# Call out to all Parhelia owners out there.

## Cuardin

Just wondering how many of us there are. With the state of the Matrox linux support it might be worthwhile to see who else is in the same spot.

--DA

----------

## HotKoala

All two of us, eh?

I'm having troubles getting the driver to install in gentoo using the script provided by Matrox. After moving it to ...portage/distfiles and attempting to emerge it was no go, too.

I come up with a messege that the kernel is not supported by the driver and it never installs.

----------

## Cuardin

Use FEATURES="-sandbox" and emerge the mtxdrivers-pro. Then look in bugzilla for the workaround that needs to be applied to get full GL-accelleration. If you feel you want more support, open up a thread and PM me the link and I think I can give you some pointers.

----------

## whtwtr

Got it working in dual monitor mode, still working on getting GL support

 :Rolling Eyes: 

Has anyone else got opengl working?

----------

## Cuardin

Lets see. I have full accelleration in all modes except independent dual mode.

Had some trouble with that, and I think it was related to running a 2.6 kernel, but since I use a 1-screen-per-computer, linked with Synergy (synergy2.sf.net), I have no need for multi-monitor at this time, so I didn't bother doing my homework.

----------

## stegerpl

Hi out there,

I own a Parhelia too but I could not get it working until Mai this year. At this time there was a beta driver from an internal website - not the official Matrox one. However I got it working on fedora core 3 in 32 bit mode but not in 64 mode. It seemed that the Matrox binary was in 32 bit mode and what I had to compile was 64. However I didn't dig into deep at that time.

Does anybody know if it works (compiles) now with 64 bit mode ?

----------

## Cuardin

Unfortunately I still have only 32-bit machines.

----------

## Timm

Proud owner of a Parhelia 650.  :Very Happy: 

I made many attempts to get NVidia and Ati cards working on 1600x1200 on DFP over DVI-I Cable. NVidia (FX5700) was crap in many ways and didn't work. ATI (Radeon 9550) worked, but the quality of the picture was not acceptable. The 2D quality of the Parhelia is outstanding, especially with the above mentioned resolution.

BTW: Today I corrected an existing ebuild for the mtxdrivers-1.4.1. emerge mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1 works for me. If you like to use it: https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98144. Maybe the maintainer will put into the official tree soon. 

 *Quote:*   

> Does anybody know if it works (compiles) now with 64 bit mode ?

 

On the Matrox support forums there was a thread where a Matrox official denied the support for 64 bit mode. If I recall how long it took for the current release with official 2.6 Kernel support, I guess 64 Bit support will be available right after Christmas ........... 2010.  :Wink: 

----------

## stegerpl

 *Timm wrote:*   

> .... BTW: Today I corrected an existing ebuild for the mtxdrivers-1.4.1. emerge mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1 works for me. If you like to use it: https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98144. Maybe the maintainer will put into the official tree soon. ....

 

Hi Timm,

...great, however I even tried to install the 1.1.0 version which is the official ebuild but I could not figure out where I have to download the matrox-package to (my home dir ?) and how to access it during emerge - please give me some details (I am a gentoo-newbie) how to apply your ebuild.

In fact downloading the matrox driver and trying to install it in 32-bit environment I could not succeed => gives me an error with wrong number of attributes at AGP_MEM_ALLOCATE (  :Question:  or something like this - actually I am not at home...). Another error during installation I could fix by help of a post at the matrox forum related to SuSE 9.3.

I already bought a Gigabyte GV68128DH (GeForce 6800 with passive cooling => gets really hot) but I am still concerned if it will be able to drive 1920x1200 at the DVI port (I am looking forward to buy a 23 inch TFT) and therefore I would apreciate to get my matrox P650 running (even in 32-Bit mode  :Sad:  )

Best regards

Peter

----------

## Timm

As mentionend before 64 bit will not work. For 32 bit I will describe what you have to do:

1) Edit /etc/make.conf and add

```
PORTDIR_OVERLAY=/usr/local/portage
```

2) Create the directory:

```
mkdir /usr/local/portage

mkdir /usr/local/portage/eclass

mkdir -p /usr/local/portage/media-video/mtxdrivers-pro/

```

3) Download the most recent ebuild and matrox.eclass from https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98144

4) Copy the matrox.eclass file to /usr/local/portage/eclass and the ebuild to the mtxdrivers-pro directory

5) Download the mtxdrivers-pro binary package from matrox and put it into /usr/portage/distfiles or wherever you store

your Gentoo source files.

