Struggling with 3D Video Acceleration - 15" Powerbook G4

[dmackerman]

Hello all,

First off, I am extremely new to Linux, but I am a very good reader and definitely read before I ask questions. I have read all the FAQs about the PPC architecture, especially in regards to the ATI video cards on PPC machines.

Let me just post my xorg.conf file for you to take a look at. I believe I have all the tweaks that have been mentioned, but I am still looking at abysmal performance (100FPS in glxgear)


# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Driver "radeon"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
BusID "PCI:0:16:0"
Option "UseFBDev" "false"
Option "AGPMode" "8"
Option "AGPFastWrite" "true"
Option "DynamicClocks" "true"
Option "BusType" "PCI"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection


I have the 15" model with the Mobility 9700 chip with 128MB of VRAM.

Also, how do I just restart X instead of rebooting my machine completely? There is no "BACKSPACE" key on my laptop keyboard? haha

Thanks ya'll

[tgalati4]

You have a back arrow above the | and \ key. Control-Alt-Backspace should work in versions before Jaunty. With Jaunty, you have to add to xorg.conf:

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "DontZap" "False"
EndSection

Anyway, you are using the open source (reverse engineered) "radeon" driver. What you see is what you get.

I don't believe that the Catalyst (proprietary ATI) drivers work on PPC architecture.

I have an older G4 powerbook and nothing runs better than OS X Tiger. Ubuntu can be made to work, but everything feels clunky about it.

Post your /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see what options are enabled.

Using the radeon driver on a t43p thinkpad under Jaunty, I get about 140 fps using a FireGL3200 ATI card (roughly a radeon 9600).

[natgab]

Thanks for your post ! (even 6+ months later) :KS

I used the information in this thread to edit my Xorg file and get 3D Video on my Power Mac G5. I was only getting the "none" in the Ubuntu visual effects in Desktop Appearance. Now I get the "extra" with the wobbly windows! Colors look better and video works smoother.

GNU nano 2.0.9 File: /etc/X11/xorg.conf

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Driver "radeon"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
BusID "PCI:240:16:0"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
Option "AGPMode" "8"
Option "AGPFastWrite" "true"
Option "DynamicClocks" "true"
Option "BusType" "PCI"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection





P.S. I get flash video on YouTube on my PPC thanks to this thread (even before w/o 3D video). Post #17 has the easy answer.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=951546