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diff --git a/README.ati.sgml b/README.ati.sgml new file mode 100644 index 0000000..24ec214 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.ati.sgml @@ -0,0 +1,464 @@ +<!DOCTYPE linuxdoc PUBLIC "-//XFree86//DTD linuxdoc//EN"> +<article> + +<!-- Title information --> + +<title>ATI Adapters README file +<author>Marc Aurele La France +<date>1998 January 28 +<abstract> +This is the README for the XFree86 ATI driver included in this release. +</abstract> + +<!-- Table of contents --> +<toc> + +<!-- Begin the document --> + +<sect>Statement of intent<p> +Generally speaking, the driver is intended for all ATI video adapters, +providing maximum video function within hardware limitations. +The driver is also intended to optionally provide the same level of support for +generic VGA or 8514/A adapters. +This driver is still being actively developed, meaning that it currently does +not yet fully meet these goals.<p> +The driver will provide +<itemize> +<item>accelerated support if an ATI accelerator is detected <it>and</it> the +user has not requested that this support be disabled; otherwise +<item>accelerated support if a non-ATI 8514/A-capable adapter is detected +<it>and</it> the user has requested such support; otherwise +<item>unaccelerated SuperVGA support if an ATI VGA-capable adapter is detected; +otherwise +<item>generic VGA support if a non-ATI VGA-capable adapter is detected +<it>and</it> the user has requested such support. +</itemize> +Thus, the support provided not only depends on what the driver detects in the +system, but also, on what the user specifies in the XF86Config file. +See the "XF86Config specifications" section below for details.<p> +If none of the above conditions are met, the ATI driver will essentially +disable itself to allow other drivers to examine the system.<p> +<sect>A note on acceleration<p> +The meaning of "acceleration", as used in this document, needs to be clarified. +Two of the many components in an accelerator are the CRT controller (CRTC) and +the Draw Engine. +This is in addition to another CRTC that, generally, is also present in the +system (often in the same chip) and typically provides EGA, VGA or SuperVGA +functionality.<p> +A CRTC is the component of a graphics controller that is responsible for +reading video memory for output to the screen. +A Draw Engine is an accelerator component that can be programmed to manipulate +video memory contents, thus freeing the CPU for other tasks.<p> +When the VGA CRTC is used, all drawing operations into video memory are the +responsibility of the system's CPU, i.e. no Draw Engine can be used. +On the other hand, if the accelerator's CRTC is chosen to drive the screen, +the Draw Engine can also be used for drawing operations, although the CPU can +still be used for this purpose if it can access the accelerator's video +memory.<p> +Video acceleration refers to the programming of an accelerator's Draw Engine to +offload drawing operations from the CPU, and thus also implies the use of the +accelerator's CRTC.<p> +<sect>Current implementation for ATI adapters<p> +The driver currently supports the SuperVGA capabilities of all ATI adapters +except some early Mach8 and Mach32 adapters that do not provide the required +functionality. +This support works for monochrome, 16-colour and 256-colour video modes, if one +of the following ATI graphics controller chips is present: +<verb> +VGAWonder series: 18800, 18800-1, 28800-2, 28800-4, 28800-5, 28800-6 + Mach32 series: 68800-3, 68800-6, 68800AX, 68800LX + Mach64 series: 88800GX-C, 88800GX-D, 88800GX-E, 88800GX-F, 88800CX, + 264CT, 264ET, 264VT, 264GT (a.k.a. 3D Rage), 264VT-B, + 264VT3, 264GT-B (a.k.a. 3D Rage II), 264GT3 (a.k.a. + 3D Rage Pro)</verb> +There is some support for the 264LT (ATI's recent entry into the laptop +world), but it is untested.<p> +The driver also supports 32K, 64K and 16M-colour modes on the 264xT series of +adapters using the accelerator CRTC (but not the VGA CRTC). +This support is as yet unaccelerated.