Hybrid ATI/ATI - Intel/ATI solution: small switcheroo how to

[rmartinez]

@jon_z: Hi, last time I tested (just with gtkperf (2d simple test) and glxgears (I know it's not a great 3d test)) these were the results (not different from yours):

Date
----
2010/07/08

Graphic card(s)
---------------
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Mobility Radeon HD 3650 (rev ff)

Currently using integrated: ATI RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] with power ON,
and not using discrete: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 with power OFF.

CPU(s)
------
model name : AMD Turion(tm) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile ZM-82
model name : AMD Turion(tm) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile ZM-82

Screen size and depth
---------------------
dimensions: 1440x900 pixels (381x238 millimeters)
depth of root window: 24 planes

GLX Info
--------
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI R600 (RS780 9612) 20090101 TCL DRI2
OpenGL version string: 2.0 Mesa 7.8.1
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.10
OpenGL extensions:

Linux distro - Kernel
---------------------
Fedora release 13 (Goddard) - Linux 2.6.34-vgaswitcheroo x86_64

Installed open source video drivers
-----------------------------------
libdrm-2.4.21-2.fc13.x86_64
libdrm-devel-2.4.21-2.fc13.x86_64
mesa-dri-drivers-7.8.1-6.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-ati-6.13.0-1.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-intel-2.11.0-5.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-nouveau-0.0.16-7.20100423git13c1043.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-server-Xorg-1.8.2-1.fc13.x86_64

Glxgears tests
--------------
1) glxgears test: 2973 frames in 5.0 seconds
2) glxgears test: 3321 frames in 5.0 seconds
3) glxgears test: 2635 frames in 5.0 seconds
4) glxgears test: 3011 frames in 5.0 seconds
5) glxgears test: 3086 frames in 5.0 seconds
6) glxgears test: 2921 frames in 5.0 seconds
7) glxgears test: 2956 frames in 5.0 seconds
8) glxgears test: 3008 frames in 5.0 seconds
9) glxgears test: 2840 frames in 5.0 seconds
10) glxgears test: 2865 frames in 5.0 seconds
+------------------------------------------+
| Mean glxgears: 592.320 frames per second |
+------------------------------------------+

Gtkperf tests
-------------
1) gtkperf test: 11.71 seconds
2) gtkperf test: 11.53 seconds
3) gtkperf test: 11.59 seconds
4) gtkperf test: 11.93 seconds
5) gtkperf test: 11.75 seconds
6) gtkperf test: 11.93 seconds
7) gtkperf test: 12.30 seconds
8) gtkperf test: 11.69 seconds
9) gtkperf test: 11.90 seconds
10) gtkperf test: 11.77 seconds
+------------------------------+
| Mean gtkperf: 11.810 seconds |
+------------------------------+

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date
----
2010/07/08

Graphic card(s)
---------------
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics]
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Mobility Radeon HD 3650

Currently using discrete: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 with power ON,
and not using integrated: ATI RS780M/RS780MN [Radeon HD 3200 Graphics] with power OFF.

CPU(s)
------
model name : AMD Turion(tm) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile ZM-82
model name : AMD Turion(tm) X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile ZM-82

Screen size and depth
---------------------
dimensions: 1440x900 pixels (381x238 millimeters)
depth of root window: 24 planes

GLX Info
--------
OpenGL vendor string: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI R600 (RV635 9591) 20090101 TCL DRI2
OpenGL version string: 2.0 Mesa 7.8.1
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.10
OpenGL extensions:

Linux distro - Kernel
---------------------
Fedora release 13 (Goddard) - Linux 2.6.34-vgaswitcheroo x86_64

Installed open source video drivers
-----------------------------------
libdrm-2.4.21-2.fc13.x86_64
libdrm-devel-2.4.21-2.fc13.x86_64
mesa-dri-drivers-7.8.1-6.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-ati-6.13.0-1.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-intel-2.11.0-5.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-drv-nouveau-0.0.16-7.20100423git13c1043.fc13.x86_64
xorg-x11-server-Xorg-1.8.2-1.fc13.x86_64

Glxgears tests
--------------
1) glxgears test: 3366 frames in 5.0 seconds
2) glxgears test: 3209 frames in 5.0 seconds
3) glxgears test: 2760 frames in 5.0 seconds
4) glxgears test: 2808 frames in 5.0 seconds
5) glxgears test: 3156 frames in 5.0 seconds
6) glxgears test: 3391 frames in 5.0 seconds
7) glxgears test: 3159 frames in 5.0 seconds
8) glxgears test: 2933 frames in 5.0 seconds
9) glxgears test: 2565 frames in 5.0 seconds
10) glxgears test: 3324 frames in 5.0 seconds
+------------------------------------------+
| Mean glxgears: 613.420 frames per second |
+------------------------------------------+

Gtkperf tests
-------------
1) gtkperf test: 9.94 seconds
2) gtkperf test: 9.59 seconds
3) gtkperf test: 9.71 seconds
4) gtkperf test: 9.50 seconds
5) gtkperf test: 9.55 seconds
6) gtkperf test: 9.52 seconds
7) gtkperf test: 9.80 seconds
8) gtkperf test: 9.47 seconds
9) gtkperf test: 9.50 seconds
10) gtkperf test: 9.69 seconds
+-----------------------------+
| Mean gtkperf: 9.627 seconds |
+-----------------------------+

If you want I can pass you the simple script that gave these results.

