ARG! Dual Head Probs Under Solaris 9

[Big Chuck]

I have an Ultra 60 with 2 ffb2+ frame buffers (model # X3670A) and 2
Viewsonic VE170b flat panel monitors. I am running Solaris 9 with the
latest patch cluster and am trying this using the CDE window manager.
The monitor cables are identical as well. (I am using VGA adapters)

The problem:

When the X server starts, the primary screen /dev/ffb0 comes up under a
lower resolution then /dev/ffb1, even though everything is identical. If
I explicitly change the resolution of ffb0 after the X server is already
running ('ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb0 -res 1280x1024x67 now') the screen
changes resolution and the window manager shrinks and looks distorted.
However, if I log out and then immediately log back in, viola, it is
perfect. Both screens are at 1280x1024x67. If I reboot or restart the
Xserver, I am back to square one.

Here is what prtdiag lists the frame buffers as:

0 UPA 113 29 FFB, Double Buffered
SUNW,501-4788
0 UPA 113 30 FFB, Double Buffered SUNW,501-4788

I created /etc/dt/config/Xconfig and /etc/dt/config/Xservers. In
Xconfig, I changed the following:

Dtlogin.servers: /etc/dt/config/Xservers

Here is what Xservers conintains:

:0 Local local_uid@console root /usr/openwin/bin/Xsun :0 -nobanner
+xinerama -dev /dev/ffb0 -dev /dev/ffb1

I have made sure both ffb devices have the exact same settings.

ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb0 -res 1280x1024x67
ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb1 -res 1280x1024x67

Next I removed the +xinerama setting and started X with two different
screens. I then ran xdpyinfo on each screen and the output was identical
with the exception of the different screen number and etc.. (basically
did 'xdpyinfo > screen0' and 'xdpyinfo > screen1' and then 'diff screen0
screen1')

Even with both cards set to defaults, here is what I get:

ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb0 -defaults
ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb1 -defaults

ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb0 -propts
--- OpenWindows Configuration for /dev/ffb0 ---
OWconfig: machine
Video Mode: NONE
Default Visual: Non-Linear Normal Visual
Visual Ordering: Linear Visuals are last
Overlay Visuals are last
OpenGL Visual Expansion: enabled
Server Overlay Visuals: enabled
Extended Overlay: enabled
Underlay WIDs: 64 (not configurable)
Overlay WIDs: 4 (not configurable)
Gamma Correction Value: 2.220000
Gamma Correction Table: Available

ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb1 -propts
--- OpenWindows Configuration for /dev/ffb1 ---
OWconfig: machine
Video Mode: NONE
Default Visual: Non-Linear Normal Visual
Visual Ordering: Linear Visuals are last
Overlay Visuals are last
OpenGL Visual Expansion: enabled
Server Overlay Visuals: enabled
Extended Overlay: enabled
Underlay WIDs: 64 (not configurable)
Overlay WIDs: 4 (not configurable)
Gamma Correction Value: 2.220000
Gamma Correction Table: Available

Now here is the part that I do not understand. When I set each board to
it's defaults and then examine the supported resolutions, they differ.

hurley:~ #ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb0 -res ?
Valid values for -res option are:
NONE
1024x768x60 *
1024x768x70 *
1024x768x75 *
1024x768x77 *
1024x800x84 *
1152x900x66
1152x900x76 *
1280x800x76 *
1280x1024x60 *
1280x1024x67 *
1280x1024x76 *
1280x1024x85 *

hurley:~ #ffbconfig -dev /dev/ffb1 -res ?
Valid values for -res option are:
NONE
1024x768x60
1024x768x70
1024x768x75
1024x768x77 *
1024x800x84 *
1152x900x66 *
1152x900x76 *
1280x800x76 *
1280x1024x60
1280x1024x67 *
1280x1024x76 *
1280x1024x85 *

Can anyone shed some lights on my dilema? Do I have a faulty frame
buffer? I know the resolution I am trying works find on both monitors.

Thanks for any help, sorry this was so long.
-Chuck

[Stefaan A Eeckels]

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 19:26:54 -0700
Big Chuck <cca...@echeeba.com> wrote:

Story about different resolutions on the same hardware
snipped.

