[rescue] SPARCstation 5: framebuffer resolution wont change

[Carl R. Friend]

On 04/01/2017 12:25 PM, Mouse wrote:

> Based on my own experience, I would suggest using an _older_ multisync,
> preferably a real CRT.  Modern flatscreen monitors have a nasty
> tendency to (a) have very limited ability to cope with signals not
> exactly matching what their EDID says they want and (b) throw up their
> figurative hands and display either an "I don't like that signal"
> indication or nothing at all when faced with a signal they don't like.
> CRTs usually would sync over a relatively wide range and be tolerant of
> things such as porch sizes they're not used to, and would usually
> display _something_ for any vaguely recognizable video signal.

    This is pretty much a necessity since a flat-panel is, by definition
a digital display and the older multi-sync CRTs are inherently analogue.

    Contemplate for a moment what goes into each.  In the analogue
multi-sync, the thing picks appropriate scan and frame rates, figures
out the porches, syncs up and simply channels the analogue video
signals to the electron-guns.  In flat-panel displays, the thing tries
to figure out the signal that's getting passed to it, then sees if
it can digitise the video signals precisely enough to match its dot-
pitch and then takes a shot at it -- with diverse failure-modes
waiting along the way from inputs to light.  That the digitals work
at all amuses me.

    Another failing-point for flat-panels is that they look like utter
cr at p once off their native resolution, not to mention what they do
when presented with non-round/square pixels.  This is why I have
to keep a small stable of multi-sync CRTs around to serve as displays
for the various workstations I've got.  And before they go completely
unobtanium, I need to get a matched pair of 19-inchers so I can
replace the two proprietary monitors in my Intergraph InterAct 220
(the Intergraph monitors were always the weak link in the chain).

    Cheers!

-- 
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| Carl Richard Friend (UNIX Sysadmin)            | Boylston            |
| Minicomputer Collector / Enthusiast            | Massachusetts, USA  |
| mailto:crfriend at rcn.com                        +---------------------+
| http://users.rcn.com/crfriend/museum           | ICBM: 42:20N 71:43W |
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