6) Under root change to the mtxdrivers-pro directory, and issue the command 

```
ebuild mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1.ebuild digest
```

7) Issue the command

```
env-update && source /etc/profile
```

8) An "emerge -p mtxdrivers-pro" should now give you

```
# emerge -p mtxdrivers-pro

These are the packages that I would merge, in order:

Calculating dependencies ...done!

[ebuild   Rf  ] media-video/mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1

```

9) Emerge the driver:

```
emerge mtxdrivers-pro
```

10) Don't forget 

```
opengl-update mtx
```

11) After you emerged the drivers place a file called mtx into /etc/modules.d. The content is:

```
alias char-major-253 mtx

#options mtx agprate=4 agp=1

```

In case of troubles you can play with the options I commented out. For instance agp=0 disables AGP transfers. 

11) Issue the command

 *Quote:*   

> update-modules

 

12) Some tips on kernel compilation: AGP needs to be in, best is to use it as module, also your AGP vendor driver must be selected, something like intel-agp or different. lspci will list what you have. DRI must be left out completly, also in your xorg.xonf file. Don't load it!!! Put your kernel modules into /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6, this is for instance agpgart and intel-agp

Please note the following: This ebuild is not compatible with the Kernel Version 2.6.12 and above. Only 2.6.11 and older will work. If you experience crashes with mplayer or xine, remerge them, then this issue should be gone.

BTW: This is not my ebuild, I did some polishing, that's it :D 

Hope this helps

----------

## stegerpl

Hi Timm,

..that was a fast and pretty detailed reply - thanks a lot, I will try it soon.

However I have a small problem left - I changed already to kernel 2.6.12-r6 (but could downgrade easily) => what are the problems with kernel 2.6.12 and newer ?

At the matrox forum (http://forum.matrox.com/mga/viewtopic.php?t=16096) I read something that they just had to change something from 11 to 12 in the description header.

Peter

----------

## Timm

Hi Peter,

 *Quote:*   

> what are the problems with kernel 2.6.12 and newer ?

 

AFAIK the agp modules have been rewritten, thus the 1.4.1 mtx driver doesn't fit.

 *Quote:*   

> At the matrox forum (http://forum.matrox.com/mga/viewtopic.php?t=16096) I read something that they just had to change something from 11 to 12 in the description header. 

 

I'm aware of this. My first attempt was to get the 1.4.1 drivers running. The next thing I will try is to use the patch on the 1.4.1 drivers and test it. But I have to find some time to do this.

BTW I forgot something: Add vmalloc=128M to your kernel line in grub conf, just like this:

```
title MyLinux

  kernel /boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda1 vmalloc=128M

```

Although there are 64M on the P650 board, it seems that 128M are needed.

----------

## stegerpl

Hi Timm,

I just tried to get my P650 working - following your perfect instruction I easily could compile the driver and install it.

However unfortunately it does not work => the screen (CRT at the DVI port with adapter - not all pins are conneted - works perfect in VESA mode) keeps black (even does not show any blink or Matrox screen). It takes about 30 sec. and then my monitors goes to stand-by due to lost signal. Finally I have to stop the x-server by [strg] [Alt] [<--].

If I take a look to the /var/log/Xorg.0.log it shows a lot of messages (seems to scan several devices, etc.) but also that all my modelines could not be used (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan) :

--- just a short list for example ----

(II) MTX(0): Clock range:  12.00 to 164.00 MHz

(II) MTX(0): Not using mode "1280x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using mode "1280x1024" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x175" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "360x200" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

(II) MTX(0): Not using default mode "320x240" (bad mode clock/interlace/doublescan)

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

Since I did not enable digital output I also do not understand the following messages:

(II) MTX(0): TV Standard : NTSC

(II) MTX(0): First X instance - 

(II) MTX(0): Using Digital Output

(EE) MTX(0): ------------------------------------------------------------------------    

(EE) MTX(0):    ulDispWidth    : 00001400  Display Width in pixels                          

(EE) MTX(0):    ulDispHeight   : 00001200  Display Height in pixels                         

(EE) MTX(0):    ulDeskWidth    : 00001408  Desktop Width in pixels                          

(EE) MTX(0):    ulDeskHeight   : 00001216  Desktop Height in pixels                         

(EE) MTX(0):    ulBpp          : 00000016  Bits Per Pixels / input format                   

(EE) MTX(0): ------------------------------------------------------------------------    

(EE) MTX(0): MGAValidateMode from HALlib found the mode to be invalid.