[jon_z]

Upgraded 3D ability

Hello Roberto,

It seems things have gone a long way since my first post in 2009. You have moved the ball far and I greatly appreciate that!

I have followed your howto from your blogspot post to the T. I have switchable graphics cards working properly.

I notice however that I have a low FPS rate for the video cards.

[jon@Socrates ~]# glxgears
3022 frames in 5.0 seconds = 604.354 FPS
3147 frames in 5.0 seconds = 629.345 FPS
3234 frames in 5.0 seconds = 646.792 FPS
3245 frames in 5.0 seconds = 648.794 FPS
2827 frames in 5.0 seconds = 565.214 FPS

What must I do to increase my FPS? I am using Fedora13. I noticed in your one post you mentioned using the newest git kernel? If you could give me some guidance as to increase the capacity of my video cards, I would greatly appreciate it.

[jon_z]

Roberto,

I have followed your HOWTO from http://asusm51ta-with-linux.blogspot.com/.

I am using the asus m51ta. I am getting sluggish 3d results.

[jon@Socrates ~]# glxgears
3022 frames in 5.0 seconds = 604.354 FPS
3147 frames in 5.0 seconds = 629.345 FPS
3234 frames in 5.0 seconds = 646.792 FPS
3245 frames in 5.0 seconds = 648.794 FPS
2827 frames in 5.0 seconds = 565.214 FPS

When Fedora13 installed the FPS were ~1300 using the 3200. Can you give me a brief howto on how to use the newer kernel to achieve higher FPS? I am on a fresh install just having done what you instructed in your blogspot post.

[bridgman]

What kind of battery life are you seeing on the "low" profile compared to fglrx/windows/whatever you use for a reference ?

[paul!]

Recently I tried 2.6.35. There are new power saving options for ati graphics cards, still there's no increase in uptime on battery.

Also standby does not work, display stays black after waking up the laptop. Is this issue known, will something be done about it?

Greetings

[rewind]

I have an HP DV6 with ATI 5650 and Intel GMA (not sure of version)

Basically I want to have ATI enabled by default and I'm not overly worried about switching between them. I just want my gaming and visual editing options with my laptop under Ubuntu. Is there an updated script for this I can get, perhaps to setup the kenerl also?

Cheers,
Zeb

It should be default with the Ati, if it is not, then the script will only help you with switching between them, but only under Fedora for now.

I know there is switcheroo support till 2.6.34, but when I get the source from git and perform custom configuration /as said here/ the "Laptop Hybrid Graphics - GPU Switching Support" is missing from Device Drivers -> Graphics Support and what is more frustrating, no matter what version I checkout /for example Ubuntu-lts-2.6.35-xxxx/ in the "debian/rules editconfigs" at the top of the window is 2.6.32-xxxx.

[ZebCarnell]

I have an HP DV6 with ATI 5650 and Intel GMA (not sure of version)

Basically I want to have ATI enabled by default and I'm not overly worried about switching between them. I just want my gaming and visual editing options with my laptop under Ubuntu. Is there an updated script for this I can get, perhaps to setup the kenerl also?

Cheers,
Zeb

[rewind]

switcheroo has been in kernel for a while now. You need to make sure you've compiled switcheroo support and mount debugfs.

With "complete newbie" I meant a "haven't compiled kernel never before newbie". Is there an easy way to explain how to compile switcheroo support, thanks again for the help

[agd5f]

switcheroo has been in kernel for a while now. You need to make sure you've compiled switcheroo support and mount debugfs.

[rewind]

I am trying to adapt the same switcheroo functionality on Ubuntu Lucid with Asus M51TR notebook with hd3200/hd3470 adapters and am following that guide to compile the kernel from gid:

http://blog.avirtualhome.com/2010/05/05/how-to-compile-a-ubuntu-lucid-kernel/

and have some difficulties understanding the whole picture with the patches for that functionality from Airlied. Where /in the guide/ exactly have to apply the patches /I suppose that the "0001..." and "0002..." shows the sequence by itself../ and which kernel should I checkout from git.
Thanks in advance. If someone didn't noticed already I'm almost a complete newbie

P.S. In one of the comments in your blogpost here an user "ER" said that the switcheroo functionality is already compiled in the kernel after 2.6.34, but I still have no "/sys/kernel/debug/vgaswitcheroo" folder and I have 2.6.35 installed.

P.S.2 I am bulgarian, excuse me for my English if there's errors...