Help - please help...

[Alex Deucher]

On 7/26/05, Paul Santa Maria <paulsm1021 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi, Alex -
> 
> Thank you again for your response, and for the additional information.
> 
> Atitvout (the "ntsc" option) was one of the many things I tried - it didn't
> work with my Radeon 9200SEs.
> 
> I don't actually want to watch TV or video.  All I need is simple 640x480x256
> color VGA output.  Through X Windows.

It doesn't matter what kind of output you want, the tv-encoder still
needs to be programmed correctly to produce an image.

> 
> I know I can do it, because we can do it in DOS, we can do it in Microsoft
> Windows, and I can even see VGA graphics on SuSE (for example, I can see
> the SaX2 test screen).  I just haven't been able to do it in X Windows yet.
> 

Exactly.  The video bios on the card programs the tv-encoder when the
card posts so if you use the vga console that come up when the card
posts, tv-out will work, regardless of whether it's dos or linux. 
When the xorg radeon driver loads it programs the card directly.  the
driver knows how to program the the TMDS controller, the LVDS
controllers, the DACs for vga, etc., but not the TV-encoder.

> I need to use ATI 9200SEs (because they're integrated with our system, and
> we have a fairly large inventory of them).  I need to use S-Video (VGA
> signals simply can't extend as far as we need).  But I *don't* need to
> use the Radeon driver: I'm open to any alternatives (for example, I've
> tried the ATI "fglrx" binaries and "vesa", with no success).  I'm also
> open to trying my hand at hacking a driver myself.
> 
> QUESTIONS:
>   1. Can you suggest any alternatives (for example, a different driver)?

The only linux driver with working tv-out support at the moment is the
gatos patch.  Here's one place to download it:
http://megahurts.dk/rune/tv_output.html

> 
>   2. If I were to try the Gatos stuff, I believe that I first need to
>      build Xorg - there are no "shortcuts".  Is this correct?

yes, you'd need to rebuild xorg, although you could probably get away
with just copying the new radeon_drv.o into your current installation.

> 
>   3. Can you recommend any good FAQs or HOWTO's on building and/or
>      hacking Xorg?

building guide for the latest DRI/DRM/Xorg:
http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/Building

xorg documentation:
http://www.x.org/X11R6.8.2/doc/

> 
> Thank you again .. PSM

No problem.

Alex

> ======================================================================
> 
> --- Alex Deucher <alexdeucher at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > It is possible yes, but the xorg radeon drivers do not support tv-out.
> >  There are several hacks around to enable tv-out, but there is not yet
> > any natve support for tv-out.  You can't just specify an interlaced
> > low res tv-mode and have it work.  the tv-connector is attached to a
> > full featured tv-encoder that needs to be programmed properly to work.
> >  It's works in vga mode because the bios on your card enables that
> > output and programs the tv-encoder.
> >
> ...
> > Those won't help unless you are using a vga to s-video cable.  The
> > tv-encoder can take a standard desktop (up to 1024x768 on most
> > hardware) and compress it into a standard tv-out signal.
> >
> ...
> > Your current options for tv-out include a bios output switcher tool
> > called atitvout, and the gatos tv-out patches that are floating
> > around.
> >
> > Alex
> >
> 
>