G400 & Yoper Linux

[albatorsk]

Originally posted by englishpremier
Do i also need to go into each of the directories and run the same thing i.e in /drivers or in fbset or /tvout etc..

(please excuse the spelling, alcohol kind of has a detrimental affect on it.)

Nope. That for using the "raw" fbdev driver in MPlayer. Since we're aiming for DirectFB, we don't need those tools. DFB should take care of changing resolution and bitdepth on its own

[englishpremier]

well Mplayer isn't outputting anything onto the Tv. But i don't just want dual display when playing a video file i want a constant dual display clone in X.

how do i do that?

[albatorsk]

I have no idea.

[englishpremier]

Originally posted by Ribbit
Is your reason for wanting the Matrox drivers that you want to use both heads? If that's the case, just copy the mgahal_drv.o file (I forget the exact name, but it's got "hal" in it) from the Matrox package to /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/. That's all you should need.

I have done this, but how does whatever program linux uses for TV out know where to look for file or that it even exists? does something else too not need doing?

ok I'm going back to trying to mgapdesk I have installed it, and pointed in the direction of my XF86Config-4 file, but whenever i try to run the program it keeps saying that

"the specified file isn't valid, please make sure the file name refers to a valid configuration file."

Please help me i am at my wits end trying to firgure this out and i really don't want to have to go back to windows.

My XF86Config-4 file can be found http://www.virginstudent.com/fileser...86Config_1.txt

[Ribbit]

Originally posted by englishpremier
I have done this, but how does whatever program linux uses for TV out know where to look for file or that it even exists? does something else too not need doing?

mga_hal.o contains code to do things Matrox wouldn't release specs for. The XFree86/Xorg Matrox driver should look for and load it at startup. I repeat, there's not much point in installing the "Matrox-branded" drivers apart from this file - it might even be counterproductive.

Is the HAL library being loaded? You can check by looking at the X server output (probably at /var/log/XFree86.0.log). Or you can use some behaviour I noticed when I had a G400: Start the X server from the console just by running X. If it just takes a couple of seconds to load, the HAL library probably isn't being loaded. If it takes more like 10 seconds or so, it probably is.

BUT FIRST: After I wrote all that, I went and looked at the Matrox driver release notes, and it looks like you just need to do the following in your XF86Config:

After (actually, just in the same section as) the "Screen 1" line near the bottom, add

Option "TV" "yes"

If appropriate, also add

Option "TVStandard" "PAL"

That should be enough unless you're using a SCART cable (in which case, see the link I just posted - in the "Other Features" section).

Hopefully that will be enough, but it's a bit worrying that you seem to have a setup for two Viewsonic GT770s. Hopefully the TV options will force the driver to use only appropriate modes, but perhaps someone who has used the TV output should confirm? Anyone?

[englishpremier]

i looked in /var/log/XFree86.0.log and couldn't find the .hal driver being loaded, infact it said that this driver is required for dual head operations. my XFree86.0.log can be found here: http://www.virginstudent.com/fileser...ree86.99.0.txt

I copied the file to the right place, why isn't it being used?

Also i am using RGB Scart to connect to the TV.

[Ribbit]

".hal"? Make sure it's the right file with the right name - it should be called "mga_hal_drv.o", and it should go in the same directory as "mga_drv.o" (probably /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers). I'm not sure if it makes a difference, but you might want to download and untar ftp://ftp.matrox.com/pub/mga/archive...rivers-3.0.tgz and use the file in the xfree86/4.3.0 directory (ignore the mga_drv.o file). Might want to check permissions on it as well.

If you think the mga driver might be specifically ignoring the HAL (it can be compiled that way), you can add the line

Option "NoHal" "False"

to both Device sections in your XF86Config. Unfortunately it's possible (though quite unlikely) your driver was compiled to not use the HAL under any circumstances.

If you're using an RGB SCART cable, the release notes say you should add the line

Option "CableType" "SCART_RGB"

alongside the other TV options in XF86Config.