	Error: 0xb2104270

(II) MTX(0): Not using mode "1400x1200" (unknown reason)

(II) MTX(0): TV Standard : NTSC

(II) MTX(0): First X instance - 

(II) MTX(0): Using Digital Output

The log-files finishes with the following lines:

Warning: font renderer for ".cid" already registered at priority 0

Could not init font path element /usr/share/fonts/local, removing from list!

(II) MTX(0): Parhelia device stopped.

My xorg.conf contains the following:

Section "Files"

  FontPath 	"/usr/share/fonts/local"

  FontPath 	"/usr/share/fonts/misc"

  FontPath 	"/usr/share/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"

  FontPath 	"/usr/share/fonts/100dpi"

  FontPath 	"/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"

EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"

  Option       "AllowMouseOpenFail"

EndSection

Section "Module"

  Load  	"type1"

  Load  	"dbe"

  Load  	"freetype"

#  Load  	"glx"

  Load  	"v4l"

  Load  	"extmod"

#  Load  	"vnc"

  Load  	"fbdevhw"

  Load  	"record"

  Load  	"type1"

#  Load  	"dri"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

  Driver       "kbd"

  Identifier   "Keyboard[0]"

  Option       "Protocol"    "Standard"

  Option       "XkbLayout"   "de"

  Option       "XkbModel"    "microsoft"

  Option       "XkbRules"    "xfree86"

  Option       "XkbVariant"  "nodeadkeys"

EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

	Identifier  "Mouse[0]"

	Driver      "mouse"

	Option	    "Protocol" "IMPS/2"

	Option	    "Device" "/dev/input/mice"

	Option	    "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"

	Option	    "Emulate3Buttons" "yes"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

  DisplaySize  360 270

  HorizSync    28-96

  Identifier   "Monitor[0]"

  ModelName    "446XS"

#  Option       "DPMS"

  VendorName   "NOKIA"

  VertRefresh  50-150

  UseModes     "Modes[0]"

EndSection

Section "Modes"

  Identifier   "Modes[0]"

  Modeline	"1400x1150" 159.6 1400 1464 1592 1720 1150 1154 1158 1174

  Modeline	"1400x1200" 159.6 1400 1428 1556 1760 1200 1204 1208 1276

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 105.15 1280 1360 1496 1712 1024 1025 1028 1059

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 125.14 1280 1368 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1065

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 145.69 1280 1376 1512 1744 1024 1025 1028 1071

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 165.29 1280 1376 1512 1744 1024 1025 1028 1077

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 186.80 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1083

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 207.19 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1090

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 229.69 1280 1384 1528 1776 1024 1025 1028 1096

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 250.74 1280 1384 1528 1776 1024 1025 1028 1103

  Modeline 	"1280x1024" 271.80 1280 1384 1528 1776 1024 1025 1028 1109

  Modeline 	"640x480" 23.06 640 656 720 800 480 481 484 497

  Modeline 	"640x480" 27.74 640 664 728 816 480 481 484 500

  Modeline 	"640x480" 32.64 640 672 736 832 480 481 484 503

  Modeline 	"640x480" 36.97 640 672 736 832 480 481 484 505

  Modeline 	"640x480" 42.22 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 508

  Modeline 	"640x480" 46.80 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 511

  Modeline 	"640x480" 51.43 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 514

  Modeline 	"640x480" 57.18 640 680 752 864 480 481 484 517

  Modeline 	"640x480" 62.12 640 680 752 864 480 481 484 521

EndSection

Section "Screen"

  DefaultDepth 16

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth      16

    Modes      "1400x1200" "1400x1150" "1280x1024" "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  SubSection "Display"

    Depth      24

    Modes      "1400x1200" "1400x1150" "1280x1024" "640x480" 

  EndSubSection

  Device       "Device[0]"

  Identifier   "Screen[0]"

  Monitor      "Monitor[0]"

EndSection

Section "Device"

  BoardName    "Matrox P650"

  BusID        "PCI:1:0:0"

  Driver       "mtx"

  Identifier   "Device[0]"

  Screen       0

# Option       "Rotate"         "off"

# Option       "DigitalScreen1" "on"

# Option       "DigitalScreen2" "on"

# Option       "Busmastering"   "on"

  VendorName   "MATROX"

EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"

  Identifier   "Layout[all]"

  InputDevice  "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"

  InputDevice  "Mouse[0]" "CorePointer"

  Option       "Clone" "off"

  Option       "Xinerama" "off"

  Screen       "Screen[0]"

EndSection

# Section "DRI"

#    Group      "video"

#    Mode       0660

# EndSection

Section "Extensions"

EndSection

I checked also   modprobe mtx agprate=2

Do you have any Idea what's going on ?

