On Friday, October 05, 2012 12:10:57 AM Felix Miata wrote:
On 2012-10-05 10:43 (GMT+0700) Constant Brouerius van Nidek composed:
After a big update the VGA mode was automatically changed to 1289x1024, 16 bits. Nice mode (31a) but too small for my eyes. Changed it to my standard mode 1024x768 and because I had the choice, I choose the 16 bits resolution (317). This resulted in some strange effects in e.g. kmail. Instead of one color it showed three to four stripe in strong colors. Changed it on good luck to mode 316 , 1024x768 15 bits and the display is as it should.
Started to google on VGA modes and bits but did not learn why the 16 bits at the high resolution was okay and why it gave problems at a lower resolution.
Could somebody tell me in plain English what I did and why I had the strange effects. Should I have known the right VGA Mode? Why do I have choices for modes if they give problems? Is there a method to find out what the best bit setting is for my screen? What should have happened if I would choose the 24 bit Mode? (don't want to blow my computer ;) ) I don't think I've heard of anyone "blowing" a computer by choosing to use 24 bit video, but you haven't provided enough information to enable much help.
Dear Felix, Thanks for the questions. Tried to repply them as good as I could. It was meant to learn about the optimization of a monitor and its video card. I had in the past no urge to play around with things that worked and were I had no idea of what should or could be optimized. What does 24 bit brings more than say 16, 15 or 8 bitor even 5 bit. After I have been bitten by the VGA mode by whatever reason, think it has something to do with my hang to play around with factory, I am trying to improve my knowledge :)
1-Which OS version?
openSUSE 12.3 Milestone 0 (i586) Kernel: 3.6.0-rc7-1-desktop KDE Development Platform: 4.9.2 "release 511") My question was general. Not directly connected with the OS version used ;)
2-What's your display type?
17" cathode monitor
3-What's your display's native resolution? Native, no idea but this is some info.
Display Height 768 Max hor. freq. 61 Max vert. freq. 90 Min hor. freq. 31 Min vert. freq. 50 Resolution Height 768 Vert, freq. 76 Width 1024
4-What video chip(s) (output from lscpi line that includes VGA)?
VGA compatible controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 65x/M650 PCI/AGP VGA Display Adapter
5-How are you determining how many bits are being used?
Was always set auto-magically. No idea where it can be found.
6-Does /etc/X11/xorg.conf exist? If so, what's in it?
Does not exist. Only xorg.conf.install
7-Changed mode to 316/317/1024x768 exactly how?
Changed at the bootloader. Found no other places that let me change the modes. Missing sax (think it was called).
8-Are you discussing KDE trouble exclusively, or also the ttys?
Used LXDE and Icewm with the same color problem
9-KDE3, or KDE4?
KDE4
10-Have you tried changing font sizes by any method other than mode changing? 11-What does "big update" mean?
Have used 1024x768 for a very long time and never found a reason to change it. Unknown territory. It worked so why change a working system. After a update with 28 new xf86- input and video drivers my VGA mode was changed into 1289x1024.
12-How long ago was your original install?
12.1 original -- Linux User 183145 using KDE4 on a Pentium IV , powered by openSUSE 12.3 Milestone 0 (i586) Kernel: 3.6.0-rc7-1-desktop KDE Development Platform: 4.9.2 "release 511") 12:07pm up 12:36, 4 users, load average: 1.69, 3.81, 4.02 -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse+owner@opensuse.org