<p> +Adapters based on the above chips have been marketed under a rather large +number of names over the years. Among them are: +<verb> +VGAWonder series: VGAWonder V3, VGAWonder V4, VGAWonder V5, VGAWonder+, + VGAWonder XL, VGAWonder XL24, VGA Basic 16, VGA Edge, + VGA Edge 16, VGA Integra, VGA Charger, VGAStereo F/X, + VGA 640, VGA 800, VGA 1024, VGA 1024D, VGA 1024 XL, + VGA 1024 DXL, VGA 1024 VLB + Mach8 series: Graphics Ultra, Graphics Vantage, VGAWonder GT + (None of the 8514/Ultra and 8514 Vantage series is + supported at this time) + Mach32 series: Graphics Ultra+, Graphics Ultra Pro, Graphics Wonder, + Graphics Ultra XLR, Graphics Ultra AXO, VLB mach32-D, + PCI mach32-D, ISA mach32 + Mach64 series: Graphics Xpression, Graphics Pro Turbo, Win Boost, + Win Turbo, Graphics Pro Turbo 1600, Video Xpression, + 3D Xpression, Video Xpression+, 3D Xpression+, + All-In-Wonder, All-In-Wonder PRO, 3D Pro Turbo, ATI-TV, + XPERT@Play, XPERT@Work, XPERT XL</verb> +VGAWonder, Mach8 and Mach32 ISA adapters are available with or without a +mouse.<p> +These adapters are available with a variety of clock generators and RAMDACs. +The 264xT series of chips are integrated controllers, meaning that they include +a programmable clock generator and a RAMDAC. +See the "XF86Config specifications" section below for details.<p> +This driver still does not provide support for accelerated drawing to the +screen. +This means that all drawing is done by the CPU, rather than by any accelerator +present in the system. +This can make opaque moves, for example, quite "jerky". +Thus, given that IBM 8514/A and ATI Mach8 do not allow CPU access to their +frame buffer, the driver will currently ignore these accelerators. +Most Mach32 adapters provide both accelerated function and VGA functionality, +but the driver currently only uses the VGA.<p> +The driver *does* however support the accelerator CRTC present in all ATI +Mach64 adapters. +For 256-colour, and higher depth modes, this support will be used by default, +although an XF86Config option can be specified to use the SuperVGA CRTC +instead. +A linear video memory aperture is also available in 256-colour and higher depth +modes and enabled by default if a 264xT controller is detected or, on 88800 +controllers, if the accelerator CRTC is used. +XF86Config options are available to disable this aperture, or (on non-PCI +adapters) enable it or move it to some other address.<p> +<sect>Current implementation of generic VGA support for non-ATI adapters<p> +Support for generic VGA with non-ATI adapters is also implemented, but has +undergone only limited testing. +The driver will intentionally disallow the use of this support with ATI +adapters. +This support must be explicitly requested through an XF86Config ChipSet +specification. +This prevents the current generic driver from being disabled.<p> +This driver's generic VGA support is intended as an extension of that provided +by the current generic driver. +Specifically, within the architectural bounds defined by IBM's VGA standard, +this driver will allow the use of any 256-colour mode, and any dot clock +frequencies both of which allow for many more mode possibilities.<p> +The driver will enforce the following limitations derived from IBM's original +VGA implementation: +<itemize> +<item>There can only be a set of four (non-programmable) clocks to choose from. +<item>Video memory is limited to 256kB in monochrome and 16-colour modes. +<item>Video memory is limited to 64kB in 256-colour modes. +<item>Interlaced modes are not available. +</itemize> +<sect>XF86Config specifications<p> +Except for clocks, the driver does not require any XF86Config specifications +of its own for default operation. +The driver's behaviour can however be modified by the following +specifications.<p> +<sect1>ChipSet "name"<p> +The default ChipSet name for this driver is "ati".<p> +If "ativga" is specified instead, the driver will not use any ATI accelerator +CRTC it detects, relying instead on any detected ATI VGA CRTC to provide the +screen image.<p> +A ChipSet name of "ibmvga" enables the driver's generic VGA support, but only +for non-ATI adapters. +If an ATI adapter is detected, the driver will operate as if "ativga" had been +specified instead.