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1==============2What is sisfb?3==============4 5sisfb is a framebuffer device driver for SiS (Silicon Integrated Systems)6graphics chips. Supported are:7 8- SiS 300 series: SiS 300/305, 540, 630(S), 730(S)9- SiS 315 series: SiS 315/H/PRO, 55x, (M)65x, 740, (M)661(F/M)X, (M)741(GX)10- SiS 330 series: SiS 330 ("Xabre"), (M)76011 12 13Why do I need a framebuffer driver?14===================================15 16sisfb is eg. useful if you want a high-resolution text console. Besides that,17sisfb is required to run DirectFB (which comes with an additional, dedicated18driver for the 315 series).19 20On the 300 series, sisfb on kernels older than 2.6.3 furthermore plays an21important role in connection with DRM/DRI: Sisfb manages the memory heap22used by DRM/DRI for 3D texture and other data. This memory management is23required for using DRI/DRM.24 25Kernels >= around 2.6.3 do not need sisfb any longer for DRI/DRM memory26management. The SiS DRM driver has been updated and features a memory manager27of its own (which will be used if sisfb is not compiled). So unless you want28a graphical console, you don't need sisfb on kernels >=2.6.3.29 30Sidenote: Since this seems to be a commonly made mistake: sisfb and vesafb31cannot be active at the same time! Do only select one of them in your kernel32configuration.33 34 35How are parameters passed to sisfb?36===================================37 38Well, it depends: If compiled statically into the kernel, use lilo's append39statement to add the parameters to the kernel command line. Please see lilo's40(or GRUB's) documentation for more information. If sisfb is a kernel module,41parameters are given with the modprobe (or insmod) command.42 43Example for sisfb as part of the static kernel: Add the following line to your44lilo.conf::45 46 append="video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,mem:12288,rate:75"47 48Example for sisfb as a module: Start sisfb by typing::49 50 modprobe sisfb mode=1024x768x16 rate=75 mem=1228851 52A common mistake is that folks use a wrong parameter format when using the53driver compiled into the kernel. Please note: If compiled into the kernel,54the parameter format is video=sisfb:mode:none or video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x1655(or whatever mode you want to use, alternatively using any other format56described above or the vesa keyword instead of mode). If compiled as a module,57the parameter format reads mode=none or mode=1024x768x16 (or whatever mode you58want to use). Using a "=" for a ":" (and vice versa) is a huge difference!59Additionally: If you give more than one argument to the in-kernel sisfb, the60arguments are separated with ",". For example::61 62 video=sisfb:mode:1024x768x16,rate:75,mem:1228863 64 65How do I use it?66================67 68Preface statement: This file only covers very little of the driver's69capabilities and features. Please refer to the author's and maintainer's70website at http://www.winischhofer.net/linuxsisvga.shtml for more71information. Additionally, "modinfo sisfb" gives an overview over all72supported options including some explanation.73 74The desired display mode can be specified using the keyword "mode" with75a parameter in one of the following formats:76 77 - XxYxDepth or78 - XxY-Depth or79 - XxY-Depth@Rate or80 - XxY81 - or simply use the VESA mode number in hexadecimal or decimal.82 83For example: 1024x768x16, 1024x768-16@75, 1280x1024-16. If no depth is84specified, it defaults to 8. If no rate is given, it defaults to 60Hz. Depth 3285means 24bit color depth (but 32 bit framebuffer depth, which is not relevant86to the user).87 88Additionally, sisfb understands the keyword "vesa" followed by a VESA mode89number in decimal or hexadecimal. For example: vesa=791 or vesa=0x117. Please90use either "mode" or "vesa" but not both.91 92Linux 2.4 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to "no mode" (mode=none) if93compiled as a module; if sisfb is statically compiled into the kernel, it94defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT2 type is LCD, in which case the LCD's native95resolution is used. If you want to switch to a different mode, use the fbset96shell command.97 98Linux 2.6 only: If no mode is given, sisfb defaults to 800x600x8 unless CRT299type is LCD, in which case it defaults to the LCD's native resolution. If100you want to switch to another mode, use the stty shell command.101 102You should compile in both vgacon (to boot if you remove you SiS card from103your system) and sisfb (for graphics mode). Under Linux 2.6, also "Framebuffer104console support" (fbcon) is needed for a graphical console.105 106You should *not* compile-in vesafb. And please do not use the "vga=" keyword107in lilo's or grub's configuration file; mode selection is done using the108"mode" or "vesa" keywords as a parameter. See above and below.109 110 111X11112===113 114If using XFree86 or X.org, it is recommended that you don't use the "fbdev"115driver but the dedicated "sis" X driver. The "sis" X driver and sisfb are116developed by the same person (Thomas Winischhofer) and cooperate well with117each other.118 119 120SVGALib121=======122 123SVGALib, if directly accessing the hardware, never restores the screen124correctly, especially on laptops or if the output devices are LCD or TV.125Therefore, use the chipset "FBDEV" in SVGALib configuration. This will make126SVGALib use the framebuffer device for mode switches and restoration.127 128 129Configuration130=============131 132(Some) accepted options:133 134========= ==================================================================135off Disable sisfb. This option is only understood if sisfb is136 in-kernel, not a module.137mem:X size of memory for the console, rest will be used for DRI/DRM. X138 is in kilobytes. On 300 series, the default is 4096, 8192 or139 16384 (each in kilobyte) depending on how much video ram the card140 has. On 315/330 series, the default is the maximum available ram141 (since DRI/DRM is not supported for these chipsets).142noaccel do not use 2D acceleration engine. (Default: use acceleration)143noypan disable y-panning and scroll by redrawing the entire screen.144 This is much slower than y-panning. (Default: use y-panning)145vesa:X selects startup videomode. X is number from 0 to 0x1FF and146 represents the VESA mode number (can be given in decimal or147 hexadecimal form, the latter prefixed with "0x").148mode:X selects startup videomode. Please see above for the format of149 "X".150========= ==================================================================151 152Boolean options such as "noaccel" or "noypan" are to be given without a153parameter if sisfb is in-kernel (for example "video=sisfb:noypan). If154sisfb is a module, these are to be set to 1 (for example "modprobe sisfb155noypan=1").156 157 158Thomas Winischhofer <thomas@winischhofer.net>159 160May 27, 2004161