[Eug-lug] good (low-end) graphics card?

[Bob Miller]

Hal Pomeranz wrote:

> I'm in the market for a graphics card (PCI Express) for running a
> fairly generic Linux (Ubuntu 7.10) desktop.  I'm not planning on
> gaming or other rendering-intensive tasks-- just normal desktop use,
> some streaming video, etc.  At a minimum, it needs to drive a 24"
> widescreen monitor at 1680x1050 resolution.
> 
> Who are the Linux-friendly graphics companies these days?  I'm out
> of the loop on this...  Thanks!

Intel is the most Linux-friendly.  I'm running a 965G-based system,
also known as X3300, and all the features work: randr 1.2, DRI, Xv,
DPMS, multiple monitors.  (See glossary below.)  This is a desktop, so
I can't comment on suspend/resume.  That's using the open source X11
driver that Intel paid for.

Intel recently (within the last two weeks) released the specs for
their graphics chips.  Previously, Intel employees read the specs
under NDA and released the drivers as open source.

However, it's built into my motherboard.  AFAIK, there are no *cards*
with Intel graphics, just north bridge chips.

I also have a laptop with ATI graphics.  Sorry, I don't remember the
exact model.  The fglrx driver sucks on this laptop.  No randr.  No
Xv.  No hardware cursor on second monitor, and incorrect refresh of
software cursor.  Every few minutes the screen blinks.  Suspend/resume
work, and DRI works so long as there's no external monitor.  DPMS
works sometimes.

The open source radeonhd driver is in the Ubuntu Hardy Heron alphas.
I've tried it (alpha 2, a couple of months ago), and on my laptop,
xrandr 1.2 is there.  External monitor works.  But no DRI and no Xv.
I didn't test suspend/resume.

On my older boxes I have RADEON 9000 cards which are very well
supported by the open source radeon driver.  I don't know whether
sufficiently old RADEONs are available in PCI Express.

Are you sure your 24" monitor supports 1680x1050?  Mine only supports
these modes.

    ~> xrandr -q
    Screen 0: minimum 640 x 480, current 1920 x 1200, maximum 1920 x 1200
    default connected 1920x1200+0+0 0mm x 0mm
       1920x1200      60.0* 
       1600x1200      60.0  
       1280x1024      75.0  
       1024x768       75.0  
       800x600        75.0  
       640x480        75.0  

Glossary:

	DRI - Direct Rendering Interface.  Infrastructure required for
	3D and Xv

	Xv - XVideo extension.  Uses 3D hardware to play video
	efficiently.  Needed for full-screen zoom and HD resolution;
	good (reduces CPU load) for all video.

	randr, xrandr - resize and rotate.  Run-time switching of
	display resolution and, on a few systems, orientation.
	xrandr 1.2 is a redesign that supports monitors entering
	and leaving the system.
	
	DPMS - Display Power Management System - signals the monitor
	to go into power saving mode when the computer is idle.

-- 
Bob Miller                              K<bob>
                                        kbob at jogger-egg.com