<p> +For compatibility with other XFree86 servers, both past and present, that +support ATI adapters, the driver also recognizes "vgawonder", "mach8", "mach32" +and "mach64" as chipset names. +In this version of the driver, all such names are equivalent to "ati". +In some future release, each name will have a different meaning to be +documented at that time.<p> +<sect1>Clocks<p> +For the purpose of specifying a clock line in your XF86Config, one of four +different situations can occur, as follows.<p> +Those configuring the driver's generic VGA support for a non-ATI adapter, +can skip ahead to the "Clocks for non-ATI adapters" section below. +Those <it>not</it> trying to configure the driver for a Mach64 adapter, can +skip ahead to the "Clocks for fixed clock generators on ATI adapters" section +below.<p> +The very earliest Mach64 adapters use fixed (i.e. non-programmable) clock +generators. +Very few of these (mostly prototypes) are known to exist, but if you have one +of these, you can also skip ahead to the "Clocks for fixed clock generators on +ATI adapters" section below.<p> +The two cases that are left deal with programmable clock generators, which are +used on the great majority of Mach64 adapters.<p> +If you are uncertain which situation applies to your adapter, you can run a +clock probe with the command "X -probeonly".<p> +<sect2>Clocks for supported programmable clock generators<p> +At bootup, video BIOS initialization programmes an initial set of frequencies. +Two of these are reserved to allow the setting of modes that do not use a +frequency from this initial set. +One of these reserved slots is used by the BIOS mode set routine, the other by +the particular driver used (e.g. MS-Windows, AutoCAD, X, etc.). +The clock numbers reserved in this way are dependent on the particular clock +generator used by the adapter.<p> +The driver currently supports all programmable clock generators known to exist +on Mach64 adapters. +In this case, the driver will completely ignore any XF86Config clock +specification, and programme the clock generator as needed by the modes used +during the X session.<p> +<sect2>Clocks for unsupported programmable clock generators<p> +This case is unlikely to occur, but is documented for the sake of +completeness.<p> +In this situation, the driver will probe the adapter for clock frequencies +unless XF86Config clocks are already specified. +In either case, the driver will then attempt to normalize the clocks to one of +the following specifications: +<verb> +BIOS setting 1: + + Clocks 0.000 110.000 126.000 135.000 50.350 56.640 63.000 72.000 + 0.000 80.000 75.000 65.000 40.000 44.900 49.500 50.000 + 0.000 55.000 63.000 67.500 25.180 28.320 31.500 36.000 + 0.000 40.000 37.500 32.500 20.000 22.450 24.750 25.000</verb> +<verb> +BIOS setting 2: + + Clocks 0.000 110.000 126.000 135.000 25.180 28.320 31.500 36.000 + 0.000 80.000 75.000 65.000 40.000 44.900 49.500 50.000 + 0.000 55.000 63.000 67.500 12.590 14.160 15.750 18.000 + 0.000 40.000 37.500 32.500 20.000 22.450 24.750 25.000</verb> +<verb> +BIOS setting 3: + + Clocks 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 25.180 28.320 0.000 0.000 + 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 + 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 12.590 14.160 0.000 0.000 + 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000</verb> +If the driver matches the clocks to the third setting above, functionality will +be *extremely* limited (assuming the driver works at all).<p> +<sect2>Clocks for fixed clock generators on ATI adapters<p> +This section applies to all ATI adapters except all but the very earliest +Mach64's.