Matrox Parhelia XFree86 Busmastering kernel module?

[Daniel Lang]

Hiho,

There seems no freebsd-xfree list, but this is only XFree related,
it's rather kernel oriented.

Matrox offers a RedHat-Linux driver for their Parhelia based boards
(Parhelia, P650, P750). The XFree86 driver module mtx_drv.o itself
is OS independent and works with FreeBSD, as successfully
tested on my desk, even with a multihead configuration. :)

Alas, to use acceleration (2D xaa as well as 3D dri, OpenGL,
etc) it requires a kernel module to enable bus mastering on
the card. (I don't know if this is a common thing with Linux,
or with some graphic boards? I am not aware of bus mastering
is required for AGP boards, isn't AGP a dedicated bus anyway?)

The kernel module for bus mastering is partially available in source.
Unfortunately a core object is distributed in binary form.
There are versions for RedHat 7.3 8.x and 9. 
It seems possible to port these kind of drivers, since it
worked with vmware, etc.

Further it might be possible to convince matrix to share the sources
of the core module or even to provide a native FreeBSD version.
I did not try this, yet.

So my question is: has someone attempted a port of this module?

Is someone willing to do it? 

To prevent default answers, I won't do it without specific lead from
someone more experienced.
(In the past I have attempted to develop other kernel drivers on my
own, but failed due to lack of experience but rather due to lack of
time to work on the driver and finally due to the fact, the need to
get the hardware running vanished).

What I can offer: testing (I own a P650 board)
and also programming work, as soon as I know what it's
all about and a guiding frame exists.

Pointers and hints are appreciated as well.

Thanks and best regards,
 Daniel
-- 
IRCnet: Mr-Spock                         - Der Zweite Platz ist Dreck -
 Daniel Lang * dl at leo.org * +49 89 289 18532 * http://www.leo.org/~dl/
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