on eBay that I know nothing about, I'm going to buy the damn thing only if it has the factory monitor stapled to it. Or something.
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dogshu
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You do have Video RAM in your SS20, right?

You need to have VSIMMs in your sparcstations in order for the video to work. Also the keyboard needs to be plugged in.
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kalisphoenix
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

*beats self over the head... HARD*

That makes great sense and please excuse me while I put my head through a wall.

I didn't think to check because I was intending on using the SS-20s headless. Now that I open up the case: alas! there is no VRAM.

Yah, I did have the keyboards in, not that it matters too much at this point :oops:

If anyone's interested, the vendor I'm buying my cables from is deepspacecables*com on eBay, and their website is http://www.deepspacecables.com/

They have a little clicky thing where you can find the proper 13W3 for your needs. I'm pretty enthusiastic about actually being able to use some of my computers...

*steams quietly*
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Shan
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2004 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well let us know how things work out. I was always kinda interested in getting myself a Sun box, but I think I'm going to get myself this little trinkit when my taxes come back. I've heard good reviews about it, though none about weather or not its supported well in Linux. If not well then its just one more toy for me to fiddle around with to get working isn't it ^^;;
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kalisphoenix
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 5:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

*sighs* Monitor works great. I have it attached to my KVM, switching between my Athlon and a Indigo2.

However, I still can't get any output from the Axil. Goddamn it. Time to reboot, stop-a X1,320, and a setenv input-device.

(updating just in case anyone is amused by my constant struggles to get perfectly good machinery to function).
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NewBlackDak
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2004 6:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shan wrote:
Well let us know how things work out. I was always kinda interested in getting myself a Sun box, but I think I'm going to get myself this little trinkit when my taxes come back. I've heard good reviews about it, though none about weather or not its supported well in Linux. If not well then its just one more toy for me to fiddle around with to get working isn't it ^^;;


When you get it functional you should writeup a howto. I'm VERY interested inknowing if that wireless card, and the mobility card work like they should. E-Machines have been pretty dodgy in the past., but it looks like they're coming up in the world.
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