<p> +One of the following clocks specifications (or an initial subset thereof) can +be used depending on what the adapter uses to generate dot clocks: +<verb> +Crystals (VGA Wonder V3 and V4 adapters only): + + Clocks 50.000 56.644 0.000 44.900 44.900 50.000 0.000 36.000 + 25.000 28.322 0.000 22.450 22.450 25.000 0.000 18.000 + 16.667 18.881 0.000 14.967 14.967 16.667 0.000 12.000 + 12.500 14.161 0.000 11.225 11.225 12.500 0.000 9.000</verb> +<verb> +ATI 18810 clock generator: + + Clocks 30.240 32.000 37.500 39.000 42.954 48.771 0.000 36.000 + 40.000 56.644 75.000 65.000 50.350 56.640 0.000 44.900 + 15.120 16.000 18.750 19.500 21.477 24.386 0.000 18.000 + 20.000 28.322 37.500 32.500 25.175 28.320 0.000 22.450 + 10.080 10.667 12.500 13.000 14.318 16.257 0.000 12.000 + 13.333 18.881 25.000 21.667 16.783 18.880 0.000 14.967 + 7.560 8.000 9.375 9.750 10.739 12.193 0.000 9.000 + 10.000 14.161 18.750 16.250 12.586 14.160 0.000 11.225</verb> +<verb> +ATI 18811-0 and ATI 18812-0 clock generators: + + Clocks 30.240 32.000 110.000 80.000 42.954 48.771 92.400 36.000 + 39.910 44.900 75.000 65.000 50.350 56.640 0.000 44.900 + 15.120 16.000 55.000 40.000 21.477 24.386 46.200 18.000 + 19.955 22.450 37.500 32.500 25.175 28.320 0.000 22.450 + 10.080 10.667 36.667 26.667 14.318 16.257 30.800 12.000 + 13.303 14.967 25.000 21.667 16.783 18.880 0.000 14.967 + 7.560 8.000 27.500 20.000 10.739 12.193 23.100 9.000 + 9.978 11.225 18.750 16.250 12.588 14.160 0.000 11.225</verb> +<verb> +ATI 18811-1 and ATI 18811-2 clock generators: + + Clocks 135.000 32.000 110.000 80.000 100.000 126.000 92.400 36.000 + 39.910 44.900 75.000 65.000 50.350 56.640 0.000 44.900 + 67.500 16.000 55.000 40.000 50.000 63.000 46.200 18.000 + 19.955 22.450 37.500 32.500 25.175 28.320 0.000 22.450 + 45.000 10.667 36.667 26.667 33.333 42.000 30.800 12.000 + 13.303 14.967 25.000 21.667 16.783 18.880 0.000 14.967 + 33.750 8.000 27.500 20.000 25.000 31.500 23.100 9.000 + 9.978 11.225 18.750 16.250 12.588 14.160 0.000 11.225</verb> +Mach32 and Mach64 owners should only specify up to the first 32 frequencies.<p> +Other clock generators that have been used on ATI adapters (which can all be +said to be clones of one of the above) might generate non-zero frequencies for +those that are zero above, or vice-versa.<p> +The order of the clocks *is* very important, although the driver will reorder +the clocks if it deems it appropriate to do so. +Mach32 and Mach64 owners should note that this order is different than what +they would use for the accelerated servers.<p> +<sect2>Clocks for non-ATI adapters<p> +If no clocks are specified in the XF86Config, the driver will probe for four +clocks, the second of which will be assumed to be 28.322MHz. +You can include up to four clock frequencies in your XF86Config to specify the +actual values used by the adapter. +Any more will be ignored.<p> +<sect1>Option "nolinear"<p> +By default, the driver will enable a linear video memory aperture for +256-colour and higher depth modes if it is also using a Mach64 accelerator CRTC +or an integrated Mach64 graphics chip. +This option disables this linear aperture. +Currently, this also disables support for more than 256 colours.<p> +<sect1>MemBase address<p> +This specification is only effective for non-PCI Mach64 adapters, and is used +to override the CPU address at which the adapter will map its video memory. +Normally, for non-PCI adapters, this address is set by a DOS install utility +provided with the adapter. +The MemBase option can also be used to enable the linear aperture in those +cases where ATI's utility was not, or can not be, used.<p> +For PCI adapters, this address is determined at system bootup according to the +PCI Plug'n'Play specification which arbitrates the resource requirements of +most devices in the system. +This means the driver can not easily change the linear aperture address.<p> +<sect1>Modelines<p> +Modes can be derived from the information in XFree86's doc directory. +If you do not specify a "modes" line in the display subsection of the +appropriate screen section of your XF86Config, the driver will generate a +default mode and attempt to use it. +The timings for the default mode are derived from the timings of the mode +(usually a text mode) in effect when the server is started.<p> +<sect>Known problems and limitations<p> +There are several known problems or limitations related to the XFree86 ATI +driver. +They include:<p> +<itemize> +<item>A number of system lockups and blank screens have been reported when +using PCI Mach64 adapters. +The great majority of these problems have been found to be due to system +aspects that are unrelated to this driver. +As of this writing, these problems can be divided into three general areas:<p> +Improper mouse protocol specification with some recent mice. +Try different protocol specifications or another mouse.