Sun Blade 150 graphics problem
We are having problems with a secondary graphics card installed in a SunBlade 150 machine. We are running a two monitor setup on the machine. The right monitor is driven from the video output on the motherboard. The left monitor is driven from an XVR-100 graphics card installed on the motherboard. The output on the left monitor is readable, but very fuzzy. We have changed out monitors, and even installed a new graphics card, but it always looks the same. Are there any suggestions on what to try next?
Thanks!
B. Combs
[541 byte] By [
WECombsa] at [2007-11-26 17:24:03]
# 1
You may need to set the resolution on the display. Look into "m64config".
# 2
That first suggested command line utility is not particularly useful
for that PCI framebuffer.However, it'll work fine for your onboard chipset.
Use pfbconfig instead.It's specific to the card and its chipset.
Review the man page for all the various command switches.
I just trawled Docs.Sun.Com and searched for documentation for the XVR-100.
That got me to [url=http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/hardware/docs/Workstation_Products /Graphics_and_Media_Accelerators/XVR-100/index.html]this link for the graphics card's documentation[/url].
--
m64config is best used for the onboard ATI chipset found on
Ultra5, Ultra-10, SB-100, and SB150 motherboards, and the PGX64 card.
# 3
The card in question is actually in my machine.
Thanks for the pointer to fbconfig. We checked, and all configuration settings and hardware properties shown for my card are identical to another machine here with the same model of card and monitor, except the PROM version number of my XVR-100 is a bit newer.
One more clue - we checked again by swapping my XVR-100 with the one in the other machine. The fuzziness followed the graphics card over to the other machine. With the other graphics card in my machine, everything looked OK.
Does this sound like a faulty graphics card at this point?
# 4
That is always a possibility, but it could also be that the different
firmware version interacts with your Solaris differently.
You could consider using your service contract to open
a support case and get the card replaced -- but it's unlikely
you'd get an older version card from their replacement stock.
That framebuffer has patches specific to it.
Solaris 8 XVR-100 patch is # [url=http://sunsolve8.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-21-114537-39-1& searchclause=xvr-100%2420patch] 114537 [/url].
Solatis 9 XVR-100 patch is # [url=http://sunsolve8.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-21-114538-39-1& searchclause=xvr-100%2420patch] 114538 [/url].
Solaris 10's XVR-100 patch is # [url=http://sunsolve8.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-21-118712-12-1& searchclause=xvr-100%2420patch]118712 [/url].
They are free downloads.
Select the appropriate one and read its README file.
After that, I'm out of ideas.
# 5
Hello,
if you are using CRTs (and not flat panel) increase the distance between the two monitors. If the distance between the monitors is to small, the transformators can cause interference (the picture appears to "swim" or vibrate). A lamp with a fluorescent tube (on the desktop) can cause this interference as well.
Another choice is to swap the cards in the other direction (from system with fuzzy display to the good one).
A quick search on SunSolve with "XVR-100 fuzzy display" returned a single hit [url=http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-1-6507607-1]InfoD oc 6507607[/url].
They [.. the patches ..] are free downloads
This might change in March. Review the changed patch policy.
Michael
# 6
Small desktop style fans are also notorious for causing monitor distortion.
# 7
Thanks for the tips. Here's an update to close the loop on this.
We tried applying the recommended patch #114537. Also tried the 113886/113887 OpenGL patches which I found referenced a fix for XVR-100 distortion. Neither patch fixed the problem.
We then opened a case with Sun hardware support. They sent a replacement card. Installed the replacement, and it works perfectly now.
