framebuffer

[cast-fish]

Hi

I followed these instructions below about "Framebuffer" for tcl 2.3 or above

http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html

at the last instruction, is it simply saying OMIT the "text" bootcode from the line mentioned at the start of the instructions?  (include everything else in that first line?) and shut down and with backup and reboot using said line.

when my machine is operating in Framebuffer, is it possible to bump up into XVESA or XORG
gui environment without doing a reboot?

what's the instructions to do that bump up?

many thanks

Vince.

[cast-fish]

frsmebuffer appears to be working.

When i click "exit to prompt" from X desktop it does not do it.  WHen i click XVESA in the tcl control
panel it only allows mouse calibration and keyboard.


how do you know if your X gui desktop session is indeed the Framebuffer X server?

thanks

Vince.

[gerald_clark]

Which X server did you install?
Xvesa, Xorg or xfbdev ?
Guess which one is the framebuffer X server.

[cast-fish]

right Gerald

it was Xfbdev.tcz

but what confuses me is "Framebuffer X server" or just "the framebuffer"?

i realize it's a virtual driver to allow you to run X via the framebuffer.

why don't most people use this "framebuffer" idea if it's low on resources...?

My bios here says the framebuffer is 16 megs of memory (or 32)

it seems to work fine but somebody said that Adobe Flash won't work because Framebuffer
is an embedded thing?  (html 5 videos work fine)

i notice that some further tools i installed have draggged XORG dependancies into
my list....(i wonder ?...do those dependecies just see the virtual X server driver?)

my missunderstanding could be that "Framebuffer" operation still takes you to an X gui
desktop where-as my understanding was that it would be a text console environment that
would just fire up a GUI windows for say "Mplayer" if required. 

didn't realize that "Framebuffer" operation would show an X window environment also

VInce.

[tinypoodle]

Xfbdev is an X11 server which can make use of existing framebuffer.

You can use mplayer on a framebuffer console without an X11 server.

[cast-fish]

Right

it makes some sense to me what you say.

SO when you first go ahead and try to start using the "framebuffer" it certainly
can be just a console enviro. You don't need to install an X 11 enviro driver.....yet you can
still run graphics windows from that console such as an Mplayer movie window.

That's what my understanding of "framebuffer" was.  (Console based idea with "Some" optional
graphics capabilities"

so what's the deal with the XFbdev.tcz.  Is the benefit that it gives you back the spare ram
normally Lost to having to drive Xvesa or Xorg.   (yet you can still run any apps that need Xorg
etc?)

It seems a win win then for XFbdev and tinycore. I can't see what you loose? (save Flash and such like)....but otherwise it seems quite snappy.

how much ram do you save then?.....because i can never understand what TOP is saying to me
in that regard as it seems to combine swaps into the mix.....


Flash youtube vids work fine on framebuffer and FF 17.  THere is a free extension called  "you tube vids without using flash" in the store.

V.

[gerald_clark]

No you cannot run graphics windows without X and a windows manager.
Mplayer can display in the frame buffer but it uses the whole display, not a window.

[cast-fish]

ok Tiny

so when in the X window environment via the Xfbdev.tcz  how do i get to a console framebuffer?

cntr + alt + backspace

that seems to take me to a console prompt

Vince.

[curaga]

That is the console framebuffer. It's the same console, just in a higher resolution than default.

[tinypoodle]

cntr + alt + backspace

That would kill a currently running X11 server.

Use either Ctrl+Alt+F1 or

Code: [Select]

sudo chvt 1

[cast-fish]

ok thanks a lot

Was looking at that NanoLinux . Interesting. Found the "Qemu manager" which is nice

V

[cast-fish]

still wondering what frame buffer really is....and WHY it's seems different to me than just driving a video chip with a driver?





1) what is the idea behind a framebuffer? and do modern computers have them?  (seems they do)

2) Is framebuffer an "alternative way" of driving a video screen instead of talking directly to a vjdeo chip with a manufacturers driver and the OS?

3) Is "framebuffer" a means for programmers to make computers talk to video screens without programmers needing to liase with the corporation who manufactured the machines video chip?  (drivers)

4) Mostly,,,,is framebuffer effectively enabling a computer user to achieve similar results with "some" graphical applications while using less resources than the same app would normally use in a non framebuffer enviro?. (framebuffer supporting apps)

5) If 4 above is true, then why isn't framebuffer more widely used then?....or recommended and why don't more apps support it

After reading "framebuffer" wikis, they describe what FB is in great detail , but not so much why it exists....infact some comments say the reasons why are lost in history...(but, why then, do so few apps really support frame bufffer then?)

i will continue reading wiki's and such if nobody answers...it's fine

thanks

V

[cast-fish]

it's ok

Found these answers out myself,

many thanks

V

[bmarkus]

There are many many articles, google "what is frame buffer"

One of them: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FrameBuffer

[tinypoodle]

See also:

http://en.tldp.org/HOWTO/Framebuffer-HOWTO/