NEC LCD monitors on older Sun frame buffers

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Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 14:06:56 -0500

Here is some follow-up that may be useful to others who raise this question in the furure.
The scheme outlined below, forwarded to me from NEC tech support is not
satisfactory as it uses 8 bit color depth.

I accidentally found that is is possible for the NEC LCD2080UX to synch to
the older Sun frame buffer cards, specifically the Elite3D-m3.
Although the usual configuration routine using afbconfig to set the video mode, e.g.:

   afbconfig -dev /dev/fbs/afb0 -res 1280x1024x67 try

would not give a screen display that appears to synch correctly, setting
the video mode then rebooting appears to properly synch the monitor and
card. This worked for me on 1280x1024x67 24 bit depth and 1152x900x66 24
bit depth modes. I did not try any others. The monitors also synch the
OBP boot sequence screens without difficulty.

The images are rock stable, crisp and clear. No need to fine ture the
synch frequencies. These are superb quality monitors and appear to work
just fine with the Elite3D. I also find that the work perfectly,
including in the "try" mode under ifbconfig, with the Expert3D series cards.

Here's the body of the original email to NEC and the reply:

Thank you for contacting NEC/Mitsubishi. Please note that we do not directly support Sun work stations, and can only ensure that the monitors work normally. The following information is data we have compiled from Internet, but is in no way guaranteed to resolve your issue.

The Sun graphics chipsets generate serration pulses on the composite signal. At times the distance between these pulses may change. Most monitors/LCDs see this as a frequency change and blank the screen to change modes. This Sun sync. signal scheme doesn't follow the industry standard.

Some of the Sun systems are capable of separate sync which solves this problem. Please have them follow the instructions below for each particular Ultra system.

Ultra 30/60

1. In the terminal type - #ffbconfig -prconf
2. Step 1 will display the information about the video EEPROM. If the version is 2.9 proceed to step 3, otherwise the version will be 2.6 and this video EEPROM isn't capable of separate sync. Our recommendations for these customers is to contact Sun and demand that the EEPROM be upgraded, or put an additional graphics card in the system that is capable of separate sync.

3. In the terminal type: #ffbconfig -defaults
                          #eeprom output-device="screen:r1280x1024x60x8"

4. Reboot the system.

The system should return to a graphics state of 1280x1024@60Hz separate sync.

Ultra 5

1. On the back of the system there is a label which indicates which video card is installed. If the label has the text "PGX24" in it the system is capable of separate sync (proceed to step 2), and if there isn't this text the only recommendation we have for these customers is to add a video card that is capable of separate sync.

2. In the terminal type: #m64config -defaults
                          #eeprom output-device="screen:r1280x1024x60x8"

3. Reboot the system.

The system should return to a graphics state of 1280x1024@60Hz separate sync.

Ultra 10

1. We don't know of any way to tell if the system is capable of separate sync. The customer should try the instructions below and find out of separate sync is possible. If it isn't separate sync capable the only recommendation we have is to add a video card that does have separate sync capabilities.

2. In the terminal type: #m64config -defaults
                          #eeprom output-device="screen:r1280x1024x60x8"

3. Reboot the system.

The system should return to a graphics state of 1280x1024@60Hz separate sync.

NEC Technologies stand on this issue is that are monitors are operating according to industry standard specification. The Sun Ultra 5/10/30/60 are generating non standard timings that cause some monitors, including many non-NEC displays, to operate improperly.This problem could exist on many of our CRT/LCD products and the effects may vary. Some models may go blank in different intervals than others.

Thank you

Mike McGill
NEC/Mitsubishi Service & Support
Telephone: 1-800-632-4662
Email: techsupport@necmitsubishi.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven R. Jones (srjones10@cox.net)
Sent: Feb 13, 2005 9:04:24 PM
Subject: Available LCD2080UX analog video modes on Sun Elite3D graphics

I have 3 LCD2080UX monitors connected to a Sun Ultra60 workstation
configured with two Elite3D cards and one Expert3D-lite card. I wish
(read: need) to run all three cards in a multihead display with each
screen running optimally at 1280x1024.

This mode is readily accomodated by the LCD2080UX with the Expert3D, but
only the 1024x768x77Hz mode appears to synch on the Elite3D cards. The
Sun configuration utility, afbconfig, returns that none of the other
available resolutions are valid. I tested this by placing the card in a
variety of the apparently unsupported modes, and indeed they did not
work correctly.

The Elite3D cards are connected via a 13w3 to mini-Dsub adapter cable,
original Sun equipment, which allows several other non-Sun "PC" CRT
monitors I have available to connect successfully to these cards.

The Elite3D has the following analog modes available, I'm fairly sure
using composite synch:

1024x768x60,70,75,77
1152x900x66,76
1280x1024x60,67,76,85

as well as several at lower resolution that are of no use to me.

Please advise how I might configure one of the 1280x1024 modes to work
with this superb monitor.

Thanks you,

Steve Jones

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