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Old 07-14-2006, 03:09 PM   #1
Simdude90015
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA area
Distribution: Debian 3.1 (or variant... depends on which machine)
Posts: 72

Rep: Reputation: 15
XFree86 Configuration


I posted this in the Hardware forum and didn't get any helpful responses. Maybe Software is more appropriate?

If you know, what should my XFree86 Config File look like if I want to hook up an Nvidia GeForce 256 Up to a 27" NTSC TV via the card's built-in S-Video port? The Idea is to use this box as a HTPC.

TV: Toshiba 27A32 27"

lspci:
Code:
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-751 [Irongate] System Controller (rev 25)
0000:00:01.0 PCI bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-751 [Irongate] AGP Bridge (rev 01)
0000:00:07.0 ISA bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-756 [Viper] ISA (rev 01)
0000:00:07.1 IDE interface: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-756 [Viper] IDE (rev 07)
0000:00:07.3 Bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-756 [Viper] ACPI (rev 03)
0000:00:07.4 USB Controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] AMD-756 [Viper] USB (rev 06)
0000:00:11.0 Network controller: RaLink Ralink RT2500 802.11 Cardbus Reference Card (rev 01)
0000:00:14.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1 (rev 07)
0000:00:14.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Live! MIDI/Game Port (rev 07)
0000:01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV10 [GeForce 256 SDR] (rev 10)
Current /etc/X11/XF86Config-4:

Code:
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
#   md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"unix/:7100"			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"GLcore"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"dbe"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"record"
	Load	"speedo"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"keyboard"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Generic Video Card"
	Driver		"vesa"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"GWY:5876"
	HorizSync	30-60
	VertRefresh	50-75
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Generic Video Card"
	Monitor		"GWY:5876"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480" "1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection
Any Help is appreciated!

-Jim
(somewhat )
 
Old 07-14-2006, 06:29 PM   #2
jayjwa
Member
 
Registered: Jul 2003
Location: NY
Distribution: Slackware, Termux
Posts: 779

Rep: Reputation: 246Reputation: 246Reputation: 246
OMG, that's the hardest X11 setup I've seen in my life

First, I wouldn't let the auto tools try and make your XFree86 configuration file. They assume basic stuff, and generally try to stick you with "vesa" or something similar. This setup is more specialized than I think it knows how to handle. Those tools also have a way of adding extra goop in there that make the file more complex than need be.

You're likely going to use the "nv" driver. The nv.4(x) manpage describes how to use it and what options it takes. (man 4 nv, on my system for the manpage, it might be man 4x on a default install, or try "locate nv.4") The other manpage to read is XF86Config.5(x) which is the format for the main config file. The drivers and files you have available to work with, of course, all reside by default under /usr/X11R6/lib/modules (although yours looks like it's /usr based, which might be a sym-link): "drivers" for the nv driver, "input" for your input device, "extensions" for any extensions, and so on. Writing the config file is just basically plugging those files/drivers into the file with the right options. The above manpages will tell you the right options to use and the right format to write in.

Because I see "AGP" in your "lspci" output, likely you're going to need AGP support compiled into your kernal(CONFIG_AGP and probably CONFIG_AGP_NVIDIA).

You can try these terms on Google for (what appears to be) alot of info that looks relavent to your setup: "xfree86 Nvidia GeForce 256 NTSC S-Video".

The last help place is the Xfree86 mailing list. Try to work your setup, then if it still isn't right, post what you have gotten so far and be detailed; they will hopefully be able to help. The list is somewhat slow to circulate, so you might want to request that anyone that is replying CC to you so you don't have to wait for the next list to come out. Make sure to disguise any emails on that list as it gets alot of spam and you don't want your address harvested. You can also check the list archives.

Sorry I can't be of more help, but it's a bit hard to set up a system you're not sitting at with hardware you've never seen.
 
Old 07-15-2006, 03:26 PM   #3
Simdude90015
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA area
Distribution: Debian 3.1 (or variant... depends on which machine)
Posts: 72

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
I googled a bit and came up with some Nvidia Documentation

I hooked up the TV and editied my XF86 configuration over ssh. This is what it looks like now:

Code:
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xfree86 package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xfree86
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following commands as root:
#
#   cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.custom
#   md5sum /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 >/var/lib/xfree86/XF86Config-4.md5sum
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"unix/:7100"			# local font server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on these
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"dbe"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"record"
	Load	"speedo"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"keyboard"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Generic Video Card"
	Driver		"nvidia"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	HorizSync	30-50
	VertRefresh	60
#	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Generic Video Card"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	Option "TVStandard" "NTSC-M"
	Option "ConnectedMonitor" "TV"
	Option "TVOutFormat" "SVIDEO"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection
But! The X server keeps crashing right after the nVidia Logo. I keep seeing the normal bootscripts go by, and then the nVidia Logo (for about 1 sec) then some garbage (about 1.5-2 sec) and then the nVidia Logo again, repeat process. Any idea why this is happening?

Help is appreciated

-Jim
()
 
Old 07-15-2006, 09:48 PM   #4
Simdude90015
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2004
Location: Pittsburgh, PA area
Distribution: Debian 3.1 (or variant... depends on which machine)
Posts: 72

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 15
I found out why it kept crashing: I had removed the USB mouse.

Now, The Picture I'm getting has black bars on the left and right of the screen (like a 4:3 picture in a 16:9 TV... but the TV I'm using is 4:3) and the bars aren't even perfectly straight. I'm guessing this is with the XF86 conf again. suggestions?
 
  


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