Merging SM501 driver from old xfree86 into xf86-video-siliconmotion

[Alex Deucher]

On 6/7/07, Clemens Koller <clemens.koller at anagramm.de> wrote:
> Hello, Alex!
>
> Alex Deucher schrieb:
> > smi501 support really doesn't belong in the same driver as the older
> > hardware since the hardware is substantially different. The original
> > patch and the code in xfree86 cvs is a mess.
>
> True. The classic "siliconmotion" chips are VGA compatible, whereas
> the SM501/SM502 are not.
>
> The SM501 (and it's hw/sw compatible successor, the SM502) chips can
> be connected as PCI device (my case) or to some localbus (which will
> be more difficult to support because of the different implementations).
> The chips assemble a so called MSOC (Multimedia System On Chip) device
> and come with USB and AC97 audio support.
>
> The combined xfree86 driver is a mess and there are some run-time
> decisions being made due to the incompatible architecture.
>
> >> My questions:
> >> 1. Is there already anybody working workin on the SM501 code / pulling it
> >> over from the old driver?
> >
> > I was working on it a while ago, but at the time I didn't have
> > hardware, and since I got hardware, I haven't had time to mess with
> > it.  I have a driver available, but I wanted to test a bit more before
> > putting it in git.  Also, dualhead support wasn't working and I had
> > hoped to get that fixed.  However, I suppose it probably makes sense
> > to just put up.  single head works fine IIRC.
>
> I am fine with single head for the beginning.
>
> I am willing to offer an ssh account on at least one machine with
> the SM501 development board on PCI, if anybody wants to test
> something. (I am planning to do regression tests of the whole X system
> on an embedded MPC8540 PowerPC).
>
> > modular:
> > http://www.botchco.com/alex/xorg/smi501.tar.gz
> > monolith:
> > http://www.botchco.com/alex/xorg/smi501-monolith.tar.gz
>
> Very good! Thank you!
> I will just give it a try.
> (The chip is actually called SM501 and not SMI501.)
>
> >> 2. Is this the right list to get help with the migration?
> >> (I was hacking lots of code for the SM501 fb driver, but not for
> >> the native X one.)
> >
> > yes.  If you want to hack on the driver, let me know and I'll get the
> > current code in git and you can submit patches or have commit access
> > to the tree.
>
> Yes, that would be fine! I think it's good to have everything published,
> even if it's not in perfect condition. A README containing the missing/broken
> things is sufficient. Nobody wants to ride dead horses.

I'll try and put it in git this weekend.

Alex