- CHAPTER 1
TurboGXplus Frame Buffer
- This chapter describes how you can configure your system using a TurboGXplus(TM) card to suit your specific video and graphics requirements. The information describes how to set up your TurboGXplus to support different screen resolutions and how to set up the system to support multiple monitors.
TurboGXplus-supported Monitors
-
TABLE 1-1 shows the list of monitors supported by the TurboGXplus card.
-
TABLE 1-1
| Monitor ID Model.....Sun Part Number Type/Size/FCC..Sense Code | Standard Resolution and Refresh Rate |
| X248A.....365-1068-01..Color 21"...2 | 1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz |
| GDM-20D10..365-1167-01..Color 20"...4 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz
1152 . 900 at 66 Hz
1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz
1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz |
| GDM-1955A15 365-1081-01..Color 19"...3 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| GDM-1962...365-1095-01..Color 19"...4 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz
1152 . 900 at 66 Hz
1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz |
| GDM-1962B..365-1160-01..Color 19"...4 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz
1152 . 900 at 66 Hz
1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz |
| GDM-1604A15 365-1079-01..Color 16"...3 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| GDM-1662B..365-11593-01 Color 16"...6 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz
1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| CPD-1790...365-1151-01..Color 16"...3 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz
1024 . 768 at 77 Hz |
| X449.....365-1286-01..Color 15"...0 | 1024 . 768 at 77 Hz |
| GDM-20S5...365-1168-01..Greyscale 20"..2 or 4* | 1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz or 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz 1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz |
| 17SMM4 A...365-1100-01..Grayscale 17"..6 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz |
| M20P110....365-1099-01..Grayscale 19"..4 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz |
| Non-Sun....--......Unknown...7 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| Resolutions in bold type are the default resolution at power-on initialization. * Monitor ID sense code is user-selectable by the rear switch. |
-
Note - The monitors listed in TABLE 1-1 are subject to change as Sun Microsystems announces new monitors. Contact your local Sun representative for a listing of supported monitors.
Default Screen Resolutions
-
TABLE 1-2 lists the default screen resolutions by monitor ID sense code.
-
TABLE 1-2
| Code | Screen Resolution |
| 7 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| 6 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz |
| 5 | 1024 . 768 at 60 Hz |
| 4 | 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz |
| 3 | 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz |
| 2 | 1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz |
| 1 | 1600 . 1280 at 76 Hz |
| 0 | 1024 . 768 at 77 Hz |
Programming the Screen Resolution
- Programming the screen resolution for TurboGX frame buffers must be done in nvramrc, a nonvolatile PROM script memory. When the PROM reaches the device probing stage, it checks the use-nvramrc? variable and if it is true, executes the Forth code that resides in nvramrc. Otherwise, it calls probe-sbus (for all pre-Ultra systems) or probe-all (for all Ultra systems), install-console, and banner.
- The example in CODE EXAMPLE 1-1 places resolution initialization between the probe-sbus (or probe-all) stage and the install-console stage.
- First probe-sbus or probe-all is called to probe all devices, so that the device tree is created, and the devices are initialized.
- The next line defines a Forth word called vsetup which contains the monitor video setup values.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-1 Resolution Initialization Between probe-sbus and install-console Stages
-
#!/bin/sh
eeprom fcode-debug\?=true
eeprom use-nvramrc\?=true
eeprom nvramrc='probe-sbus (or probe-all)
: vsetup " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
vsetup 4
" /sbus/cgsix@1" " override" execute-device-method drop
install-console
banner
'
|
- The following string of values (defined in TABLE 1-3) are the specifications for a video setup:
-
-
" 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET"
-
TABLE 1-3
| Value | Description |
| 117000000 | Pixel frequency or dot clock in Hz |
| 71691 | Horizontal frequency in Hz |
| 67 | Vertical frequency in Hz |
| 16 | Horizontal front porch (in pixels) |
| 112 | Horizontal sync width (in pixels) |
| 224 | Horizontal back porch (in Pixels) |
| 1280 | Horizontal displayed pixels (in pixels) |
| 2 | Vertical front porch (in lines) |
| 8 | Vertical sync width (in lines) |
| 33 | Vertical back porch (in lines) |
| 1024 | Vertical displayed lines (in lines) |
| COLOR | Color monitor flag |
| 0OFFSET | No sync pedestal flag |
- The line, vsetup 4, pushes the video string on the stack, the number 4 defines the sense code of the monitor to change the resolution on. See TABLE 1-4 on page 7 for supported monitor codes. The number used should match the monitor attached to the TurboGX Frame Buffer.
- The next line pushes the string /sbus/cgsix@1 onto the Forth stack, the path for the device where the resolution is to be changed. The "1" in cgsix@1 identifies the SBus slot number.
