Better Video for Solaris

gentisle · 09-22-2011, 08:15 PM

Hi, I'm having to buy a new laptop, and I there are two Asus that look good for price/quantity/speed. They are almost the same, but one has 1GB ATI HD 6370 DDR3 and the other has 1GB Nvidia GT 540. Both are i7, 8GB. I've seen the Nivida app in Open Indy, on my old dead laptop which had an integrated Nvida. Is there something like that for the ATI chips? Or will the various Solari look better with Nvidia chips? Also, would the answer be the same for Ubuntu based linux? Thanks.

jlliagre · 09-23-2011, 01:27 AM

nVidia build drivers for Solaris so that would be my choice. http://www.nvidia.com/object/solaris...y_archive.html

gentisle · 09-23-2011, 09:27 AM

@jlliagre, thanks.

cascade9 · 09-24-2011, 02:47 AM

Most of the iX laptops with nVidia GPUs are are using 'otpimus' (nVidia GPU + intel video) now. Optimus has no offical support under linux, and while its sometimes possible to get the nVidia GPU going its best to avoid 'optimus' laptops.

Even the iX laptops with ATI/AMD GPUs can be a pain, lots of them are using 'switchable graphics'.

Which model laptops are you looking at, it would help with knowing how hard it would be to setup the GPU. If its even possible to use the GPU with linux.

gentisle · 09-24-2011, 02:30 PM

@cascade9. Thanks, I don't even recall seeing otpimus anywhere in the specs listed. Guess they don't consider that important enough to list, since they are aiming at Windows only users. It's nice to know. That means linux won't work on anything new.

jlliagre · 09-24-2011, 11:50 PM

That doesn't necessarily means Linux (or Solaris for that matter) won't run on anything new. Just that you need to be able to switch the integrated Intel graphic off for the nVidia driver to work.

From: http://us.download.nvidia.com/solari...rtedchips.html

Some designs incorporating supported GPUs may not be compatible with the NVIDIA Solaris driver: in particular, notebook and all-in-one desktop designs with switchable (hybrid) or Optimus graphics will not work if means to disable the integrated graphics in hardware are not available.

cascade9 · 09-25-2011, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gentisle

@cascade9. Thanks, I don't even recall seeing otpimus anywhere in the specs listed. Guess they don't consider that important enough to list, since they are aiming at Windows only users. It's nice to know. That means linux won't work on anything new.

Not what I meant, or said.

Even 'optimus' systems will run linux just fine, the only problem is that you cant use the nVidia GPU in (most? at least some) cases.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlliagre

That doesn't necessarily means Linux (or Solaris for that matter) won't run on anything new. Just that you need to be able to switch the integrated Intel graphic off for the nVidia driver to work.

From: http://us.download.nvidia.com/solari...rtedchips.html

Some designs incorporating supported GPUs may not be compatible with the NVIDIA Solaris driver: in particular, notebook and all-in-one desktop designs with switchable (hybrid) or Optimus graphics will not work if means to disable the integrated graphics in hardware are not available.

That page doesnt even list most of the supported nVidia GPUs, its all quadros. Strange.

Some optimus setups without a hardware switch to 'force' the nVidia GPU (or disbale the intel video chip) can still use the nVidia driver, either with custom EDID files or bumblebee.

'Switchable graphics' is slightly different to 'optimus' and more likely to work, even without a way to 'force' the nVidia/ATI/AMD GPU.

gentisle · 09-25-2011, 08:50 AM

Well, I'm glad I misunderstood, so I could learn that it's more complicated than I originally thought. Thanks guys.

jlliagre · 09-25-2011, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cascade9

That page doesnt even list most of the supported nVidia GPUs, its all quadros. Strange.

I guess they only list formally supported cards. Much more cards are known to work.

cascade9 · 09-26-2011, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlliagre

I guess they only list formally supported cards. Much more cards are known to work.

Its not a list of formally supported cards.

I'd guess its more to do with the idea that solaris is a 'server' OS and quadros are 'professional level cards' more likely to be used in a server.

jlliagre · 09-26-2011, 07:23 AM

It is a list of formally supported cards. Sun used to manufacture high-end graphic workstations using nVidia cards. They were using quadro cards and these ones were the only one officially supported by the driver nVidia ported to Solaris. Other cards just happen to work but only as a fortunate side effect.

cascade9 · 09-26-2011, 07:42 AM

If you check what it says in the link you originally posted you get this-

Quote:

For the most complete and accurate listing of supported GPUs, please see the Supported Products List, available from the NVIDIA SunOS x86 Graphics Driver download page. Please go to http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html, follow the Archive link under the SunOS x86 heading, follow the link for the 275.28 driver, and then go to the Supported Products List.

Then you end up with this list-

Code:

Solaris Display Driver – x64/x86

Version:
	
275.28 Certified
Release Date:
	
2011.09.07
Operating System:
	
Solaris x86/x64
Language:
	
English (U.S.)
File Size:
	
41.7 MB 

GeForce 500 series:
GTX 590, GTX 580, GTX 570, GTX 560 Ti, GTX 560, GTX 550 Ti, GT 545, GT 530, GT 520

GeForce 500M series:
GTX 560M, GT 555M, GT 550M, GT 540M, GT 525M, GT 520M

GeForce 400 series:
GTX 480, GTX 470, GTX 465, GTX 460 SE, GTX 460, GTS 450, GT 440, GT 430, GT 420, 405

GeForce 400M series:
GTX 485M, GTX 480M, GTX 470M, GTX 460M, GT 445M, GT 435M, GT 425M, GT 420M, GT 415M, 410M

GeForce 300 series:
GT 340, GT 330, GT 320, 315, 310

GeForce 300M series:
GTS 360M, GTS 350M, GT 335M, GT 330M, GT 325M, GT 320M, 320M, 315M, 310M, 305M

