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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.misc Path: sserve!newshost.anu.edu.au!munnari.oz.au!spool.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!usenet.ucs.indiana.edu!mimosa.astro.indiana.edu!pitts From: pitts@mimosa.astro.indiana.edu (Jim Pitts) Subject: Re: FreeBSD 1.0R, XFree-86 2.0, and Diamond Speedstar Message-ID: <CIt0rC.F49@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> Sender: news@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu (USENET News System) Nntp-Posting-Host: mimosa.astro.indiana.edu Organization: Indiana University Astronomy Department References: <2fq7f6$gaj@ulowell.uml.edu> <2fqcdg$isp@ulowell.uml.edu> <1993Dec29.041309.17997@pool.info.sunyit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1993 16:06:48 GMT Lines: 56 In article <1993Dec29.041309.17997@pool.info.sunyit.edu>, David D. Colbey <uddc@pool.info.sunyit.edu> wrote: >Brian 'Doc' O'Neill (oneill@cs.uml.edu) wrote: >: In article <2fq7f6$gaj@ulowell.uml.edu> oneill@cs.uml.edu (Brian 'Doc' O'Neill) writes: >: >I am having trouble with getting XFree-86 2.0 running on my FreeBSD 1.0R >: >system. I have a Diamond Speedstar ET4000 card. No Plus, no II, no 24, just >: >Speedstar. The monitor is a ADI MicroScan 3E > >: Whoops...correction...it IS a Speedstar Plus... > >Diamond video cards suck! I have a SpeedStar 24X and I had the same problem >as you. My workaround is to use a program written for Linux called "freq". >After a little hacking, I was able to get it compiled. Unfortunately it does >not always work. It occasionally gives a "bus error" and core dumps. When >this happens, I have to boot DOS and run something that uses the Hi-Res video >mode, then reboot FreeBSD. I sure wish Diamond didn't have such big "trade >secrets" to hide. > Diamond video cards do not suck. They just don't support the software you want the way you want it supported. As far as video cards go they are actually very nice. Your problem is with a lack of free support for the product, not a technical problem with the card itself. Of course I refer to XFree86 when I mean software. I first questioned the teams policy of no support for these products. I now understand why this is the case and support their stand on the issue. Of course as an owner of Diamond products I am hurt by this messy situation, but those are the breaks. I chose to buy Diamond. I hope that in the future Diamond will see that guarding the programming of their clock chips is not necessary. When this happens I also hope the XFree86 team will be willing to admit when they have won a battle. I am not holding my breath. I use my Diamond card with XFree86-2.0 with -0- problems. It works great, I get good performance, and am very happy with it. It is a very nice card. FYI I hacked 'freq' as well for FreeBSD with little problems. It works well for me. I have no problems with "bus errors". Finally, I would like to note for general record that Diamond sent me the information needed to modify 'freq' (how to program the clock). They sent it to me through my FAX machine minutes after a nice conversation with their support people. They were very polite and -did not- ask me to sign anything about non-disclosure. I am not saying they did not do this to others in the past. I am just saying that I have never experienced any resistance from them on the subject. These are things that one would generally consider to be 'good' support from a company. Just my .02, and seldom worth that much. -- - pitts@mimosa.astro.indiana.edu ^ | James J. Pitts - - Most people are sheep. /@\ | IU Physics Dept - - Only a select few are fit to rule. / \ | Voice: 812-855-8247 - - We are The Bavarian Illuminati. /_____\ | FAX : 812-855-5533 -