Since the some of the GCT platforms integrate the TVIA chipset onboard, we must all be
prepared to deal with the issue of linux compatibility for development, integration and deployment purposes. This should give you a quick background and guide to the TVIA linux kernel FB world. As it stands,
TVIA doesn't release source to any of their drivers unless you pay the [expensive] fee for support. This is pretty standard practice and could be well worth its weight in gold depending on your needs.
Thankfully, they do release binary kernel FB modules and XFree86 drivers for linux compatibility.
Fortunately, they have publicly released a kernel FB module for 2.4.4 and 2.4.18. If I remember
correctly, the 2.4.4 kernel module was build against a vanilla branch of the linux kernel, while the 2.4.18 fb module is built against a patched version of the 2.4.18 kernel (2.4.18-3 specifically).
On to the meat:
Since I really wanted to be using a 2.4.18 kernel, I tested the compatibility of this 2.4.18-3 module with the 2.4.18 kernel. So far so good.... and I've been testing/using this same
module for months now and
developing with the TVIA SDK without any crashes or malfunctions.
Since the 2.4.18-3 fb module is missing a few external dependancies, you cannot insert it into the
kernel with the standard 'insmod' command. If you _do_ have the major FB dependancies resolved (see README file), you may insert it into the kernel if you insert the module like this:
insmod -f tviafb.o
Essentially forcing it to load into a somewhat mismatched kernel.
Recently, TVIA has graciously sent me a 2.4.20 kernel module that has been compiled against a vanilla 2.4.20
linux kernel. The only advantage is true compatibility, but like I said, the 2.4.18 kernel module is stable.
Of course the optimal solution would be to have the source and be able to compile support
for the CyberPro5k into the kernel, but unless you and/or your company really, really need this, the binary module works just fine.
There is an open-source CyberPro2k,3k,5k kernel driver for linux
that is somewhat compatible with the hardware, but it is still in its infancy and does not provide the type of support that the official driver includes. I was also unable to use the TVIA SDK with this
open-source driver.
2.4.20 release of the TVIA FB module.
tvia_bin_k2[1]4.20.3.01a.tar.gz
2.4.30 release of the TVIA FB module support Xlib v4.3.(new release)
XFree86_4.3.0_3.00_bin.zip |
