# [framebuffer] Bad refresh rate (solved)

## elekaj34

Hello,

Before anything else, this is my system :

   - Shuttle SN41G2V2  with Athlon XP 2500+ & 512Mb DDRAM

   - ATI Radeon 9200 graphics card on AGP port (instead of onboard nVidia video card)

   - Seagate 120Gb IDE hard disk drive

   - Technisat SkyStar2 TV tuner on PCI port

   - Gentoo 2005.0 operating system (kernel 2.6.11-gentoo-r9)

This is my problem : The framebuffer works fine on my system except for the refresh rate. I have a gentoo-sources kernel 

(version 2.6.11-gentoo-r9).

The kernel config is here (only interesting things for framebuffer) in Device Drivers -- Graphic support

```
 [*] Support for frame buffer devices

              <*>   VESA VGA graphics support

                       VESA driver type (vesafb-tng)  --->

               (1280x1024@75) VESA default mode

               < > ATI Radeon display support (Old driver)

               < > ATI Radeon display support                   

               < > ATI Rage128 display support                 

               < > ATI Mach64 display support                  

               [*] Support for the framebuffer splash

 Console display driver support  --->         

               --- VGA text console                        

                    [*]   Video mode selection support

                    < > MDA text console (dual-headed) (EXPERIMENTAL) 

                    <*> Framebuffer Console support                                    

                    [ ]   Select compiled-in fonts

```

Here an extract of the grub.conf (in /boot/grub)

```
# Gentoo avec noyau de test

title Gentoo Linux (Noyau de test)

root   (hd0,4)

kernel /kernel-2.6.11.2-test root=/dev/hda6 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr,1280x1024-16@75

```

When I boot, the framebuffer work at good resolution (1280x1024) but at bad refresh rate (60Hz instead of 75Hz)

But if I get the following thing

```
thevenin linux # fbset -i

mode "1280x1024-75"

    # D: 135.007 MHz, H: 79.981 kHz, V: 75.029 Hz

    geometry 1280 1024 1280 2048 16

    timings 7407 248 16 38 1 144 3

    hsync high

    vsync high

    rgba 5/11,6/5,5/0,0/0

endmode

Frame buffer device information:

    Name        : VESA VGA

    Address     : 0xd8000000

    Size        : 5242880

    Type        : PACKED PIXELS

    Visual      : TRUECOLOR

    XPanStep    : 0

    YPanStep    : 1

    YWrapStep   : 1

    LineLength  : 2560

    Accelerator : No

```

So my screen is at 75Hz refresh rates ... but No .. my screen indicates 1280x1024@60

I think I've forgot some things but I don't see what 

For this time, I don't want bootsplash but only framebuffer at 75Hz.

Thanks for your help

Elekaj

PS : Sorry for my bad english. I hope you can understand.Last edited by elekaj34 on Wed Jun 15, 2005 4:52 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## krejler

What about trying radeonfb?

----------

## elekaj34

It's the same thing.

The screen is at 60Hz instead of 75Hz

Do I pass other option to kernel ?

I've follow this how-to but with no more good results (http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_fbsplash)

Cordially

Elekaj

----------

## elekaj34

The problem was not exactly solved.

When I've installed the splashutils and the emergence theme, the bacground image is a little more bigger than the console aera.

So the screen position difference beetween 60Hz and 75Hz is now not a problem because the console is now entierely viewable

(which wasn't be the case before).

But the screen is always at 60Hz (is not really a problem on LCD screens)

Only if others persons wants to keep this thread alive, I declare it closed.

Elekaj

----------

## elekaj34

Sorry, juste for changing the title

Elekaj

----------

## Caustiq

I am experiencing the same problem!

grub.conf:

```
kernel /kernel-2.6.9-gentoo-r13 root=/dev/sda6 video=vesafb:ypan,1280x1024-32@85
```

```
blackhole ~ # fbset -i

mode "1280x1024-85"

    # D: 157.505 MHz, H: 91.149 kHz, V: 85.027 Hz

    geometry 1280 1024 1280 2048 32

    timings 6349 224 64 44 1 160 3

    hsync high

    vsync high

    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,8/24

endmode

Frame buffer device information:

    Name        : VESA VGA

    Address     : 0xd0000000

    Size        : 10485760

    Type        : PACKED PIXELS

    Visual      : TRUECOLOR

    XPanStep    : 0

    YPanStep    : 1

    YWrapStep   : 0

    LineLength  : 5120

    Accelerator : No

```

Yet the monitor remains at 60Hz! It is quite harsh on the eyes.