Peter

----------

## Timm

Hi Peter,

I would post this at the Matrox forum. For me your xorg.conf looks wild, but I have a DFP, which is much easier to handle than a CRT. One thing is for sure: Your Modelines seem to be incorrect, thats why you have no blink or picture.

One thing I would try: Backup your old xorg.conf and create a new one with xorgconfig. Try some modes from which you know that they are working. Something like 1280x1024 and 16 or 24 bits of color. And then go higher which each attempt.

Sorry I could help better.

----------

## gnork

I managed to compile the mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1-r1.ebuild with an 2.6.12 kernel. So far everything runs smooth.

To get this to work, you will have to comment out the kernel version check in the matrox eclass. Find these lines in matrox.eclass (look for matrox_src_compile)

```

    if [ "${MY_KV}" == "2.6.12" ]

    then

      die "These drivers will only support kernels < 2.6.12."

    fi

```

and comment them out. 

Aditionally

```

mkdir /usr/local/portage/media-video/mtxdrivers-pro/files

```

and put all patches from https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98144 in this directory. 

After that proceed as described above.

HTH,

gnork

----------

## Timm

 *Quote:*   

> I managed to compile the mtxdrivers-pro-1.4.1-r1.ebuild with an 2.6.12 kernel. So far everything runs smooth. 

 

The AGP interface seems to be affected, it's slow. Using glxgears with Kernel 2.6.11 I shows 1993 FPS, with kernel 2.6.12 910 FPS.

----------

## gnork

```
mtx: module license 'Copyright (c) 2002, 2004, Matrox Graphics Inc.' taints kernel.

[mtx] MTX driver v1.4.1

[mtx] Allocated a MTX agp driver strucure

[mtx] *ERROR* AGP driver is unsupported<4>[mtx] *WARNING* Fail to retrieve AGP GART driver. AGP transfers disabled

ACPI: PCI Interrupt 0000:01:00.0[A] -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16

[mtx] 0x2537(sub:0xffffffff) board found at 01:00.0

[mtx] *WARNING* Fail to acquire control of AGP driver. AGP tranfers are therefore disabled

```

This seems to be the cause of the slowdown, at least in my case. The mtx patch for 2.6.12 has been applied. Before I am going to file a bugreport, can somebody confirm that or is it my fault? 

Rgds,

gnork

----------

## Timm

I've got the same error message.

----------

## Timm

Just found a patch for the AGP issue. Works fine here. I modified the ebuild and supplied a patch file. This can be found here: https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=98144

----------

## gnork

I get a few warnings compiling the patched version. Right now the module (mtx.ko) is not loaded. XOrg loads the mtx driver but disables OpenGL because it is not hardware accelerated. I will have to look into that a bit further and will report back.

Rgds,

Gnork

----------

## MrUlterior

Having just bought a P750 because of Matrox's "Linux compatible" lie, I've put a page documenting my discontent with their handling of Linux support:

http://xs.mw/wiki/index.php/Matrox_Millenium_p750_does_NOT_support_Linux

This evening I'm going to attempt to build X.org in a 32bit chroot & see if I'm still able to launch 64bit KDE apps. If that doesn't work, I shall be solving the problem with a Louisville slugger ...

----------

## DawgG

i got stuck with a buch of those shitcards, too, cause some stupid fool from the purchasing dept bought them without asking before.

there is a guy in austria who does a lot for matrox-drivers on linux, he's very nice and he's helped me a lot. this is his site:

http://www.tuxx-home.at

with his install-script the drivers worked on my parhelia-650 pcie up to xorg-7. he's got some stuff out for 7.1, but it's different and i haven't tested it yet

( i was a little too quick in upgrading to 7.1 and now i gotta use vesa (or fix it) if i need x.)