<p> +A system conflict with APM. +This problem is Linux-specific. +There is a bug in kernels 2.0.31 or earlier that prevents proper APM operation. +Upgrade to a more recent kernel or disable APM support.<p> +The TV port on some Mach64 adapters needs to be disabled using an ATI utility +that might or might not be supplied with the adapter. +This problem is currently under investigation. +<item>When using a Mach64's accelerator CRTC, the virtual resolution must be +less than 8192 pixels wide. +The VGA CRTC further limits the virtual resolution width to less than 4096 +pixels, or to less than 2048 pixels for adapters based on 18800's (with 256kB +of memory) and on Mach64 integrated controllers. +These are hardware limits that cannot be circumvented. +<item>Virtual resolutions requiring more than 1MB of video memory (256kB in the +monochrome case) are not supported by the VGA CRTC on 88800GX and 88800CX +adapters. +This is a hardware limit that cannot be circumvented. +<item>Due to hardware limitations, doublescanned modes are not supported by the +accelerator CRTC in 88800GX, 88800CX, 264CT and 264ET adapters. +<item>Monochrome interlaced modes are not supported on 18800-x and 28800-x when +using a virtual resolution that is 2048 pixels or wider. +This is yet another hardware limitation that cannot be circumvented. +<item>Video memory banking does not work in monochrome and 16-colour modes on +18800 and 18800-1 adapters. +This appears to be another hardware limit, but this conclusion cannot be +confirmed at this time. +The driver's default behaviour in this case is to limit video memory to 256kB. +<item>The default mode does not work on the more recent Mach64 adapters. +This problem is caused by the driver's attempt to use an incorrect dot clock +for the mode. +This will be fixed in a future release by reading the programmable clock +generator's registers to determine the actual clock used by the mode. +<item>Most XFree86 servers assume that the video state on entry to the server +is a text mode. +This assumption is known to cause problems on operating systems which invoke +the server from a graphics mode. +DBCS versions of OS/2, primarily used in Asia, are examples of such operating +systems. +The solution, for now, is to somehow coerce the OS to invoke the server from a +text mode. +This driver has been changed to simply assume the mode on entry uses the +adapter's VGA CRTC (in text or graphics modes). +While this action alleviates the problem somewhat, it does not completely solve +it, as the server could still be invoked from an accelerator mode. +To properly fix this problem for all XFree86 servers is a large project, and +will probably not get done anytime soon. +<item>Video memory corruption can still occur during mode switches on 18800 and +18800-1 adapters. +Symptoms of this problem include garbled fonts on return to text mode, and +various effects (snow, dashed lines, etc) on initial entry into a graphics +mode. +In the first case, the workaround is to use some other means of restoring the +text font. +On Linux, this can be accomplished with the kbd or svgalib packages. +In the second case, xrefresh(1) will usually clean up the image. +No solution to this problem is currently known. +<item>There is some controversy over what the maximum allowed clock frequency +should be on 264xT adapters. +For now, clocks will, by default, be limited to 135MHz, 170MHz, 200MHz or +230MHz, depending on the specific controller. +This limit can only be increased (up to a driver-calculated absolute maximum) +through the DACSpeed specification in XF86Config. +Be aware however that doing so is untested and might damage the adapter. +<item>Except as in the previous item, clocks are limited to 80MHz on most +adapters, although many are capable of higher frequencies. +This will be fixed in a future release. +</itemize> +Support