Mageia forum

Hello, Any...

I have a short story to tell, and I seek enlightened comments - and advice.

(You can just go to the end and see the questions - but you won't get the right "gist". Just like Linux, it's best you read the full "log" of things.)

"LINUX DISPLAY SETTINGS (video)"

Firstly, I must note to you that my system isn't "normal".

On this system Windows-2000 has been my workhorse. On it I only use freeware. Win-2000 has everything - and it flies! It does not miss a beat. Several months ago, after about a decade of use, I defragged it. (What's that all about?)

Unfortunately,
1. Microsoft no longer supports Windows-2000, of course. Not since years ago, actually.
2. Browser of choice is Opera-12. It's fantastic. Some of you might know that Opera-12 also
no longer has support - and a few websites are now failing to provide support for it too.

Failure to "support" O/S + Browser is becoming a problem in everyday usage - so I have decided to investigate a Linux alternative.

Don't get this wrong. I have dabbled in Linux on a regular basis over years.

My first experience in the "old days" was Redhat 4.2? or something - 3 CD's and Manual. ($20) Couldn't quite get the hang of it. Fix this; twiddle that; poke something else. And just WHAT was that command again? Was it "bna", or "nab", or "abn"? Maybe it was Bna, or baN.1.0.abr.0.fx..... ...aah, forget it!

Next I tried Mandrake 7.1 off a PC magazine cover. That always crashed just prior to finishing install. (I finally figured out that the disk was caput - and would NEVER load.) Then I tried Mandrake 7.2. Wow! I LIKED IT! The installer was killer, and Drake Control Centre was super. I never needed to go out of the GUI. And selecting graphics and making resolution choices - in the setup, and afterwards - was a breeze!

So I made a decision NOT to use ANY Linux that required continuous delving into "commandline". I only use Linux at the GUI. (That becomes important in the questions later. Please read on.)

Sadly Mandrake disappeared.

Then Mandriva popped up. Mandriva worked fine.

[However Windows2000 was still very fast; easy to use; had bundles of freeware... ...so it remained my workhorse.]

Every now and then I would try a new Linux distro. Always trouble. One thing or another. Often, the usual "blank screen". Unbelievable! Tried different distros; tried different versions. Always pain. Much, much pain!

Sadly Mandriva wound up.

OpenMandriva came along. It too loaded (on 2nd go) and looked promising. On my system it was a weeny bit slower than I liked, but OK. OpenMandriva looked like a winner for a modern switchover.

(Now isn't that funny? All the Mandrake-Mandriva-OpenMandriva family ALWAYS load easily, and work well. The other Linux lines don't.)

Oops. I must add that I tried PuppyLinux "Precise", and struggled with blurry video - but managed to get it working. Sweet! PuppyLinux "Tahr" is excellent too. A good, strong contender. It packs so much "punch" into such a small footprint.

Most recently, I also tried both Antix-15.1 Linux and MX-15 (an Antix/Mepis Linii integration). I tried them because they both have the option of NOT using system-d. BOTH load well, give me a desktop to use, but do NOT recognize my SiS-6326 adapter - which also means they don't detect my monitor either. They leave me with an unalterable 800x600 resolution, and zero refresh rate. (I note both distros are Debian-Jessie derivatives ("Jessie" won't install) and DO NOT have a SiS-6326 video driver included. I don't know if xf86-video-sis-antix is a driver, or how it is supposed to be set up. I do NOT use CLI, mostly.)

In trying out a hundred distros and versions I have relied heavily on http://www.distrowatch.com and http://www.dedoimedo.com Thanks. Brilliant!

Now, here's the thing...

Recently I tried Mageia-5. (Yet another Mandrake family derivative!) I thought this modern distro would definitely fail on my OLD, low-spec system. However, to my great surprise, it loaded FIRST POP. And WOW! It's fantastic!

However Mageia-5 (kernel 4.1.13) has produced a strange result for me - which I now want to share with you for meaningful discussion and feedback. I had a bit of trouble with the video - but got it working via GUI.

Here's the strange part(s).

* I selected the LG L-204WTQ monitor to use. (There's NO "196" model.)
* The SiS adapter video specification has a max resolution of 1600x1200, and also 1280 x 1024.
and
* The SiS adapter video spec also has only 8, 16 and 24 bit colour.

However, under this wonderful Mageia-5, I have now setup the display to 1440 x 900 resolution (matching monitor recommended spec.), with 15 bit colour, on a "204" model monitor.