----------

## krejler

 *Caustiq wrote:*   

> I am experiencing the same problem!
> 
> grub.conf:
> 
> ```
> ...

 

You woudln't be using a card in the FX5900-family, would you?

If that's the case, then it's a known problem. See http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/.

krejler - Who is quite mad at his 5900XT.

----------

## digitalwhoopass

I'm having the same exact problem as well, but my system has a Geforce 6600GT 128mb.  That wouldn't be considered in the same family as an FX5900 afaik.

fbset -i  gives me the following:

```

mode "1280x1024-85"

    # D: 157.505 MHz, H: 91.149 kHz, V: 85.027 Hz

    geometry 1280 1024 1280 2048 32

    timings 6349 224 64 44 1 160 3

    hsync high

    vsync high

    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,8/24

endmode

Frame buffer device information:

    Name        : VESA VGA

    Address     : 0xd0000000

    Size        : 10485760

    Type        : PACKED PIXELS

    Visual      : TRUECOLOR

    XPanStep    : 0

    YPanStep    : 1

    YWrapStep   : 1

    LineLength  : 5120

    Accelerator : No

```

...and yet, my monitor is reporting 60hz, and I can confirm this by its picture (this crap is killing my eyes).

grub.conf -

```

title gentoo

root (hd0,0)

kernel (hd0,0)/vmlinuz ro root=/dev/sda3 video=vesafb:ywrap,mtrr,1280x1024-32@85 splash=verbose,fadein,theme:Gentoo-Hornet quiet CONSOLE=/dev/tty

initrd /boot/fbsplash-Gentoo-Hornet-1280x1024

```

Spock's website also mentions that 64-bit systems won't work w/ vesafb-tng, but I believe that's only if your system was compiled in 64bit mode.  I'm using a pure 32bit environment.

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> 64-bit systems
> 
> The patch will not work on 64-bit systems (x86_64 and ia64), because the vm86 mode is not supported for OSes running in 64-bit mode. If you happen to own a 64-bit box, you're limited to plain vesafb. You may still use vesafb-tng's predecessor - the vesafb-rrc patch, though. (it should work with all 2.6.x kernels).
> ...

 

Does anyone have any ideas?

----------

## hpestilence

I have a Chaintech 6600GT 128mb and I am trying to get a 1280x1024@75 resolution. 

vbe_info

```
Version:    3.0

Vendor:     NVIDIA Corporation

Product:    nv43 Board - p218h0  

OEM rev:    Chip Rev   

OEM string: NVIDIA
```

fbset-i

```
mode "1280x1024-75"

    # D: 135.007 MHz, H: 79.981 kHz, V: 75.029 Hz

    geometry 1280 1024 1280 4915 32

    timings 7407 248 16 38 1 144 3

    hsync high

    vsync high

    rgba 8/16,8/8,8/0,8/24

endmode

Frame buffer device information:

    Name        : VESA VGA

    Address     : 0xb0000000

    Size        : 25165824

    Type        : PACKED PIXELS

    Visual      : TRUECOLOR

    XPanStep    : 0

    YPanStep    : 1

    YWrapStep   : 1

    LineLength  : 5120

    Accelerator : No
```

Using the vesafb-tng framebuffer keeps the refresh rate at 60, but the regular vesafb gives a slightly higher refresh rate. 1280x1024@70  or 1024x765@70 i can't remember its one of those though.

----------

## Caustiq

 *krejler wrote:*   

> 
> 
> You woudln't be using a card in the FX5900-family, would you?
> 
> If that's the case, then it's a known problem. See http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/.
> ...

 

No, it's a 6800GT.

----------

## Caustiq

 *elekaj34 wrote:*   

> Sorry, juste for changing the title
> 
> Elekaj

 

Please remove '(solved)' from the title so others may look into this problem.

----------

## krejler

Well, it seems that nVidia boards <=5900XT falsely advertise VBE 3.0 compatability, while they only are VBE 2 compliant.

Sorry, I don't really have time to fetch out a link, but there are some threads about it on the nVNews Forum.

----------