Obviously, the frame buffers do not get/have the same information
about your monitors, as is made evident by the ffbconfig
output. The asterisks indicate resolutions not supported by
the monitors. ffb0 is listed as only capable of 1152x900x66, whereas
ffb1 shows the more reasonable 1280x1024x60 (plus the lower
resolutions). Try to run ffbconfig with the -prconf option to
see what the monitor type is (I guess that for ffb0 it's
"Unknown", which would make it default to a Sun 19" FF monitor
with one one resolution possible).

Take care

--
Stefaan
--
"What is stated clearly conceives easily." -- Inspired sales droid

[Big Chuck]

Here is the output of those commands, you were correct, it thinks one is
a Sun monitor and one as Unkown. Why would it do this? They are both the
same monitors, same video boards, same cables. How can I correct this?

Also, one thing different. The vga adapters for the video cards are
different brands, one is from Sun I believe and the other from some 3rd
party. Could this be an issue? Doesn't make sense, as I believe there is
no 'logic' in the adapter, just merely copper connections, or am I wrong?

hurley:~ #ffbconfig -dev /dev/fbs/ffb0 -prconf

--- Hardware Configuration for /dev/fbs/ffb0 ---
Type: double-buffered FFB2+ with Z-buffer
Board: rev 2 (Vertical)
PROM Information: @(#)ffb2p.fth 2.9 98/07/14
FBC: version 0x3241906d
DAC: Brooktree 9070, version 1 (Pac2)
3DRAM: Mitsubishi 130a, version 1
EDID Data: Available - EDID version 1 revision 3
Monitor Sense ID: 6 (Unknown 34x27cm RGB color monitor)
Monitor possible resolutions: 1024x768x60, 1024x768x70, 1024x768x75,
1280x1024x60, 640x480x60
Current resolution setting: 1280x1024x67

hurley:~ #ffbconfig -dev /dev/fbs/ffb1 -prconf

--- Hardware Configuration for /dev/fbs/ffb1 ---
Type: double-buffered FFB2+ with Z-buffer
Board: rev 2 (Vertical)
PROM Information: @(#)ffb2p.fth 2.9 98/07/14
FBC: version 0x3241906d
DAC: Brooktree 9070, version 1 (Pac2)
3DRAM: Mitsubishi 130a, version 1
EDID Data: Not Available
Monitor Sense ID: 3 (Sun monitor)
Monitor possible resolution: 1152x900x66
Current resolution setting: 1280x1024x67

[Big Chuck]

I forgot to mention, I have it working with both cards at 1280x1024x67
but I cannot get it to work with xinerama enabled. Here is my current
Xsun command:

:0 Local local_uid@console root /usr/openwin/bin/Xsun :0 -core -banner
-ar1 250 -ar2 25 -dev /dev/fbs/ffb0 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24 -dev
/dev/fbs/ffb1 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24

Thanks,
Chuck

[Rich Teer]

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003, Big Chuck wrote:

> I forgot to mention, I have it working with both cards at 1280x1024x67
> but I cannot get it to work with xinerama enabled. Here is my current
> Xsun command:
>
> :0 Local local_uid@console root /usr/openwin/bin/Xsun :0 -core -banner
> -ar1 250 -ar2 25 -dev /dev/fbs/ffb0 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24 -dev
> /dev/fbs/ffb1 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24

As the Xsun man page states, you need to specify the +xinerama flag
to enable xinerama.

HTH,

--
Rich Teer, SCNA, SCSA

President,
Rite Online Inc.

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-online.net

[Big Chuck]

Rich Teer wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Jul 2003, Big Chuck wrote:
>
>
>>I forgot to mention, I have it working with both cards at 1280x1024x67
>>but I cannot get it to work with xinerama enabled. Here is my current
>>Xsun command:
>>
>>:0 Local local_uid@console root /usr/openwin/bin/Xsun :0 -core -banner
>>-ar1 250 -ar2 25 -dev /dev/fbs/ffb0 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24 -dev
>>/dev/fbs/ffb1 defclass TrueColor defdepth 24
>
>
> As the Xsun man page states, you need to specify the +xinerama flag
> to enable xinerama.
>
> HTH,
>

Yes, I know, it does not work under Solaris 9 with my config. The
screens flicker black then white and then I am dropped to a console login.

I have tried placing the +xinerama option in several different places
after the /Xsun above and same thing. I saw some posts on google where
people said the positioning of the +xinerama option sometimes mattered,
as in one guy claimed the -core should go before.

Anyway, I think the problem is related to the system thinking the two
monitors are different.

-Chuck