X1000 - what do you think of this

[Hans_]

VERY weird.
However, I doubt OS4 supports dual graphic cards.
In fact, I'd be surprised if it even supported dual monitors on one HD4650.

Hopefully, in the future, onboard hardware drivers will eliminate the need to use so many cards.

Dual graphics cards do work. I used dual graphics cards to do the initial graphics driver development. The old Radeon card was used for coding, and the Radeon X1000/Radeon HD card was used for testing new builds. That stopped when the RadeonHD driver reached the point at which it was usable.

>I thought part of the "Amiga spirit" was tinkering

tinkering? Hell, I like to completely tear things apart and rebuild them however I want!

... and when has "please don't mess with the hardware" ever stopped people from doing just that? In fact, "you will void the warranty" doesn't really stop people either, does it?

Hans

[Hans_]

But why doesn't the second port of a graphics card work?
Under other OS' it just requires a second driver.

The Radeon HD driver will quite happily output the same screen on all connected outputs. However, Picasso96 (and Cybergraphics too) isn't designed to support multiple outputs. In theory you could create a second (fake) driver in order to support it, but you would probably also have to partition the VRAM into two separate sections, one for each driver. Actually, Bernie Meyer (of Amithlon fame) did demonstrate having 5 monitors connected to one machine via two cards. He never did explain how he got the driver to do it. I have no plans to try something similar with the Radeon HD driver.

Hans

[Hans_]

Another issue is OpenFirmware/UBoot/whatever as those will normally only init 1 card while the P96/CGX drivers for the PCI/AGP-cards might expect them to be initialized.

UBoot and CFE (OpenFirmware used on the A1-X1000) initialise all cards, including extra graphics cards. Sure, it will only actually use one graphics card, but they are all initialised and ready for the OS drivers.

Hans

[Hans_]

Sorry, buy I've seen many cases of this where the manufacturers even place holographic stickers on the computers to detect if the case has been opened.

I guess the theory is that while it is under their warranty they don't want you messing with it, but once it has run out then feel free to bugger it up to your heart's content.

It's much easier to prove/disprove if something broke due to a manufacturing defect if users keep their mits out of the case.

Hans

[Hans_]

@darrin:
do i guess right, that these manufacturers you are talking about, usually supply the customer with setups that are not fully supported in therms of drivers until the warranty expires? its self explanatory, the customer must not modify the setup to gain better functionality in this case, other than on his own risk.

This is irrelevant, as the customers were fully informed on what they were buying, and what functionality would arrive later. If someone opens up their computer and damages it in the process, then that damage falls outside the warranty. This is a risk that is worth reminding people of. While I have never damaged a computer while swapping hardware or connecting it, I have seen plenty of reports of people who have.**

Hans

** In the most extreme case, I remember reading complaints from a guy who managed to rip a chip socket off a motherboard. Needless to say, the warranty didn't cover that!

[Hans_]

I can't believe such a big deal is being made from his comment.  Since Chris and the others at AmigaKit are very busy trying to get all of the "First Contact" AmigaOne X1000 computers assembled, tested and shipped out to the First Contact buyers, plus running the rest of the usual AmigaKit business, it is only natural for him to want as little as possible new Customer Service issues, to have to deal with.  I don't see anything strange in his comment.

The behaviour of certain people on these forums reminds me of a few Dave Chappelle skits under the title "the haters club."

Hans