Configuring frame buffer board (PMAGD-BA / ZLX-E2)

From: Kim Greer <klg_at_dec4.mc.duke.edu>
Date: Wed, 03 Jun 1998 15:27:18 -0400 (EDT)

OSF/DU sysadmins:

  I need some help with a new frame buffer. I've searched over the
web and DEC online documentation, and the very sparce hardcopy docs
I have, and can't find any more clues as to how to set it up. What
I'm trying to do is use this monitor as a second screen with X. Is
it going to be called "cpuname:1.0", "cpuname:0.1", or what? There
is a list of questions I have at the end of this message. For now,
we don't need the stereo option. Oh, before you laugh at the dated
version of OS and firmware, I am getting ready to upgrade that this
week or the next.

Anticipated end usage:
  The monitor that will be attached to this new board is to be used
as a second screen for displaying images and some other graphics in
the higher # of planes (24) mode that can't be done with the one we
have as the console (8 planes). We will need to have the mouse and
cursor be active over both monitors (screens).

Current situation:
  I'm trying to add in a PMAGD-BA (ZLX-E2) frame buffer card. I've
installed it into turbochannel slot 2, and at the monitor prompt, I
can successfully run the test suite of it:

>>> test tc2
which shows a slew of test patterns.

When I list the system configuration, I get:
>>> show config

        TCINFO DEVNAM
                [stuff deleted]
        2 - PMAGD TC2 <---- this is the new board
        1 - PMAZC-AA TC1
        0 - PMGGD-AA TC0

uname -a:
        OSF1 dec4 V3.0 347 alpha

PAL Code 1.35


Here's a partial list of my current kernel configuration parameters:

        bus tc0 at nexus?
        callout after_c "../bin/mkdata tc"
        bus tcds0 at tc0 slot 6 vector tcdsintr
        controller scsi0 at tcds0 slot 0
        device disk rz3 at scsi0 drive 24
        device disk rz4 at scsi0 drive 32
        controller scsi1 at tcds0 slot 1
        device disk rz8 at scsi1 drive 64
        device disk rz10 at scsi1 drive 80
        device disk rz11 at scsi1 drive 88
        bus tcds1 at tc0 slot 1 vector tcdsintr
        controller scsi2 at tcds1 slot 0
        device tape tz20 at scsi2 drive 160
        controller scsi3 at tcds1 slot 1
        device disk rz25 at scsi3 drive 200
        device disk rz26 at scsi3 drive 208
        controller scc0 at tc0 slot 7 vector sccintr
        controller bba0 at tc0 slot 7 vector bbaintr
        controller ln0 at tc0 slot 7 vector lnintr
        controller fb0 at tc0 slot 0 vector fbint

Partial list of lines from current /usr/adm/messages:
      Alpha boot: available memory from 0xff0000 to 0x14000000
      DEC OSF/1 V3.0 (Rev. 347); Wed Dec 27 08:08:56 EST 1995
      physical memory = 320.00 megabytes.
      available memory = 293.32 megabytes.
      using 1221 buffers containing 9.53 megabytes of memory
      tc0 at nexus
      scc0 at tc0 slot 7
      tcds0 at tc0 slot 6
      scsi0 at tcds0 slot 0
      scsi1 at tcds0 slot 1
      bba0 at tc0 slot 7
      fb0 at tc0 slot 0
       1280X1024
      DEC 3000 - M700 system
      Firmware revision: 5.1
      PALcode: OSF version 1.35

        
Questions:
        o - What entry(ies) do I need for the kernel configuation in doconfig?
        o - What will the new screen name be? "cpuname:1.0"? "cpuname:0.1"?
        o - What X config files have to be amended, and with with entry(ies)?
        o - This is a 24 bit plane board. Anything special/different about
                configuring it?
        o - Are there some web based documents describing the specifics of the
                process?
        o - How and in which files would the monitor characteristics (matrix
                size, refresh rate, screen physical dimensions, etc.) be
                specified?
        o - What else do I need to do that is not mentioned above?
        o - If the dual screen mouse/cursor interaction is not possible for
                some reason, what changes, other than physically swapping
                the board into the TC0 slot position would be necessary?

Many thanks for any information that you can provide me with.

KG

                ------------------------

Kim L. Greer klg_at_dec3.mc.duke.edu
Duke University Medical Center voice: 919-684-7223
Div. Nuclear Medicine POB DUMC-3949 fax: 919-684-7123
Durham, NC 27710
Received on Wed Jun 03 1998 - 21:34:49 NZST

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