TCX(4)

NAME
tcx - accelerated 8/24-bit color frame buffer

SYNOPSIS
tcx* at sbus?
wsdisplay* at tcx?

DESCRIPTION
The tcx is an 8 bit color frame buffer, with graphics acceleration, found on-board the SPARCstation 4, and also available in a 24 bit version as an AFX board for the SPARCstation 5, called the S24.

The tcx driver interfaces the frame buffer with the wscons(4) console framework. It does not provide direct device driver entry points but makes its functions available via the internal wsdisplay(4) interface.

DISPLAY RESOLUTION
The tcx frame buffer will by default select its resolution and refresh rate according to the monitor sense information obtained from the 13W3 connector. If the tcx frame buffer is used as the console display, a different resolution can be selected by changing the OpenPROM environment.

If the tcx frame buffer is a secondary display, or a serial console is used, the display resolution cannot be changed without using an nvramrc OpenPROM script. Refer to the Sun Frame Buffer FAQ for details.

The supported video modes depend on the particular frame buffer type.

  TCX (8 bit) video modes
The 8 bit frame buffer supports the following video modes:
Mode identifier | Resolution | Refresh Rate (MHz)
r640x480x21 | 640x480 | 56Hz
r640x480x25 | 640x480 | 60Hz
r744x1273x105 | 744x1273 | 76Hz
r1000x1022x105 | 1000x1022 | 76Hz
r1024x768x54 | 1024x768 | 50Hz
r1024x768x64 | 1024x768 | 60Hz
r1024x768x70 | 1024x768 | 66Hz
r1024x768x74 | 1024x768 | 70Hz
r1024x768x81 | 1024x768 | 75Hz
r1024x768x84 | 1024x768 | 77Hz
r1024x800x81 | 1024x800 | 74Hz
r1024x800x92 | 1024x800 | 84Hz
r1024x800x94 | 1024x800 | 85Hz
r1024x1024x92 | 1024x1024 | 62Hz
r1152x900x54 | 1152x900 | 38Hz
r1152x900x92 | 1152x900 | 66Hz
r1152x900x94 | 1152x900 | 67Hz
r1152x900x105 | 1152x900 | 76Hz
r1152x900x108 | 1152x900 | 77Hz

With the addition of a 1MB VSIMM, the following higher resolution models become available:
Mode identifier | Resolution | Refresh Rate (MHz)
r1280x1024x117 | 1280x1024 | 66Hz
r1280x1024x118 | 1280x1024 | 67Hz
r1280x1024x135 | 1280x1024 | 76Hz
r1600x1280x76 | 1600x1280 | 66Hz
r1920x1080x71 | 1920x1080 | 72Hz

To change the default resolution, type the following:

  ok setenv fcode-debug? true
  ok setenv output-device screen:r1024x800x94

to change to an 85Hz 1024x800 resolution. Note that setting fcode-debug? is absolutely necessary for the resolution settings to be honoured.

  S24 (24 bit) video modes
The 24 bit frame buffer only supports the following video modes:
Mode identifier | Resolution | Refresh Rate (MHz)
r1024x768x70 | 1024x768 | 70Hz
r1152x900x66 | 1152x900 | 66Hz
r1152x900x76 | 1152x900 | 76Hz

To change the default resolution, type the following:

  ok setenv output-device screen:r1024x768x70

to change to a 70Hz 1024x768 resolution. Unlike the TCX, it is not necessary to alter the value of fcode-debug? for the resolution settings to be honoured.

SEE ALSO
intro(4), sbus(4), wscons(4), wsdisplay(4)