- The example in CODE EXAMPLE 1-2 changes the cgsix frame buffer on SBus slot 1.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-2 Changes to cgsix Frame Buffer in SBus Slot 1
-
ok nvedit
0: probe-sbus (or probe-all)
1: : vsetup " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
2: vsetup 4
3: " /sbus/cgsix@1" " override" execute-device-method drop
4: install-console
5: banner
6: ^C
ok nvstore
ok setenv use-nvramrc? true
ok setenv fcode-debug? true
|
- The "override" string is the actual entry point in the cgsix fcode PROM that reconfigures the resolution from the data on the forth stack. execute-device-method actually calls override and returns a pass or fail flag, which is ignored by the drop command that follows.
- The remaining two lines install-console and banner, installs a terminal driver on the display device, then prints the banner at reset time or reboot time.
Configuring Monitors Using a UNIX Script
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-3 is a UNIX script used to configure the TurboGXplus for a resolution of 1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-3 UNIX Script Method
-
#!/bin/sh
eeprom fcode-debug\?=true
eeprom use-nvramrc\?=true
eeprom nvramrc='probe-sbus (or probe-all)
: vsetup " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
vsetup 4
" /sbus/cgsix@1" " override" execute-device-method drop
install-console
banner
'
|
Configuring Monitors Using the PROM Method
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-4 uses the PROM method to configure the TurboGXplus for a resolution of 1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-4 PROM Method
-
ok nvedit
0: probe-sbus (or probe-all)
1: : vsetup " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
2: vsetup 4
3: " /sbus/cgsix@1" " override" execute-device-method drop
4: install-console
5: banner
6: ^C
ok nvstore
ok setenv use-nvramrc? true
ok setenv fcode-debug? true
|
-
TABLE 1-4 contains codes for TurboGXplus-supported resolutions:
-
TABLE 1-4
| Resolution | Code |
| 1024 . 768 at 60 Hz | " 64125000,48286,60,16,128,160,1024,2,6,29,768,COLOR" |
| 1024 . 768 at 70 Hz | " 74250000,56593,70,16,136,136,1024,2,6,32,768,COLOR" |
| 1024 . 768 at 77 Hz | " 84375000,62040,77,32,128,176,1024,2,4,31,768,COLOR" |
| 1152 . 900 at 66 Hz | " 94500000,61845,66,40,128,208,1152,2,4,31,900,COLOR" |
| 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz | " 108000000,71808,76,32,128,192,1152,2,4,31,900,COLOR,0OFFSET" |
| 1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz | " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" |
| 1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz | " 135000000,81128,76,32,64,288,1280,2,8,32,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" |
| 1600 . 1280 at 76 Hz | " 216000000,101890,76,24,216,280,1600,2,8,50,1280,COLOR,0OFFSET" |
Setting Up a Single Monitor Using the PROM Method
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-5 is an example of how to set up a TurboGXplus card in slot 2 to 1024 . 768 at 60 Hz using a 16-inch monitor.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-5 PROM Method for Single Monitor Setup
-
ok nvedit
0: probe-sbus (or probe-all)
1: : vsetup " 64125000,48286,60,16,128,160,1024,2,6,29,768,COLOR" ;
2: vsetup 6
3: " /sbus/cgsix@2" " override" execute-device-method drop
4: install-console
5: banner
6: ^C
ok nvstore
ok setenv use-nvramrc? true
ok setenv fcode-debug? true
|
Setting Up a Single Monitor Using a UNIX Script
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-6 is a UNIX script that sets a 1024 . 768 at 60 Hz for the TurboGXplus card in slot 2.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-6 UNIX Script Method for Single Monitor Setup
-
#!/bin/sh
eeprom fcode-debug\?=true
eeprom nvramrc='probe-sbus (or probe-all)
: vsetup " 64125000,48286,60,16,128,160,1024,2,6,29,768,COLOR" ;
vsetup 6
"/sbus/cgsix@2" " override" execute-device-method drop
install-console
banner
'
eeprom use-nvramrc\?=true
|
Setting Up Multiple Monitors Using a UNIX Script
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-7 shows a UNIX script that sets up the TurboGXplus card in slot 1 to 1152 . 900 at 76 Hz, and another TurboGXplus card in slot 3 to 1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz using two 19-inch monitors.
-
CODE EXAMPLE 1-7 UNIX Script Method for Multiple Monitor Setup
-
#!/bin/sh
eeprom fcode-debug\?=true
eeprom nvramrc='probe-sbus (or probe-all)
: vsetup1 " 108000000,71808,76,32,128,192,1152,2,4,31,900,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
vsetup1 4
" /sbus/cgsix@1" " override" execute-device-method drop
: vsetup2 " 117000000,71691,67,16,112,224,1280,2,8,33,1024,COLOR,0OFFSET" ;
vsetup2 4
" /sbus/cgsix@3" " override" execute-device-method drop
install-console
banner
'
eeprom use-nvramrc\?=true
|
- For more information on running multiple monitors, see Chapter 9, "Multiple Monitors on a System."
|