GeForce 200 series:
GTX 295, GTX 285, GTX 280, GTX 275, GTX 260, GTS 250, GTS 240, GT 240, GT 230, GT 220, 210, 205

GeForce 200M series:
GTX 285M, GTX 280M, GTX 260M, GTS 260M, GTS 250M, GT 240M, GT 230M, GT 220M, G210M

GeForce 100 series:
GT 140, GT 130, GT 120, G 100

GeForce 100M series:
GTS 160M, GTS 150M, GT 130M, GT 120M, G 110M, G 105M, G 103M, G 102M

GeForce 9 series:
9800 GX2, 9800 GTX+, 9800 GTX/GTX+, 9800 GT, 9650 S, 9600 GT, 9600 GSO 512, 9600 GSO, 9600 GS, 9500 GT, 9500 GS, 9400 GT, 9400, 9300 SE, 9300 GS, 9300 GE, 9300 / nForce 730i, 9300, 9200, 9100

GeForce 9M series:
9800M GTX, 9800M GTS, 9800M GT, 9800M GS, 9700M GTS, 9700M GT, 9650M GT, 9650M GS, 9600M GT, 9600M GS, 9500M GS, 9500M G, 9400M G, 9400M, 9300M GS, 9300M G, 9200M GS, 9100M G

GeForce 8 series:
8800 Ultra, 8800 GTX, 8800 GTS 512, 8800 GTS, 8800 GT, 8800 GS, 8600 GTS, 8600 GS, 8500 GT, 8400 SE, 8400 GS, 8400, 8300 GS, 8300, 8200, 8100 / nForce 720a

GeForce 8M series:
8800M GTX, 8800M GTS, 8700M GT, 8600M GT, 8600M GS, 8400M GT, 8400M GS, 8400M G, 8200M G

GeForce 7 series:
7950 GX2, 7950 GT, 7900 GTX, 7900 GT/GTO, 7900 GS, 7800 SLI, 7800 GTX, 7800 GT, 7800 GS, 7650 GS, 7600 LE, 7600 GT, 7600 GS, 7500 LE, 7350 LE, 7300 SE / 7200 GS, 7300 LE, 7300 GT, 7300 GS, 7150M /NVIDIA nForce 630M, 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7100 GS, 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, 7050 / nForce 620i, 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, 7000M /NVIDIA nForce 610M

GeForce Go 7 series:
Go 7950 GTX, Go 7900 GS, Go 7800 GTX, Go 7800, Go 7700, Go 7600 GT, Go 7600, Go 7400, Go 7300, Go 7200

GeForce 6 series:
6800 XT, 6800 XE, 6800 Ultra, 6800 LE, 6800 GT, 6800 GS, 6800, 6700 XL, 6610 XL, 6600 VE, 6600 LE, 6600 GT, 6600, 6500, 6250, 6200 TurboCache, 6200SE TurboCache, 6200 LE, 6200 A-LE, 6200, 6150SE nForce 430, 6150 LE, 6150, 6100 nForce 420, 6100 nForce 405, 6100 nForce 400, 6100

NVS Series:
NVS 300

Quadro series:
6000, 600, 5000, 4000, 400, 2000D, 2000

Quadro FX series:
FX Go1400, FX 5800, FX 580, FX 570, FX 5600, FX 560, FX 5500, FX 550, FX 540, FX 4800, FX 4700 X2, FX 4600, FX 4500 X2, FX 4500, FX 4000, FX 380 LP, FX 3800, FX 380, FX 370 Low Profile, FX 3700, FX 370, FX 3500, FX 350, FX 3450/4000 SDI, FX 3400/4400, FX 1800, FX 1700, FX 1500, FX 1400, CX

Quadro Notebook series:
5010M, 5000M, 4000M, 3000M, 2000M, 1000M

Quadro FX Notebook series:
FX 880M, FX 770M, FX 570M, FX 560M, FX 540M, FX 380M, FX 3800M, FX 370M, FX 3700M, FX 360M, FX 3600M, FX 350M, FX 2800M, FX 2700M, FX 2500M, FX 1800M, FX 1700M, FX 1600M, FX 1500M

Quadro NVS series:
NVS 450, NVS 440, NVS 420, NVS 295, NVS 290, NVS 285, NVS 210S / 6150LE

Quadro NVS Notebook series:
NVS 510M, NVS 4200M, NVS 320M, NVS 160M, NVS 150M, NVS 140M, NVS 135M, NVS 130M, NVS 120M, NVS 110M

Quadro Plex series:
Model IV, Model II, D Series, 7000

Quadro G-Sync series:
G-Sync II

Quadro SDI series:
Quadro SDI

ION series:
ION LE, ION

C-Class Processors:
Tesla C870, Tesla C2075, Tesla C2070, Tesla C2050, Tesla C1060, T10 Processor

M-Class Processors:
Tesla M2090, Tesla M2070-Q, Tesla M2070, Tesla M2050, Tesla M1060

http://www.nvidia.com/object/solaris...28-driver.html

AFAIK there was some time when solaris only 'offically' suported quadro cards, but even then it was possible to run geforce cards with those drivers. All that dates back to when solaris used different drivers to linux anyway.....

jlliagre · 09-26-2011, 08:24 AM

Indeed. Support has different meaning depending on the context. I was more focused on formal (i.e. paid for) support. In this latter case, the only supported cards are Quadro installed in Sun workstations. Everything else is unsupported. i.e. if it doesn't work for some reason, there is no hot-line or whatever to call but only a user's forum: http://us.download.nvidia.com/solari...resources.html

On the other hand, it is certainly not in nVidia interest to distribute non working drivers, even for free, so they technically support most if not all of their current and recent GPUs.