To get that final result I had to use three programs - the normal MCC (Mageia Control Centre) video settings, plus two separate, xrandr-based, GUI, video-configuration, add-on programs. [My reasons for using the three separate programs were that the MCC allowed me to select the LG-L204WTQ monitor - along with >>> 15-bit <<< colour - and TEST any settings. Between the other two programs they inform me about refresh rates and resolution.]

>>>> So between the 3 programs, I established settings that are NOT supposed to be part of the SiS Video Adapter configuration. Why could I do that? How is it possible? Why is that only Mageia can do this, but not other distros? [I must qualify that here, by saying that OpenSuse-13.2 "Harlequin" installed, including detecting all hardware (although it found 3 monitors -correct model), briefly gave me a desktop background with mouse, failed to show a login box, then began cycling blank-screen-to-that-point ad infinitum. (No login!)]

Ultimately, for hard-core PC productivity, I cannot see myself using anything other than Mageia now - provided all things remain equal (especially AFTER any future system updates, or package installs). [I have read about quite a few problems and failures on many distros recently after standard upgrades.]

[For crying out loud, Mageia, the Control Centre concept that has persisted within the Mandrake family - now supported in Mageia-5 - has been utterly BRILLIANT! Do not change it! Build on it!
Mageia, I hope you can also work to ENHANCE the video-parameters "test-setup" model too, because it is the ONE thing that has anchored your distro-family, for me at least. (Note, if someone CAN get video working (easily) then they have the potential to get everything working - but NOT, if video fails. Of course, after video "success", everything else has to be easily "configurable" too.)
So, Mageia, Brilliant!]

Here is the CLI xrandr output...

Before that came up this message shows first: "Failed to get size output for gamma default."
(Remember the monitor is set to model 204, not the actual 196.)

...then...

Code: Select all: Screen 0: minimum 320 x 240, current 1440 x 900, maximum 1440 x 900 default connected 1440x900+0+0 0mm x 0mm 1440x900 60.00* 75.00 1280x800 75.00 60.00 1152x864 75.00 1024x768 75.00 70.00 60.00 896x672 60.00 832x624 75.00 800x600 75.00 60.00 56.00 72.00 65.00 700x525 75.00 60.00 640x512 75.00 60.00 640x480 75.00 60.00 73.00 720x400 70.00 576x432 75.00 512x384 75.00 70.00 60.00 416x312 75.00 400x300 75.00 72.00 60.00 56.00 320x240 75.00 73.00 60.00

At CLI "hwinfo" reports the Monitor as "generic" and resolution at 800 x 600 (which it clearly isn't).

So, Anyone, I am very interested to know why I was able to configure the antique SiS-6326 beyond it's capacity in Mageia-5, and any other ellucidatory detail, or fine comment.

wayne (of kelmscott)

Is that your question?

boombaby wrote:>>>> So between the 3 programs, I established settings that are NOT supposed to be part of the SiS Video Adapter configuration. Why could I do that? How is it possible? Why is that only Mageia can do this, but not other distros?

I don't really understand the question. That resolution may not be offered by e.g. the windows driver, but the chip is still be able to drive that.
From what I read the 6326 supports VESA 2.0, and if it can do 1600x1200 it also can do lower resolutions.

For some more details on the sis driver you can have a look at https://web.archive.org/web/20150922210 ... svga.shtml
which also provides a fair lot of details about the supported sis cards in general.

For the question why only Mageia (I believe it's not only Mageia, others distros also have the same version of the sis driver) can do that,
is maybe because one of our contributors also uses an sis card, and hence one of the developers was merciful and didn't kill the driver,
but updated and fixed it to build with newer X server versions. Other distros may simply have killed it.

OK, Doktor5000, be patient with me (as I try to come to grips with Linux "Display").

1.
I am so glad you pointed to the archive article on "SiS", which appears to be THE guiding SiS DRIVER document - written by Mr. Winischhofer himself (an original source of the Driver).

Over years I have been trying to come to grips with "display" across Linux distros. More recently, over months and months, I have been reading of Winischhofer's name, and bits and pieces about (a) SiS driver(s), and seen many links to websites - all of which do little to nothing (ie no driver). That (4-page) document is the first time that I have been able to read FULLY about the Driver (capacities, configs, intentions, etc.)

So, THANKS!

