5000 series card questions

[Dave Witbrodt]

On 04/09/2010 11:01 PM, Mark Knecht wrote:
> OK - I found a 5770-based card for a reasonable price so I've got it
> in the machine and will work to start it up with X tomorrow.
>
> thanks for your guidance.

Sorry I missed this thread until now.  I bought a HD 5750 card solely 
for the purpose of helping test out the "radeon" Linux driver Evergreen 
support.

I had success with KMS (kernel mode setting) right from the appearance 
of Evergreen support in early February if I used a DVI cable.  (Using a 
VGA cable with a keyboard/video/mouse switching device cause problems 
with black screens for me on Evergreen, though the same KVM device works 
fine with earlier Radeon cards.)

Be advised that I upgraded my monitor soon after buying the HD 5750, and 
the manufacturer only provided VGA and HDMI inputs on the monitor. 
Using the HDMI cable, I get a problem where a pink or purplish line 
appears on the left side of the screen as soon as the kernel KMS kicks 
in (way before the X server loads), and the onscreen display of my 
monitor reports 1922x1200 (instead of the 1920x1200 resolution it is 
physically capable of).  This vertical line really does not interfere 
with using the Evergreen card -- either in a fullscreen virtual terminal 
or in X -- but I am paranoid about it, and I have chosen not to leave 
the HD 5750 installed permanently until this mode setting issue gets 
resolved.  (I have been reinstalling my older HD 4850 card after each 
round of testing with the HD 5750.)

Also, be advised that if you use userspace mode setting (UMS) instead of 
KMS, you will not be able to switch back and forth between the X server 
and the virtual terminals.  This works fine with KMS though, so if you 
have a new enough kernel, and a DVI connection to your monitor, all 
should be good for you with a new 5770.  No acceleration for games & 
graphics yet, but definitely usable.


HTH,
Dave W.