LCA: Updates on the X Window System [LWN.net]

LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Posted Jan 23, 2007 6:51 UTC (Tue) by keithp (subscriber, #5140)
In reply to: LCA: Updates on the X Window System by neilbrown
Parent article: LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Intel chips have some outputs built-in and rely on external chips for other outputs. G965 has only VGA built-in, and relies on SDVO for DVI and TV-out. Mobile chips (915GM, 945GM) have built-in LVDS and TV out as well, so there's no external chip driver needed for most operations.

The Intel driver has relied for far too long on BIOS-based modesetting, and after I joined Intel, replacing that became our highest priority. While initial support for LVDS and VGA was running early last year, getting the remaining outputs working correctly has taken a long time. Of course, all of that would have been a lot easier if we hadn't also been working on RandR 1.2 at the same time.

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LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Posted Jan 23, 2007 14:43 UTC (Tue) by sylware (guest, #35259) [Link] (2 responses)

BTW, why "CRTC"? In randr 1.2, "CRTC"s are not really dealing only with Cathod Ray Tubes. Maybe a more appropriate name should be chosen since you have control over the API. I do realize it's a rather super minor detail.

LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Posted Jan 23, 2007 15:51 UTC (Tue) by jzbiciak (guest, #5246) [Link]

And what about these plotters that are actually printers, SCSI disks that are actually flash drives, and TTYs that haven't seen a teletype in decades? Next you'll be telling me that the primary use of TAR files really is tape backup! ;-) ;-) ;-)

LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Posted Jan 23, 2007 18:02 UTC (Tue) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

Because "CRTC" is an industry term that is older than I am. All video driver writers know what you're talking about when you say "CRTC" regardless of platform or API.

Besides, what should it be replaced with? LCDC? And then replace that 5 years later with LEDC? :)

LCA: Updates on the X Window System

Posted Jan 23, 2007 23:51 UTC (Tue) by gdt (subscriber, #6284) [Link]

Thank you Keith, as the Intel driver's BIOS calls are somewhat problematic on the Mac Mini (requiring the installation of the Bootcamp BIOS emulator, thus during-boot keystrokes are required to select the Linux operating system else it boots MacOS).