PGX Graphics Accelerator

This chapter describes how to change the display resolution on the PGX Graphics Accelerator.

You can change the PGX screen and associated graphics hardware through the m64config utility. Options are specified on the command line. The specified options can be stored in the OWconfig file to provide persistence of the options across window system sessions and system reboots.

Use the m64config utility to:

Specify the video mode (screen resolution and refresh rate).
Specify the OWconfig file to update.
Reset all option values to their default values.
Print the current values of all PGX options in the OWconfig file.
Print the PGX hardware configuration.

Note - m64 is the UNIX device name for the PGX Graphics Accelerator.

Supported Screen Resolutions

TABLE 8-1 lists the screen resolutions that are supported by the PGX Graphics Accelerator.

TABLE 8-1

Screen Resolution	Vertical Refresh Rate	Description
1600 . 1000	76 Hz	Non-interlaced
1600 . 1000	66 Hz	Non-interlaced
1440 . 900	76 Hz	Non-interlaced
1280 . 1024	76 Hz	Non-interlaced
1280 . 1024	75 Hz	Non-interlaced
1280 . 1024	67 Hz	Non-interlaced
1280 . 1024	60 Hz	Non-interlaced
1280 . 800	76 Hz	Non-interlaced
1152 . 900	76 Hz	Non-interlaced
1152 . 900	66 Hz	Non-interlaced
1024 . 768	75 Hz	Non-interlaced
1024 . 768	70 Hz	Non-interlaced
1024 . 768	60 Hz	SVGA (non-interlaced)
800 . 600	75 Hz	Non-interlaced
768 . 575	50 Hz	PAL (interlaced)
640 . 480	60 Hz	NTSC (interlaced)

Changing the Screen Resolution Temporarily

This example changes the screen resolution temporarily. It can be used to verify that the monitor supports the specified resolution.

TABLE 8-2 lists the video-mode options. You are given ten seconds to confirm the video mode by typing y.

TABLE 8-2

Video Mode
Width.Height.Rate	Symbolic Name	Resolution
`1600x1000x76`			1600 . 1000 at 76 Hz
`1600x1000x66`		1600 . 1000 at 66 Hz
`1440x900x76`	1440 . 900 at 76 Hz
`1280x1024x76`	`1280`	1280 . 1024 at 76 Hz
`1280x1024x75`		1280 . 1024 at 75 Hz
`1280x1024x67`		1280 . 1024 at 67 Hz
`1280x1024x60`		1280 . 1024 at 60 Hz
`1280x800x76`		1280 . 800 at 76 Hz
`1152x900x76`	`1152`	1152 . 900 at 76 Hz
`1152x900x66`		1152 . 900 at 66 Hz
`1024x768x75`		1024 . 768 at 75 Hz
`1024x768x70`		1024 . 768 at 70 Hz
`1024x768x60`	`svga`	1024 . 768 at 60 Hz
`800x600x75`	`svga`	1024 . 600 at 75 Hz
`768x575x50i`	`pal`	768 . 575 at 50 Hz, interlaced
`640x480x60i`	`ntsc`	640 . 480 at 60 Hz, interlaced
`640x480x60i`	`none`	The video mode currently programmed for the device

For example, to try the 1152 . 900 resolution at 76 Hz, enter one of the following formats:

This example uses the Width.Height.Rate format

This example uses the symbolic name format.

Printing the PGX Hardware Configuration

· To print the PGX hardware configuration information, type:

The following is a typical display of the hardware configuration information:


  --- Hardware Configuration for /dev/fbs/m640 ---  
  ASIC: version 0x41004754  
  DAC: version 0x0  
  PROM: version 0x0  
  Card possible resolutions: 640x480x60, 800x600x75, 1024x768x60  
       1024x768x70, 1024x768x75, 1280x1024x75, 1280x1024x76  
       1280x1024x60, 1152x900x66, 1152x900x76, 1280x1024x67  
       960x680x112S, 960x680x108S, 640x480x60i, 768x575x50i, 1280x800x76  
       1440x900x76, 1600x1000x66, 1600x1000x76, vga, svga, 1152, 1280  
       stereo, ntsc, pal  
  Monitor possible resolutions:  720x400x70, 720x400x88, 640x480x60  
       640x480x67, 640x480x72, 640x480x75, 800x600x56, 800x600x60  
       800x600x72, 800x600x75, 832x624x75, 1024x768x87, 1024x768x60  
       1024x768x70, 1024x768x75, 1280x1024x75, 1280x1024x76, 1152x900x66  
       1152x900x76, 1280x1024x67, 960x680x112S, vga, svga, 1152, 1280  
       stereo  
  Current resolution setting: 1280x1024x76  
  Current depth: 8

For More Information

The examples in this chapter are only two of the simpler uses of the m64config utility. For more information on m64config, see the m64config man page.

PEX Library Bug Workaround

Some 3D applications may experience problems when run on the PGX frame buffer. Problems may range from incorrect rendering to window system crashes.

The work-around for these problems is to set the environment variable XGLNOPEX before executing any 3D applications. For example:

You do not have to assign any particular value to this environment variable, just create it.