----------

## frilled

I gave a Parhelia away recently. A shame, really, Matrox used to be great (they still have the best DACs, not that it matters much nowadays with digital outputs taking preference), and I actually have two older cards that still work nicely with the open source drivers. But after that, Matrox clearly went down the drain big time (and for what - to make room for suckers like NV and ATI). Best thing today is actually something like ATI <= 9200 that provides full functionality with open source drivers, because frankly, the binary drivers from NV and especially ATI sucks big hose, too.

----------

## midnightflash

I'm owner of a Parhelia-machine too...

And it's still a pain in the butt!

Now there is a driver supporting even xorg-7.1.1 and 64-bit since about two month.  :Smile: 

But there is still Problems with OpenGL and so on.

Would be nice to know if anyone has the same issue that every here and then the libGL.so files disapears under Gentoo. If it happens every task asking for openGL freezes the box.  :Sad: 

And really... without the austrian guy (www.tuxx-home.at) I would have broken with Matrox a long time ago.

----------

## frilled

Closed source drivers will always stink. Even if they *do* work, they're still x86 only, amd64 if you're lucky. Laughable.

----------

## midnightflash

I understand this meaning... and I'm not lucky anyway... but just this moment we can use Xorg-7.1.1 and the NV- and ATI-users are stuck...

OK... others pain is nearly my pain! And when I think about the last four years...   :Evil or Very Mad: 

It's not only Matrox... it's all the proprietary-S§$% that sucks!

----------

## frilled

What can I say. You're right. I still enjoy my MGA 400, 450 and 550. And I do enjoy my older Atis as well as an Nvidia. Actually, the sucky Intel shared memory onboards kinda rock ... sad game. Fortunately, I don't really need 3D on Linux (rss-glx, mostly ^^), but my Ati x1900xt doesn't even have native 2D support since the guy who reverse engineered the driver can't release it ... what a crap world, to be sure.

----------

## midnightflash

I thought the reverse-engineer got some insight into the proprietary-ATI-sources. And by using these some afterwritten script-lines they don't allow him to publish the driver.

Right?

I got another motherboard and an X1600 laying here around at the moment, both PCIe. Would just need an AMD64-CPU to get it to run... but without Linux?!?   :Confused: 

----------

## frilled

Hmyeah, guess it was like that. He was a (former?) ATI employee or stuff. Dunno, I already forgot since it annoyed me to hell.

Well, I openly admit I *do* have a windoze partition. It's a game launcher exclusively, and it's all windoze can deliver ... for me. I do hope I will be able to use the card once gaming has died (which will be quite soon), let's say half a year from now. If I can't, well, frigg it. I got enough legacy hardware for a couple of years ...

----------

## GlennBooth

Hi All,

I just got through my first Gentoo install (yay!) and the time came to install X and

the graphics drivers, and this is the first thread I found about the Parhelia... it

doesn't look promising!

It's a darned shame it's so difficult to get things working right.. I worked at Matrox 

for eight years, so I know what the attitude to linux drivers is (i.e. pretty much the 

same as it is at ATi and nVidia!). I got the Parhelia working well in Dual Screen 

in Ubuntu 5.04/5.10/6.06, but it seems Gentoo might not be so easy.

I'm going to give the Parhelia drivers my best shot, but it seems that pretty much all

the big names in graphics cards only release drivers that are closed in some way,

so what is the best option for decent multi-screen support? Are there any 'recommended'

cards to look for?

I need to drive two 1280*1024 DVI panels. 3D isn't a big deal, but it would be nice.

Any recommendations for a decent AGP card?

My wife is running a GeForce 6600 with decent results on two DVI panels under Gentoo 

(her Parhelia is now in a static bag under the desk!). Anything better out there?

Thanks,

Glenn.

----------

## midnightflash

Hi Glenn,

I think it's all the same... ATI, nVidia, Matrox... you shouldn't care to much. It's all crap with Linux! By now I would recommend an nVidia. And if the Parhelia is working... why changing it?  :Wink: 

And especially at this moment the (inofficial) MTX-driver is OK. But we are highly depending on tuxx-home.at (Alex Grieser)! If he brakes away it might become critical!   :Confused: 

CU... Mid

----------

## frilled

Actually, Radeons up to X800 (or 850 ... hmm, not sure; I can confirm X700pro and X800, though) do have working GLX with the open source drivers now. Which is kinda nice ^^

----------

