ATI mach64 resolution?

[Aleksandar Milivojevic]

Kenny Gow wrote:
> Les Mikesell wrote:
> 
>> On Thu, 2005-01-13 at 13:45, Aleksandar Milivojevic wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Check the settings for monitor.  You probably have your monitor set 
>>> to "generic" or something incorect.  You will be shown only 
>>> resolutions that both your graphics card *and* monitor support.  If 
>>> you are using Gnome, try selecting "System Settings -> Display" from 
>>> GNOME menues, than click on "Hardware" tab (I guess this is the same 
>>> GUI you already used).  If your monitor is not listed, just select 
>>> one from the "Generic CRT" or "Generic LCD" lists (in your case 
>>> 1280x1024 one, I guess).
>>
>>
>>
>> No: if I go to 256 colors it will go higher, but not at 'thousands of
>> colors'. 
> 
> 
> You may need to set the correct VideoRam option
> in your xorg.conf. See "man xorg.conf". I've had to do
> this since the install detects the wrong amount of video ram
> on my video card.

Hm, I have mach64 with 4MB of RAM too (ATI 3D Rage IIc), but never 
attempted to set resolution that high (17" monitor, and my eyes are not 
in the shape they used to be).

So I said, let try it out...

Unlike you, I can select 1280x1024 in 16bit mode (thousands of colours), 
but not in 24/32-bit modes (millions of colours).  Looking at the 
/var/log/Xorg.0.log, ATI driver reports correct amount of RAM (4096kB), 
but reports that there's not enough memory for 1280x1024 mode (look for 
'insufficient memory for mode' string in log file).  This is correct for 
32bpp (that would require just over 5MB), however it should be able to 
do it in 24bpp (just under 4MB) which is the mode selected in Screen 
section of xorg.conf.

Some lines down the log file, there's this:

    Depth 24 pixmap format is 32 bpp

Hm, does that mean that ATI driver is placing card into 32bpp when 24bpp 
is selected in configuration file?  I kind of remember this card being 
faster in 32bpp mode than 24bpp mode under Windows, so it might be the 
reason (on the other hand, it should be up to the user to make dicision 
between performance and screen resolution, not the driver upgrading it 
from 24 to 32 on the fly).

-- 
Aleksandar Milivojevic <amilivojevic at pbl.ca>    Pollard Banknote Limited
Systems Administrator                           1499 Buffalo Place
Tel: (204) 474-2323 ext 276                     Winnipeg, MB  R3T 1L7