[englishpremier]

the driver i copied was mga_hal_drv.o. /i put this in /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers where the original mga_drv.o is. so there is no issuse with that part.

i've added the lines, i'll reboot now an see what i get.

EDIT: still nothing other than a blank screen. something is deffinatly wrong bit time. hw can be so difficult to have simple TV-out, might just have to stick with XP.

I still don't see why powerdesk says my XF86Config-4 is not a valid configuration file.

[albatorsk]

Please. For the love of god. Don't use Powedesk. It's severely outdated and has serious flaws with the latest drivers.

[Ribbit]

Is the HAL being loaded yet? Have another look in your XFree86.0.log. If it's not, could you post the output of nm /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/mga_drv.o | grep -i hal?

As long as that HAL driver's not being loaded, you're not going to get any TV out (or any dualhead) from X.

[englishpremier]

I typed the following and got no output at all:

root@linux carl # nm /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/mga_drv.o | grep -i hal
root@linux carl #

I double checked and the driver is deffinatly located in that directory.

[Ribbit]

Ok, here's what you do: get a nice hard baseball bat and some motorised gardening tools, fly out to New Zealand, and *CENSORED FOR THOSE OF A WEAK DISPOSITION* the idiot who decided to specifically compile the Matrox driver without the ability to load the HAL.

What are your options now?

1 - Yes, I know we were warning you not to do this, but you can try the mga_drv.o from the Matrox package. It may cause problems or even just not work at all, so back up the one you've got first.

2 - Check or pester Yoper for an X update with the ability to load the HAL. I should note that XFree86 and Xorg come with this turned on by default, so someone somewhere specifically decided to turn it off when they built it.

3 - Change distribution.

4 - Build a copy of XFree86 or Xorg for yourself.

I'd also like to say thank you for your patience with me and albatorsk - most people would have long since given up. I'm sorry we've ended up at this point.

[englishpremier]

I have asked around the Yoper message boards about tv out but nothing much has come up. I will write something more specific.

I could build a copy of XFree86 myself, but can't really be bothered with the hassle. I do like Yoper but if it turns out i cannot get TV working on this then i will just go for gentoo on a stage1 install (allways fun).

Before i post on the Yoper forums, you think the problem is that XFree86 has been configured not to use the matrox HAL driver?

Is using the driver from the matrox website just a case of copying mga_drv.o to the same directory as my current driver? as i can't compile the matrox drivers as they do not support my version of X.

[Ribbit]

Originally posted by englishpremier
Before i post on the Yoper forums, you think the problem is that XFree86 has been configured not to use the matrox HAL driver?

I'm quite convinced of that. Here's what I get when I run that nm command, for reference:

000245e0 t EscHal
U HALSetDisplayStart
00000300 d halSymbols

These are symbols representing code which either interfaces to or would be loaded from the mga_hal_drv.o module.

The relevant option when compiling XFree86 or Xorg is the UseMatroxHal option in the host.def file. This defaults to YES if the package builder doesn't change anything and the server being built is modular (which it normally is). It doesn't force the HAL code to be built into the driver or require the HAL source or binary at any point - it only enables the option to load the HAL at runtime. Perhaps the package builder misunderstood this.

Is using the driver from the matrox website just a case of copying mga_drv.o to the same directory as my current driver?

Yes, but caution is advised as it's built for a different version of XFree86 (and a different distribution I should add). It may have issues, or it may just not work. As I said, back up the one you've already got.

BTW, if you decide to build your own X or upgrade from somewhere else, it might be worth going for at least Xorg 6.8, as it can do DPMS and DDC on the second head (courtesy of runderwo from here actually, so say thanks if you see him). It will still need that HAL module though.

[englishpremier]

DUDE you are the greatest, have a drink on me.

I swaped the Yoper driver for the orginal matrox on and volla. It looks god awful as i think its in 640x4?? res but i think i sort that by myself.

Once again, cheers.