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Jackie Pan | 7 Oct 09:44

Re: Modular BIOS Interface


2008/10/7 Joseph Smith <joe <at> settoplinux.org>



On Tue, 7 Oct 2008 11:02:01 +0800, "Jackie Pan" <jackiepan93 <at> gmail.com>
wrote:
> 2008/9/18 Joseph Smith <joe <at> settoplinux.org>
>
>>
>> Hello,
>> Has anyone heard of the Modular BIOS Interface (MBI) Specification and
>> where I can find it???
>> I would like it for some research, and to find out more of what it is
> and
>> does.
>>
>
> Intel's Modular BIOS interface? I think it's still Intel confidential,
you
> should contact your Intel representative.

Yeh, I found that out. Unfortunatly If I told an Intel rep that I would
like to develop MBI for coreboot, I think they would laugh at me. I think I
need this to get my tv-out chip working. I already had a hell of a time
trying to get Intel's "Bios Modification Program" (BMP Utility) to build a
new vga bios for the i830m. They did not help me at all. Oh, well I will
get there one way or another.

--
Thanks,
Joseph Smith
Set-Top-Linux
www.settoplinux.org

I'll be doing similar work in next few months, my goal is to get display
from coreboot-like environment, and I'm not planning to use intel's vbios, 
my experience tells me vbios is not an absolute necessecity, so the BMP
or MBI stuff won't be bothered either. The idea is not verified, but I think it's
worth a try.

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coreboot mailing list: coreboot <at> coreboot.org
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Joseph Smith | 7 Oct 13:44

Re: Modular BIOS Interface


> I'll be doing similar work in next few months, my goal is to get
> displayfrom coreboot-like environment, and I'm not planning to use
intel's vbios,
> my experience tells me vbios is not an absolute necessecity, so the BMP
> or MBI stuff won't be bothered either. The idea is not verified, but I
> think it's worth a try.

Your right. My experiance tells me Intel's vbios is not necessary also. It
is possible to get the vga and any sub-chips running without the vbios, but
the problem with that is Linux (or other OS's) do not play well. You have
to set them up to use the Intel frame buffer instead of the the normal
"intel" X driver. It's alot of work, on both the coreboot end and the Linux
end...

My theory is to use a normal vbios, after coreboot initializes vga setup
the i2c lines, and then program the sub-chip (tv, LVD, etc).

--

-- 
Thanks,
Joseph Smith
Set-Top-Linux
www.settoplinux.org

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