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#1 2013-03-16 11:20:58

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Console font on Intel Atom Board

Hi All,

Just tried out 4.0 live on an Intel Atom board [E210882 Atom]

During parts of the boot process I notice a nice hi-res console font. Can anyone shed any lite on how that is acheived? I have since done a base install and tried all sorts of VGA= values for grub but cant seem to get the same nice font? I think I maybe getting the same resllution [1280x1024] but the font doesnt look as clear / nice?

Thanks!

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#2 2013-03-17 10:33:44

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

I have now noticed that in fact there is no vga= line in grubs menu.lst on a live boot and the nice font only occurs after a certain part of the boot process? Am guessing they come into play on running one of the init scripts?

Have now looked through all /etc/init.d scripts and rc5 - bit beyond me really...

Any tips?

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#3 2013-03-17 11:56:43

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Looking at the running full live there seems to be several kernel modules loaded. Is the above down to the fact that base only has a smaller subset of modules and I need the specific gfx chipset modules loaded?

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#4 2013-03-17 12:28:46

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Hi!

Sorry, I write here from smartphone at the moment, and can't give you detailed linux help.

After you booting into working graphic environment, you can switch back into pure console (console is not terminal smile ) by pressing chord Ctrl+Alt+F1(really from F1 to F6). Log in as tux user or as root. Type your commands. When you finished, type command exit. Anytime you can switch back to graphic by pressing chord Alt+F7 (no need to press Ctrl).

Sometime, on some video cards you can't see anything on console, just plain black screen (like one machine at my work) and I don't know how to cope with it. But hi-res console works fine in my Acer Aspire One AOA150 netbook with Intel integrated video card.

If you like, you can download Terminus console font. I've prepared two packages with it, one with only one size (base) and other package contains all the rest sizes according to your needs. Please, search for 'terminus' packages in cooking repo (use http://pkgs.slitaz.org/ ). After installing fonts, go to your console and type command setfont with parameter: name of font file (sorry, I can't recall details). By the way you can see full list of package's files on http://pkgs.slitaz.org and put these names, one at once, as setfont parameter.

And I want to say, you'll see font changes immediately.

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#5 2013-03-17 12:39:11

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Thanks a mill Aleksej - however I am on base only and want to learn / use console only mode - no X bloat!

Yes, Ctrl-Alt-F1 works and gives really nice crisp console font - I need that from base install only. Base doesnt seem to include setfont either.

You sure I dont need some .ko loaded to get this nice console?

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#6 2013-03-17 13:06:30

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Some .ko? Hmm. Maybe, i915? I not experimented with pure console without Xorg.

Just find in my notes:

[c]setfont ter-v14n[/c]
Try it, it really nice: http://mirror.slitaz.org/packages/cooking/terminus-font-base-4.38.tazpkg (for ter-v14n)

http://mirror.slitaz.org/packages/cooking/terminus-font-4.38.tazpkg (for ter-v##* where ## are 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 28, 32, and * is n for normal and b for bold).

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#7 2013-03-17 13:09:18

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Found setfont in the kbd package:

http://pkgs.slitaz.org/search.sh?file=setfont (for cooking version of SliTaz).

Ps. I want to aware you, don't use vga= cheatcode! It contains only old-fashioned lo-res video modes. To give a full list of these modes supported by your video card use cheatcode vga=ask , then you'll see table.

When you not put vga= then Linux Kernel cares about your video mode, it names KMS, Kernel Mode Setting. Here is other cheatcode: video= , but I can't recall is it for Xorg only or no? If I not wrong, example is: video=1600x900

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#8 2013-03-17 18:11:33

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

vg=ask gives list - I reckon I can get 1280x1024 [0x31B] which is fine but the font looks fuzzy / dim. I noticed that that when booting full live then switching to Ctrl-Alt-F1 and checking menu.lst there is not even vga= - so somehow the full live boot must be achieving hi-res console without it, and a real nice look to the font as well.

Someone knows how this happens, either part of the init / startup scripts or maybe kernel modules for the gfx hardware?

Am going to try and load the relevent kernel modules for the atom chipset... thanks for your tips so far smile

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#9 2013-03-17 18:24:40

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

You mixed up kernel modules with Xorg modules. I think you need all that kernel modules that loaded in LiveCD version to all your devices working properly. Or no? Kernel modules equals "device drivers" in windows world. Either, special or fallback ones. You can even listen to mp3 in console, so you need sound kernel module, etc.

Are you tried base SliTaz flavor? What's wrong in your way? I can't understand. Seems I need to run base on my Intel netbook.

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#10 2013-03-17 19:33:22

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

I just have this suspicion that if live cd can make such a clear console font at Ctrl-Alt-F1 with no vga= line in /boot/grub/menu.lst then somehow there must be something else at work? And I noticed that in live there are various modules loaded which are not loaded when booting from base?

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#11 2013-03-17 19:52:53

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Hey - guess what Aleksej? I just gone and solved it smile

I booted full live and copied over all kernel modules that where missing from base, rebooted and bingo! Nice hi-res console and nice font! w00t!

May try out your terminus package now smile

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#12 2013-03-17 20:00:51

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

What I may say? Congrats! wink

You want to say that we want to move some packages to base flavor from other hi-level flavors?

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#13 2013-03-17 20:39:00

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

I would love that slitaz comes in a console only version / flavor with useful console apps pre-installed but with full support for hardware. I know others would like that too smile)

mc

alpine

elinks

tmux

bc

calcurse

mp3blaster

...

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#14 2013-03-17 20:50:02

lexeii
Administrator
Registered: 2012-03-21
Posts: 1,853

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Maybe, who knows.

Collect your favorite CLI apps, get list of installing packages using tazpkg list command, and share it in mailing list. Perhaps our maintainers interested in and will create a new flavor.

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#15 2013-03-18 10:16:18

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

One last one on this - howto set console font for all ttys?

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#16 2013-03-18 12:34:42

cpcnw
Member
Registered: 2013-01-28
Posts: 41

Re: Console font on Intel Atom Board

Its ok I put into /etc/init.d/local.sh

setfont ter-v14n

now all tty have nice font too smile)

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