Arch Linux

Gullible Jones

Member

Registered: 2004-12-29

Posts: 4,863

How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

Here is how you get direct rendering on machines that use Unichrome, with minimal fuss:

1. Use hwd to create a xorg.conf.

2. Edit xorg.conf. If you use xorgcfg to do this, and you specify your video card using the video card index, then you'll have to to further editing manually - you have to remove the "Chipset" line in the Device section or X may complain about your chipset being unsupported, even if that isn't the case. Leave in the Modeline stuff - you'll probably need it.

3. Grab the latest "common" and "via" snapshots from dri.freedesktop.org/snapshots. Unpack first "common", then "via", in the same directory; enter the "dripkg" directory thus created, and run install.sh. X must not be running when you do this.

If the installation works, then X should start normally, glxinfo should say that DRI is enabled, and glxgears should give you something like 680 FPS (with 16-bit color).

MaceM

Member

From: Austria

Registered: 2003-11-26

Posts: 47

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

thx a lot
works great!

Gullible Jones

Member

Registered: 2004-12-29

Posts: 4,863

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

You're welcome. 8)

BTW, a little update... You can probably comment out the modeline stuff. :oops: I was wrong about that - chances are it's better to let your BIOS give that info.

nephish

Member

Registered: 2005-06-08

Posts: 95

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

WOW thanks a lot Gull, worked great. I
did not know this computer was this cool.
kudos!

nephish

Member

Registered: 2005-06-08

Posts: 95

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

oops, hey there agian i followed your instructions and it worked, but when i rebooted, the performance went away.
what can i do to get it back ?
thanks

nephish

Member

Registered: 2005-06-08

Posts: 95

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

sorry again, i restarted x and it works again.
hmmmm....
weird.
thanks

Gullible Jones

Member

Registered: 2004-12-29

Posts: 4,863

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

Okay...

First of all, for best performance, add

Option "EnableAGPDMA"

to xorg.conf's "Device" section. This boosts performance a lot.

Second, make sure the "DRI" section of xorg.conf is as follows:

Section "DRI"
        Mode         0666
EndSection

Third, remember that DRM only works with the via 2D driver - not with the generic VESA one.

Also, remember that having multiple OpenGL apps running at the same time can screw up your glxgears readings. If you're using KDE with GL-based window decor, for example, you'll get inaccurate performance readings.

If you get any more weird performance drops, please run glxinfo from a terminal and post what it says - other Unichrome users would want to know about strange behavior from the drivers and/or hardware, and might be able to help you.

nephish

Member

Registered: 2005-06-08

Posts: 95

Re: How to get direct rendering on Unichrome

ok  i modified everything like you said, and things are much faster. Thanks a lot. So far so good. i will let you know if there are any glitches.