Arch Linux

HydroDiOxide

Member

Registered: 2007-10-06

Posts: 103

Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

Hi there. I want to upgrade my videocard. I've used a Leadtek Geforce 6800 since some three years now and linux support is great. Another nvidea based card would be a logical next step, preferably a 8800gt based one. However, availabilty and prices of those cards are horrible here in The Netherlands. So I'm looking into a (decent priced!!) HD3870 based card as an alternative.

However, since I use Linux, I was wondering if the card is supported under (Arch)linux in both 2d and 3d (compositing).

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"Overspecialize and you breed in weakness..." Major Motoko Kusanagi

zenlord

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2006-05-24

Posts: 1,223

Website

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

AMD/Ati is catching up their years of lacking a decent linux-driver - or at least trying to do so: the general consensus with every new release is that driver development is slow: if there are new features, important regressions (like absent support for the very common 1650 resolution in the current release) are also there.

If I were you, I'd keep an eye on the new drivers (the 2008.01 should be here soon) - Phoronix is a good website to watch the driver development from a close. Since I don't really need 3D, I can afford to wait. If you don't want to wait, I'd recommend to stick with nVidia...

Zl.

raven3x7

Member

Registered: 2007-03-11

Posts: 23

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

I have a Connect3D 3870 and it works fine with 7.11. 7.12 has a bug with Non VESA modes including 1680X1050, which makes it unusable for me. Also i've been unable to get AIGLX working although admittedly i didnt try that hard as i just wanted to toy around with it rather than use it on a regular basis. The drivers have really improved only the 3d performance really. Video playback leaves a lot to be desired(there's diagonal tearing). The opensource RadeonHD driver might turn out good though and makes a good argument for supporting AMD and their new opensource strategy. Phoronix is indeed a good source although a bit on the pro-AMD side.

zenlord

Member

From: Belgium

Registered: 2006-05-24

Posts: 1,223

Website

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

I have a Connect3D 3870 and it works fine with 7.11. 7.12 has a bug with Non VESA modes including 1680X1050

8.1 soves this bug. I don't know if it is in the repo's already though.

Zl.

raven3x7

Member

Registered: 2007-03-11

Posts: 23

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

Cerebral hasnt made a package yet. 7.11 runs fine for me anyway though

raven3x7

Member

Registered: 2007-03-11

Posts: 23

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

Anyone if Cerebral is just busy or if there's some other problem with 8.1?

HydroDiOxide

Member

Registered: 2007-10-06

Posts: 103

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

Does compiz-fusion and video playback work ok with an HD3870 under the 8.01 drivers?

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"Overspecialize and you breed in weakness..." Major Motoko Kusanagi

raven3x7

Member

Registered: 2007-03-11

Posts: 23

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

Afaik aiglx with xorg 1.4 does not work with fglrx yet. You'd need 1.3 to get it to work . XV works if you enable video overlay and textured video in the config and disable opengl overlay but it produces video with horizontal tearing(this happens with OpenGL as well). It is a known issue(It has been present for a very long time but it was just included in the known issues list). I havent tested 8.01 yet as im waiting for official packages but by reading the posts on phoronix its quite clear that what i typed above still applies to 8.01

steve0

Member

Registered: 2008-04-07

Posts: 3

Website

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

The drivers have really improved only the 3d performance really.

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: Arch AMD/ATI Radeon HD3870 support

If Cerebral hasn't noticed yet, file an enhancement request in flyspray for a driver upgrade. Although, the Arch back end is being moved to subversion from CVS right now, so he may not have anywhere to upload it at the moment.