"Flickering" with driver 8.12.10

Tiber · Jun 4, 2005, 04:35 AM

Hi!

I've installed the drivers 8.12.10 yesterday with XFree86 4.3 for a Radeon 9200. Running at 1280x1024 on a single crt monitor, I have heavy distortions in form of flickering horizontal lines, especially when resizing windows. See attached image or:

http://www.e-tobi.net/stuff/flicker.jpg

I'm running out of options now, so any help would be appreceated!

bye,

Tobias

x0ph3r · Jun 5, 2005, 03:59 AM

My guess would be that your driver isnt installed / configured correctly

I'd reinstall and reconfigure. I had this same thing happen to me once too, and that was because my driver wasnt configured right, so check your xorg.conf / XF86Config..

Tiber · Jun 5, 2005, 05:00 AM

I ran fglxconfig several times, installed old driver versions, updated to the new ones - with no success. I have no idea, what config parameter could be wrong.

The probably relevant parts of the configuration look like this:

Code:

Section "Module"
		Load	"GLcore"
		Load	"bitmap"
		Load	"dbe"
		Load	"ddc"
		Load	"dri"
		Load	"extmod"
		Load	"freetype"
		Load	"glx"
		Load	"int10"
		Load	"record"
		Load	"speedo"
		Load	"type1"
		Load	"vbe"
		# Load "extmod" but omit DGA extension
		# (the DGA extension is broken in the fglrx driver)
		SubSection "extmod"
				Option "omit xfree86-dga"
		EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Device"
		Identifier	  "Standardgrafikkarte"
		Driver		  "fglrx"

		# If X refuses to use the screen resolution you asked for,
		# uncomment this; see "Bugs and Workarounds" for details.
		#Option "NoDDC"

		# === Video Overlay for the Xv extension ===
		Option "VideoOverlay" "on"

		# === OpenGL Overlay ===
		# Note: When OpenGL Overlay is enabled, Video Overlay
		#	   will be disabled automatically
		Option "OpenGLOverlay" "off"

		# === Use internal AGP GART support? ===
		# If OpenGL acceleration doesn't work, try using "yes" here
		# and disable the kernel agpgart driver.
		Option "UseInternalAGPGART" "no"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
		Identifier   "Monitor0"
		VendorName	  "CTX"
		ModelName	   "CTX3700"
		HorizSync 30 - 95 # DDC-probed
		VertRefresh 50 - 160 # DDC-probed
		# 1280x1024, 85.0Hz; hfreq=91.15, vfreq=85.02
		ModeLine "1280x1024"	157.50 1280 1344 1504 1728 1024 1025 1028 1072 +hsync +vsync
		# 1280x1024, 75.0Hz; hfreq=79.98, vfreq=75.03
		ModeLine "1280x1024"	135.00 1280 1296 1440 1688 1024 1025 1028 1066 +hsync +vsync
		# 1280x1024 @ 100.00 Hz (GTF) hsync: 108.50 kHz; pclk: 190.96 MHz
		ModeLine "1280x1024" 190.96 1280 1376 1520 1760 1024 1025 1028 1085 -HSync +Vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
		Identifier	  "Default Screen"
		Device		  "Standardgrafikkarte"
		Monitor		 "Monitor0"
		DefaultDepth	24
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 1
			 Modes		 "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 4
			 Modes		 "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 8
			 Modes		 "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 15
			 Modes		 "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 16
			 Modes		 "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
		SubSection "Display"
			 Depth		 24
			 Modes		 "1280x1024" "1024x168" "800x600" "640x480"
		EndSubSection
EndSection

Tobias

RIV@NVX · Jun 5, 2005, 05:32 AM

Did this also occur with older drivers (8.8 or 8.10)?

Tiber · Jun 5, 2005, 06:17 AM

I have the same problem with 8.10.9 and 8.8.25. It even seems to be worse with 8.8.25.

Probably this is only a matter of the right modline setting, but I have no idea, how to figure this out.

Tobias

RIV@NVX · Jun 5, 2005, 11:03 AM

Try removing 1280x1024 mode from XF86Config. Does it help?

Tiber · Jun 5, 2005, 11:51 AM

There's no problem with 1024x768 or 800x600. But everything above (tested up to 1600x1200) causes this strange distortions.

I just switched to kernel 2.6.11 - just in case. But I still have these annoying flickering horizontal lines :-(

1280x1024 works fine on Windows or with the standard drivers, that come with XFree 4.3 (but these are pretty slow). I haven't tried DRI yet.

Tobias

*rgregory* · Jun 7, 2005, 01:10 PM

Tobias, how have you been swictching resolutions?

If you haven't tried already, then you my want to try using the xrandr command. It should allow you to

a) see what display modes are available (xrandr with no parameters)
b) set the resolution of your choice (xrandr -s <size>)
c) set the refresh rate (xrandr -r <rate>)

It is possible that you are not currently getting an ideal rez/refresh. This could also be because of the horizontal and vertical sync range settings.

I have found it useful to check your monitor's specs for the exact sync ranges it supports, then enter these values in XF86Config-4 in the "Monitor" section for HorizSync and VertRefresh. (the general ranges suggested in fglrxconfig do not always fit the monitor perfectly)

PLEASE NOTE: You should NOT have to touch the modelines in XF86config-4 - these are claculted using GTF to provide VESA standard modes only. The actual list of available modes should be determined by your monitor's EDID data when X starts.

Tiber · Jun 7, 2005, 03:53 PM

Ok. In order to get xrandr to work at all, I had to remove extmod from the Module section. If I run xrandr, I get this:

Code:

 SZ:    Pixels		  Physical	   Refresh
*0   1280 x 1024   ( 361mm x 271mm )  *85
 1   1024 x 768	( 361mm x 271mm )   85
 2	832 x 624	( 361mm x 271mm )   75
 3	800 x 600	( 361mm x 271mm )   85
 4	640 x 480	( 361mm x 271mm )   85
Current rotation - normal
Current reflection - none
Rotations possible - normal
Reflections possible - none

I can't change the refresh rate with xrandr. Only 85Hz is allowed. Modifying HorizSync and VertRefresh doesn't help either. I don't think, the problem has anything to do with the monitor. It's working pretty fine with 1280x1024@85 Hz on Windows or if I don't use the fglrx driver.

Maybe I should give XOrg a try. But this is kinda tricky with Debian Sarge :-(

Tobias

*rgregory* · Jun 14, 2005, 05:45 PM

Actually, you used to have to disable the DGA extension to get xrandr to work, but this hs been fixed with 8.14.

It seems like you should be getting more refresh rate options from xrandr, although I don't know why you're not. Didn't fglrxconfig generate more than three modelines? Did you remove any (I admit I'm grasping)?

Xorg is nice, but I'll stick with my Debian thanks

It's not worth giving up apt. Now Ubuntu maybe...