This seems like a valid concept that's orthogonal to yesterday's discussion: external tools plugged into the SPI port to crack the chicken-and-egg problem (and possibly do other things). If this 4-way mode selection were implemented on OGC1, the external tool would be the method of getting that custom mode into NVRAM, so that it could be selected by the on-board switches. I don't know whether there's any plan to include jumpers or DIP switches on OGC1, but one bank of 4 or so is a lot easier to justify than enough switches to completely express all possible modelines.
-------------- Original message ---------------------- From: James Richard Tyrer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Timothy Miller wrote: > > On 8/1/06, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >> The way si87 did it was to provide a DIP switch for boot mode > >> selection. 4 bits on the DIP switch select stored modes for various > >> common fixed frequency monitors, with mode 0 being VGA and I think > >> mode 4 being the A1097C. These modes are loaded in flash at the > >> factory, and custom modes can be loaded on special order. Other > >> switch bits set sync options, such as sync-on-green, composite sync, > >> etc. The DIP switch is accessible on the back panel, without opening > >> the case. > > > > We can provide jumpers or a DIP switch (jumpers may be cheaper, but I > > don't know). The problem here is identifying a good list of fixed > > modes that will satisfy everyone. > > > > This isn't going to work -- we can't satisfy everyone. By definition > odd ball monitors are not going to be standard. That is why X11 has > modelines. > > We could have it possible for it to start in VESA modes that are larger > than 640x480, but that isn't going to help with something odd ball. > > We could have it possible to select some (or all :-() of the standard > modelines built into the current XFree86 and X.org releases, but again, > there are going to be real odd ball monitors that this isn't going to help. > > I would suggest that a serial NVRAM with the X11 modeline or VESA mode > for boot up in it is the best idea. It might also be a good idea for > this to store the VESA modes that were supported. Since there is a > finite list, we would only need a bit for each one (best to have a few > to spare since I presume that they may add new ones). And, it appears > the type of sync the monitor needs (H&V, Composite, on Green). > > You could load this NVRAM yourself if you borrowed a VGA monitor or > could use your TV. Otherwise, we could offer the programing service. > > This leaves us with two jumpers (4 choices): > > VGA > > TV 480i > > TV 489p > > NVRAM stored mode > > and a jumper to enable writing the NVRAM. > > Perhaps we wouldn't need to populate the serial NVRAM on the standard > product. > > -- > JRT > _______________________________________________ Open-graphics mailing list [email protected] http://lists.duskglow.com/mailman/listinfo/open-graphics List service provided by Duskglow Consulting, LLC (www.duskglow.com)
