Subject: Re: [Cbe-oss-dev] [patch 0/8] PS3 AV Settings Driver patches for 2.6.24

From: Michael Ellerman <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:44:16 +1000

On Thu, 2007-09-27 at 13:53 +0200, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Sep 2007, Michael Ellerman wrote:
> > On Wed, 2007-09-26 at 18:33 +0200, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> > > Here are some new patches for the PS3 AV Settings Driver (ps3av), which is
> > > used in close collaboration with the PS3 Virtual Frame Buffer Device Driver
> > > (ps3fb):
> > >   [1] ps3av: eliminate unneeded temporary variables
> > >   [2] ps3av: eliminate PS3AV_DEBUG
> > >   [3] ps3av: use PS3 video mode ids in autodetect code
> > >   [4] ps3av: treat DVI-D like HDMI in autodetect
> > >   [5] ps3av: add autodetection for VESA modes
> > >   [6] ps3av: add quirk database for broken monitors
> > >   [7] ps3av: remove unused ps3av_set_mode()
> > >   [8] ps3av: don't distinguish between `boot' and `non-boot' autodetection
> > > 
> > > Please review, and queue for 2.6.24 if they're ok. Thanks!
> > > 
> > > Question: As several DVI-D displays advertise they support 1080i modes while
> > > they actually don't (cfr. the quirk database), perhaps I should drop 1080i
> > > modes completely from the ps3av_preferred_modes[] table? Usually 720p looks
> > > better than 1080i anyway.  What do you think?
> > 
> > Definitely. If the autodetection fails Linux is basically unusable on
> > PS3 unless you hack the kernel sources and build your own kboot and
> > otheros.bld - not entirely trivial for novice users. So it's pretty
> > important that it works 100%.
> 
> Well, this code has been in Geoff's git tree for a while, and it's been several
> weeks ago I got complaints (which have been adressed by adding displays to the
> quirk database). The new kboot (from Distro Kit 1.4.1) also uses it.

Well yeah. Your instructions for diagnosing a quirk are to add #define
DEBUG to ps3av.c and then send the _output from the kernel log_  ... ?

Not to mention that for every quirk reported there's probably 50 users
who just figured Linux on PS3 was broken and gave up.

> The only 100% (sic) mode is 480p (actual usable resolution is 576x384), which
> is quite limited due to the very low resolution. This is what the current
> mainline kernel uses by default, causing complaints from people who don't like
> their shiny expensive full-HD displays being driven by 480p by default.

Sure that's annoying, but not quite as annoying as getting a completely
black screen that you can do nothing about - short of hacking the kernel
and building your own otheros.bld.

cheers

-- 
Michael Ellerman
OzLabs, IBM Australia Development Lab

wwweb: http://michael.ellerman.id.au
phone: +61 2 6212 1183 (tie line 70 21183)

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors,
we borrow it from our children. - S.M.A.R.T Person