From: Harry Overs (hovers++at++dera.gov.uk)
Date: 01/18/2000 00:23:43
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel F Johnston" <dan.johnston++at++nrc.ca>
To: <info-performer++at++sgi.com>
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2000 1:01 PM
Subject: Performer/Linux and Nvidia-TNT boards
> Enough is enough!
> I have sent several days and had only partial success so it is time to
> ask the experts and get the problem solved.
>
> First: I have installed the base XFree86, Mesa, Lesstif and
> Performer and have everything working - all demos,
> perfly town, etc. It works but is slow (truck.pfb spins
> at 0.7 fps with textures).
>
> I am trying to use an Nvidia TNT video board to speed up the
> OpenGL/Performer on this (my first) Linux box. There seems to be
> three options for this speed up. I have had partial success only
> with option 2 so far.
>
> 1. From the Nvidia site you can follow the 'drivers' path to
> get a bunch of files that replace XFree86. These files have
> names like XFree86-3.3.3.1-49riva.i386.rpm. My Mandrake
> package (RedHat 6.0) came with XFree86 version 3.3.5,
> but I removed these files, installed the 6 Nvidiapackages and
> did a re-boot. I didn't have any success - ie no speed up
> of the graphics. I sometimes had an un-usable Xserver, an
> other times a working system with no speed-up. Note: this
> may be a problem with my learning curve. Perhaps I should
> re-visit this option and check all links, etc. For example,
> do I have to also remove mesa if I install all these nvidia
> packages?
This only installs the new X Server for the card, as your rehat release did
not include it, but 6.1 does.
So no acceleration.
>
> 2. From the Nvidia site you follow the drivers-developers
> path to get a few files like nvidia-X-GLX-335-i386-dyn.tar.gz
> Un pack this one and you get a few library files. Run the
> rivi-install and set a link from /usr/X11R6/lib/libGL.so.1... (the
> new library) to /usr/lib/libGL.so.3... and you can speed up
> Performer a lot! Demo file esprit.flt spins at 20fps with textures
> instead of 0.6. BUT... town doesn't work because perfly complains
> about a problem with a "--" in the command line options. And,
> truck.pfb will cause the Xserver to hang solid - reboot (from
> a remote login) is required.
As the site explains this is beta software, don't expect it to work
perfectly.
At the moment this is the only option available to you if you want
acceleration with the TNT cards.
>
> 3. The latest XFree86 beta is a 'Pre version 4' snapshot called
> 3.9.17. If you get all these files you are supposed to have a
> bunch of /usr/X11R6/lib and /bin and /whatever that will support
> a number of video boards including the TNT. I have not tried
> this yet.
I believe that the 3d acceleration from pre 4 only supports the glint
gmx2000 and the voodoo 3 & Voodoo rush boards, however the X Server will
work.No dount nvidia and or PI will release an accelerated driver for its
boards after 4.0 is out.
>
> SO...
> Which option listed above - or another one - should give the
> best results? What did I do wrong? Do you have specific
> instructions on what to do to get it right?
Stick with option 2 at the moment, as I believe it is the only one open for
acceleration for nvidia boards.
( If you really want acceln and cannot wait, get yourself a voodoo 3 and pre
Xfree 4.0 , it works very well ).
Cheers
Paul Hussein.
>
> Your help is appreciated as always! Thanks!
>
> --
> ___|__ |
> / | \ ||\ Daniel (Dan) Johnston
> /___|___\ || \ Dan.Johnston++at++nrc.ca
> _____|____ || \ National Research Council of Canada, London, ON
> | | | || \ Integrated Manufacturing Technologies Institute
> \___| | | ||____\ Tel: (519) 430-7081 Fax: (519) 430-7090
> \_o_\___|____|_|______\_ Inst: http://www.nrc.ca/imti
> \ o / These opinions are my own! Not those of NRC.
> \________________/ Virtual Reality:
> http://www.nrc.ca/imti/vetc/home.html
> More Tall Ships - Fewer Computers!
>
>
>
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