# xf86-video-ati screen turns off



## reasons (Sep 24, 2010)

On a fresh install of 8.1 with a ATI 5850, when starting xorg with two monitors one goes into powersave mode and the other looks like it has a waterfall effect going over it. Both are DVI connections. Works with the wrong resolution on the VESA driver.


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## reasons (Sep 25, 2010)

Went ahead and got the latest Ubuntu release (I realise linux /= bsd) because I was having the same problem with my gentoo install. Everything works as expected so I'm not sure if it's a kms issue (freebsd still doesn't have kms right?) or just a silly error on my part.


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## SirDice (Sep 26, 2010)

It's most likely a configuration error. Most modern monitors will turn off when the frequencies are to high.

As for the 'weird' effects on the other monitor, I'm not sure if this driver is capable of dual screen. I know I had the same effect with 2 monitors and the Xorg nv driver.


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## wblock@ (Sep 26, 2010)

SirDice said:
			
		

> It's most likely a configuration error. Most modern monitors will turn off when the frequencies are to high.
> 
> As for the 'weird' effects on the other monitor, I'm not sure if this driver is capable of dual screen. I know I had the same effect with 2 monitors and the Xorg nv driver.



xf86-video-ati aka radeon works great with dual monitors.  But a 5850 is very new and support for it in the driver is either minimal or nonexistent.


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## adamk (Sep 26, 2010)

xf86-video-ati's first release with HD5xxx support was 6.13.0.  I'm not sure what version 8.1 ships with, but make sure it's at least 6.13.0.  And, honestly, considering how new that GPU is, you may want to consider updating to 6.13.1 or even xf86-video-ati from git.

Adam


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## reasons (Sep 26, 2010)

SirDice said:
			
		

> It's most likely a configuration error. Most modern monitors will turn off when the frequencies are to high.
> 
> As for the 'weird' effects on the other monitor, I'm not sure if this driver is capable of dual screen. I know I had the same effect with 2 monitors and the Xorg nv driver.


What I get from xrandr is they're both connected running at 60hz which should be fine.



			
				wblock said:
			
		

> xf86-video-ati aka radeon works great with dual monitors.  But a 5850 is very new and support for it in the driver is either minimal or nonexistent.


Very minimal, but it is there. I don't need any 3D, I do all my games on Windows.



			
				adamk said:
			
		

> xf86-video-ati's first release with HD5xxx support was 6.13.0.  I'm not sure what version 8.1 ships with, but make sure it's at least 6.13.0.  And, honestly, considering how new that GPU is, you may want to consider updating to 6.13.1 or even xf86-video-ati from git.
> 
> Adam


It shipped with 6.13.0, I tried building .1 last night and it failed, I'll give it a better go today, probably from git and report back.

Thanks for all the input.


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## reasons (Sep 28, 2010)

Version from git works but I can't rotate my second monitor. I'm more than certain that's because they disabled 2D accel.


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