changing the framebuffer resolution aka fbset problem

Message

kamagurka · Post by **kamagurka** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:14 am

is there a way to change the resolution of a tty or vt or whatever you wanna call them without rebooting?
if so, what is it?
also, how do i change the consolefont on the fly?

Dolio · Post by **Dolio** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:59 am

Check out fbset:

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emerge sys-apps/fbset

I don't see an option for font, though.

mhodak · Post by **mhodak** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:12 am

Use setfont to change console fonts. Available fonts are in /usr/share/consolefonts.

kamagurka · Post by **kamagurka** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:43 am

in theory, fbset seems to be what i need, except that it seems to have absolutely no effect. however, this is what happens when i try changing framebuffer video mode with it:

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ÀÄ# fbset -a -v "1280x1024-75"                                                                            
Linux Frame Buffer Device Configuration Version 2.1 (23/06/1999)
(C) Copyright 1995-1999 by Geert Uytterhoeven

Opening frame buffer device `/dev/fb0'
Reading mode database from file `/etc/fb.modes'
Using video mode `1280x1024-75'
Setting video mode to `/dev/fb0'

ÀÄ# fbset                                                                                                       
mode "1024x768-76"
    # D: 78.653 MHz, H: 59.949 kHz, V: 75.694 Hz
    geometry 1024 768 1024 1536 16
    timings 12714 128 32 16 4 128 4
    rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0
endmode

so basically, it says it's doing it, but nothing happens, and when i check, not even the value changed. i'm kinda stumped.

Dolio · Post by **Dolio** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:32 pm

Which framebuffer are you using?

I've used it with vesafb-tng and I recall it working, but I haven't really tested it with anything else.

kamagurka · Post by **kamagurka** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:35 pm

Dolio wrote:Which framebuffer are you using?

I've used it with vesafb-tng and I recall it working, but I haven't really tested it with anything else.

umm...how do i find out?

Dolio · Post by **Dolio** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:34 pm

When you're doing menuconfig, which framebuffer device do you select?

Also, you can do

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cat /proc/fb

Mine says "0 VESA VGA" which means that fb0 is the VESA framebuffer.

My guess is that you either have the regular vesa framebuffer or a video card specific one, since vesafb-tng requires a patch (look in tips 'n' tricks for that one, if you want. It lets you get higher refresh rates).

Also, do:

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cat /proc/fb0/modes

That will tell you what resolutions and such you can run your framebuffer at. You may be trying to change it to an unsupported mode.

kamagurka · Post by **kamagurka** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:03 pm

yes, my framebuffer is "0 VESA VGA".
also, the videomode i am trying to switch to is valid, since i got it from /etc/fb.modes and "fbset -v" even says it's changing the video mode.

bonki · Post by **bonki** » Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:02 pm

What was your solution to this problem?

kamagurka · Post by **kamagurka** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 12:48 pm

none.