for the following will be added in a future release: +<itemize> +<item>Mach32 accelerator's CRTC. +This support is the first step towards accelerated support for Mach32's, +Mach8's, 8514/A's and other clones. +<item>Colour depth greater than 8, where permitted by the hardware. +<item>Mach64, Mach32, Mach8 and 8514/A Draw Engines. +<item>Hardware cursors. +</itemize> +Support, through this driver, for 3D acceleration, "TV in a window" and video +capture, as implemented in some ATI adapters, is still in exploratory stages. +There is currently no framework within an XFree86 server for these functions, +although one is in the final stages of development. +Also, ATI has not yet released a register-level specification for these, except +under non-disclosure agreements.<p> +<sect>Reporting problems<p> +If you are experiencing problems that are not already recorded in this +document, first ensure that you have the latest current release of this driver +and XFree86. +Check the server's stderr output and <htmlurl +name="ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86" +url="ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86"> if you are uncertain.<p> +Secondly, please check XFree86's doc directory for additional information.<p> +Thirdly, do not forget to read <htmlurl name="http://www.xfree86.org/FAQ" +url="http://www.xfree86.org/FAQ">.<p> +Fourth, a scan through the comp.windows.x.i386unix and comp.os.linux.x +newsgroups using your favorite archiving service can also prove useful in +resolving problems.<p> +If you are still experiencing problems, you can send me e-mail at +<it>tsi@ualberta.ca</it>. +Please be as specific as possible when describing the problem(s), and include +an unedited copy of the server's stderr and the XF86Config file used.<p> +<sect>Driver history<p> +The complete history of the driver is rather cloudy. +The following is more than likely to be incomplete and inaccurate.<p> +Apparently, Per Lindqvist first got a driver working with an early ATI adapter +under X386 1.1a. +This original driver might have actually been based on a non-functional ATI +driver written by Thomas Roell (currently of Xi Graphics).<p> +Then Doug Evans (<it>dje@cygnus.com</it>) added support for the ATI VGA Wonder +XL, trying in the process to make the driver work with all other ATI adapters +available at the time.<p> +Rik Faith (<it>faith@cs.unc.edu</it>) obtained the X11R4 driver from Doug Evans +in the summer of 1992 and ported the code to the X386 part of X11R5. +This subsequently became part of XFree86.<p> +I (Marc Aurele La France) took over development and maintenance of the driver +in the fall of 1993 after Rik got rid of his VGA Wonder card.<p> +<sect>Driver versions<p> +Due to the introduction of loadable drivers in an upcoming XFree86 release, it +has become necessary to track driver versions separately. +With this release of the driver, I am introducing the following version +numbering scheme.<p> +Version 1 of this driver is the one I inherited from Rik Faith. +This is the version found in XFree86 2.0 and 2.1.<p> +Version 2 is my first rewrite of this code which only ended up being a +partially unsuccessful attempt at generalizing the driver for all VGA Wonder, +Mach32, and early Mach64 adapters. +Various releases of this version of the driver can be found in XFree86 2.1.1, +3.1, 3.1.1 and 3.1.2.<p> +Version 3 represents my second rewrite (although a rather lame one as rewrites +go). +Into version 3, I introduced clock programming for Mach64 adapters and merged +in the old ati_test debugging tool. +This is the version found in XFree86 3.2, 3.3 and 3.3.1.<p> +Version 4 is a rather major restructuring of version 3, which became larger +than I could comfortably handle in one source file. +This version will make it quite a bit easier to introduce new function such as +acceleration, additional colour depths, and so on. +This is the version found in XFree86 3.3.2.<p> +<verb> +$XFree86: xc/programs/Xserver/hw/xfree86/doc/sgml/ati.sgml,v 3.15.2.2 1998/02/01 16:04:54 robin Exp $ + + + + + +$Xorg: ati.sgml,v 1.3 2000/08/17 19:51:06 cpqbld Exp $ +</verb> +</article> |