Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Re: EMC-BDI is not my friend....

Hi Ray,
Reduced bandwidth comments below.. :)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Henry" <rehenry@...>
> Hi Vince.
>
> I cut up your post and Paul's response so badly that I'll mix my comments
> into what's left of these.
> The 2.xx series of BDI does have some issues with these all in one boards.
> I've never tried the TV stuff but the onboard graphics display will work,
> even with 2.04.


Wow, you must be doing something that I'm not doing then. Because I've tried
every different kind of setting in Xconfigurator possible.
The Cyberblade driver didnt even work in the TNG release. Since it was
RedHat 7.2 I tried to install the VIA Linux 7.2 drivers using the VIA script
and boy, not only did it not work, it now wont quit complaining.. LOL!
Its main problem is that it wont run the driver because it gets a Mismatched
Kernel version error.
RedHat uses version 2.4.18-3 and this EMC Kernel is of course different
(2.4.18-rtai) and man does that cause havoc during bootup.

THE Cyberblade driver that you recommended long ago worked for me but the
highest resolution I was able to get was 640x480. This was not enough for
the Windows environment to be able to see much without scrolling from side
to side. I was never able to increase this resolution even with the
CTRL-ALT-+
ie: Only part of the EMC Program was showing on the screen and I had to
scroll to see both sides of that too.

BDI-EMC 2.18 and 2.20b seem to be able to use Cyberblade fine but still dont
get higher than 640x480 res...
I would be happy with 600x800. Any higher resolution would be icing on the
cake.


> Never tried this. Sounds way beyond what I want to invest. I'd swap
> boards first.


Video Card? I have an old RIVA board I tried in the slot and works great.
Auto-detects and everything... BUT, I need the PCI slot for a parallel port
board.
I cant use just the one parallel port on the board with my Bridgeport.
Any ideas on this?


> I don't have a 1280 monitor here but 1024 works just fine. I've not seen
> a case where the generic cyberblade driver couldn't handle this. With
> 2.20b I set the frame buffer memory in the bios to 2m rather than the
> default 8m. I don't think the stock install handled it well so I had to
> go back and use setup -> Xconfigurator. This found cyberblade just fine
> but does not like most display drivers. I use custom and all of the
> default values except interlaced. Non-Interlaced 1024x768 works on all
> three of the Mini ITX EPIA boards that I have here.

Which EPIA boards you you have? I have the first version and the M version.
The M version that has a floppy port is what I'm using to install EMC. Its a
newer and more expensive motherboard. Have 256Meg Dimm installed also if
that matters.

You had mentioned setting up manually in Xconfigurator. Is this what your
talking about? I think I'm gonna need a step-by-step on the Xconfigurator
because I cant find your "Frame Buffer" setting, or the choice between
Interlaced and Non-Interlaced. If I could get a 1024 resolution from this
board I would have to go get one of my kids daipers because I would simply
wet myself.


> Yes and they do not update the display as well as a dedicated graphics
> card but I've not seen any degredation of EMC's motion using them here.
> This is the motherboard that I used to run Cardinal's Bridgeport with
> BDI-2.16 for the HSM articles. It is the same motherboard that WalMart
> put in their el cheapo Lindows machines that both Joe Martin and I used
> to develop the Sherline version. (We replaced the Lindows with BDI-2.18)

Is there a day and time after say Wednesday we could meet on the IRC chat
where you could walk me through Xconfigurator?
I would of course have a fresh new BDI-EMC 2.20b version installed (because
I do want to make chips..) :)
Evenings are best for me but could do it early also.


> No 3D is required or desired. These are the kinds of display drivers that
> will cause issues with the older drivers in 2.xx


Ok, I have an older RIVA board that is Autodetected with Xconfigurator. In
my P4 system I will use that if it came down to it.
Its like putting a Kracko Radio in a Lamborghini but I'LL DO IT if it came
down to it.. :)
Oh yes, the object is definately Make Chips. I've convinced myself of this.


> > But still if I could get my EPIA 933Mhz board working properly that I
> > built for EMC I would be in heaven milling projects very soon.
> > Heck, even Jason Cox in Austrailia Outback is getting his done before
> > me! I suck... :)

Jason Hissed at me from Austrailia. Sorry Jason! Just kiddin!


> With TNG, I've found that the display refresh is even slower. I use 8 bit
> graphics here. You'll have to be careful how you set background color on
> the desktop but the EMC stuff will work fine because it uses less than 8
> bit colors.

I couldnt even get the Cyberblade to load on TNG. I might have selected
Poorly in Xconfigurator.


> Hope this helps
>
> Ray


Vince