[Sunhelp] Re: HD15 PC Monitor /w Creator3D

[Gilles Melanson]

I ran into this type of issue while using a video switchbox that refused
to support anything other than composite sync (and it couldn't sense EDIC?
EDID?  .. off the monitor, so it had no idea what the 'supported'
resolutions were).

There's a bit of a trick to force the box to display separate sync though,
using certain video resolutions on the Sun (VESA standards?)

640x480x60
800x600x75
.. and a bunch of others.

Actually, I have a list that Sun provided me with a few weeks ago:

        Resolution      Identifier      Sync Type
        ----------      ----------      ---------
        640x480x60      31 40           Separate Sync Negative Polarity
        800x600x75      45 4f           Separate Sync Positive Polarity
        1024x768x60     61 40           Separate Sync Negative Polarity
        1024x768x70     61 4A           Separate Sync Negative Polarity
        1024x768x75     61 4F           Separate Sync Positive Polarity
        1024x768x77     61 51           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1152x900x66     71 86           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1152x900x76     71 90           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1280x800x76     81 D0           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1280x1024x60    81 80           Separate Sync Positive Polarity
        1280x1024x67    81 87           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1280x1024x76    81 90           Composite Sync Negative Polarity
        1280x1024x75    81 8F           Separate Sync Positive Polarity
        1280x1024x85    81 99           Separate Sync Positive Polarity

Go into the OBP and type:

setenv output-device screen:r800x600x75  (as an example), then reboot.
Change your display using ffbconfig/m64config/GFXconfig/whatever in a
console prompt .. and then see if your Window manager pops up okay or not.

You may have to throw a vt100 console on just to fix it up.. but this
worked fine for me with a video projector.  My only issue was artifacting
at 800x600 @ 8bpp .. but changing it to 24bpp fixed it (at any
resolution).

Have fun.

/gm

--

Mon, 21 Feb 2000, Brian Neal wrote:

> Thanks for getting back with me on this (the forums at soldc.sun.com seem
> rather dead).  I'm not certain whether or not the monitors support
> composite sync.  I have tried a 17" Relisys (fairly generic/unknown
> monitor) and a 15" Magnavox without success.
> 
> I figured I would need to use ffbconfig to tell the framebuffer to use the
> same settings as the convertor, but that avenue has turned up dead as well.
>  This system I bought is not new, though I would say that it is in
> relatively good condition.  The boot PROM is 3.11.1.
> 
> I will try to check on the manufacturer's websites to see if either of
> these monitors supports composite sync.  I would really like to avoid
> having to purchase another monitor (beyond money it's a question of room!),
> but if I have to, which do you recommend and how much should it cost me on
> average?  Can I trade a spare SuperSPARC or HyperSPARC for a monitor? ;)
> 
> -Brian
> 
> > Does the monitor support composite sync?  Some PC monitors just *wont*
> > work, no matter which converter you use. 
> > 
> > Best ones i've found so far were from Greg Douglas, www.reputable.com, for
> > $40 - these are the kind with the dip switches to set monitor sense codes
> > (of course you have to configure the framebuffer to send the same 
> > resolution/frequency as well).
> > 
> > What kind of monitor are you using?  I had best results with a Sony 17" and
> > with a cheapie CTX VL700 17" that I got for $250.
> > 
> > I'm using a GDM20E20 Sun/Sony with my Ultra5 and on my Ultra1 at work right
> > now, and they're the best / nicest monitors I've ever seen.  Currently going
> > for under $200 at many places as well, which is GREAT for a .25 dot pitch
> > 20" multisync Trinitron monitor.
> > 
> > Bill
> 
> 
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--
Gilles Melanson, B.Sc.                  Laurentian University
Technologist (Unix)                     Math and Computer Science Dept.
gilles at cs.laurentian.ca                 Sudbury, Ontario, Canada