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## 11. Using framebuffer devices on SPARC platforms

## 11.1 Which graphic cards can work with the framebuffer device?

This lists all the graphic cards available:

- MG1/MG2 - SBus or integrated on Sun3 - max. 1600x1280 @ mono (BWtwo)
- CGthree - Similar to MG1/MG2 but supports colour - max resolution ?
- GX - SBus - max. 1152x900 @ 8bit (CGsix)
- TurboGX - SBus - max. 1152x900 @ 8 bit (CGsix)
- SX - SS10/SS20 only - max. 1280x1024 @ 24 bit - (CGfourteen)
- ZX(TZX) - SBus - accelerated 24bit 3D card - max resolution ? (Leo)
- TCX - AFX - for Sparc 4 only - max. 1280x1024 @ 8bit
- TCX(S24) - AFX - for Sparc 5 only - max. 1152x900 @ 24bit
- Creator - SBus - max. 1280x1024 @ 24bit (FFB)
- Creator3D - SBus - max. 1920x1200 @ 24bit (FFB)
- ATI Mach64 - accelerated 8/24bit for Sparc64 PCI only

There is the option to use the PROM to output characters to the display or to a serial console.

Also, have a look at the Sparc Frame Buffer FAQ at

    http://c3-a.snvl1.sfba.home.com/Framebuffer.html

## 11.2 Configuring the framebuffer devices

During make config, you need to choose whether to compile `promcon` and/or `fbcon`. You can select both, but if you do this, you will need to set the kernel flags to select the device. `fbcon` always takes precedence if not set. If `promcon` is not selected in, on boot up, it defaults to `dummycon`. If `promcon` is selected, it will use this device. Once the buses are booted, and `fbcon` is compiled in, the kernel probes for the above framebuffers and will use `fbcon`. If there is no framebuffer devices, it will default to `promcon`.

Here are the kernel options

    video=sbus:options
            where options is a comma separated list:
                    nomargins       sets margins to 0,0
                    margins=12x24   sets margins to 12,24 (default is computed
    from resolution)
                    off             don't probe for any SBus/UPA framebuffers
                    font=SUN12x22   use a specific font

So for example, booting with

     video=sbus:nomargins,font=SUN12x22

gives you a nice fast text console with a text resolution of 96x40, looks similar to a Solaris console but with colours and virtual terminals just like on the Intel platform.

If you want to use the `SUN12x22` font, you need to enable it during make config (disable the `fontwidth != 8` option). The accelerated framebuffers can support any font width between 1 to 16 pixels, whilst dumb frame buffers only supports 4, 8, 12 and 16 pixel font widths.

It is recommended that you grab a recent consoletools packages.

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