It has given me some other leads to follow up on. (I did not know that "man sis" would bring up a "SiS Driver" page. A great part of the archive is in that man page.)

As far as I can determine, Mageia-5 (and Mandrake family) still have a (Winschhofer) SiS driver (in whatever form that takes) which continues to manage (my) OLD-STYLE SiS-6326 video card, and therefore the Monitor setup TOO. If Mageia can manage it, why not others? The other distros seem - somewhere along the way - to have TOTALLY dropped SUPPORT for old SiS. [Just quietly - between you and me - Winischhofer noted on page-1 of that archive that SiS was not supporting Linux drivers. So could that be a reason for the apparent demise in mutual support within various distros, or is it more a critical thing - for instance, that "space" in distro ISO(s) is guiding decisions? "Political" or "practical" - what's your opinion?]

If video is critical to getting display/people up-and-running in a "happy" experience, I think keeping SiS would be better. Linux should be "pleasure", not "pain" - or is that the wrong way round? (My reading of distro forums would imply the latter is, likely, correct.)

2. I know that the SiS-6326 specification states it has "VESA-2" capability. [Wherever I have tried VESA in various distros (as kernel arg), and in different ways, it has failed to get anything running. (I don't go into that here. I'm just letting you know that, since you referred me to it.)]

3. Please advise me if Linux "Display" (in a nutshell) means:

The O/S (ie Kernel plus any extra helper Modules) interacts with the CORRECT Driver (of chip electronics) on the Video adapter
to place consequential video signals (text or graphics) onto it's ouput going to the Monitor, which (if set at proper rates/values) receives and
correctly displays that information - WITH those "consequential" signals (at adapter) being generated either by independently-run programs, or
within an organized, visual, "X"-format desktop-system [which (in modern Linux) is enhanced further into a highly-interactive and malleable
sub-system (ie K, Gnome, "Mate", LDM, etc.)], that gathers "feedback" via mouse-pointer position; clicks; keyboard; etc. which is returned
back to the O/S system.

Allowing for slack on things inconsequential (unless I missed something glaringly significant), and without getting into complex technical argument, is that about it?

If so, then the right Video DRIVER is >>> C.R.I.T.I.C.A.L. <<< in the "road-to-happiness" process from Linux install. No driver, NO Linux! [Understand me... ...my Mageia-5 is working so well it dulls the "pain" (much pain) I've gone through trying to get other distros installed and running. That's all. (At the expense of an ORIGINAL, but very bad pun, Linux video hertz!)]

4.
For me, I am not willing to mess with my current MAGEIA-5 setup (even the alternate Monitor choice) - because "it works".

However I do want to understand "LINUX DISPLAY" better (but not high-falutin' technospeak for top Linux geeks). I want to understand "DISPLAY" - especially when the SPECIFIC Driver is NOT available, say, at install - if there is an easy way to get (possibly work with) basic video RENDERINGS? By that (and in my limited understanding of "internals") I ask whether the kernel can provide a "generic" point of easy access to (say) VESA, DRI, framebuffer, etc? Or have I got that wrong? [I have tried kernel ARGS in many ways but sometimes the args appear to be overidden by something-or-other further along the boot process.]

Here's another reason why I ask that question...

ALL the Linux distros seem to be able to present some high-quality graphics environment AT INSTALL (whether direct or "live", or with or without "SiS" drivers) but for a lot of people (me included), after the re-boot - no display! Blackness! Blackness or fuzziness or thin, interference lines etc. That contradiction has always puzzled me... FOR "install" or "live", very good display; AFTER install, "problems". [That does NOT apply to Mageia-5!]

On my hardware, with other distro/versions, "VESA" seems to have largely failed me. Even on my Vesa2-capable adapter using Vesa seems to crash the system - every time. "Framebuffer" seems very touchy, often "unloading" or causing failures (although my current config on Mageia-5 might be relying on it in the "15-bit" display?). [I note from Winischhofer's doc that "framebuffer" is a possible video output consideration - BUT - a second "fbcon" module must be "activated" at the same time. He states emphatically that unless that happens - nada, nothing. (I wouldn't have a clue.)]

5.
Still with my setup, let's take the current 1440 x 900 resolution config. That is not a spec in SiS-6326. It is the preferred spec of the Monitor. (I know it shows up in the xrandr output that I provided, but it's not under the SiS-6326 specification.) HOW did the driver setup achieve that resolution outside of the SiS spec? To me, it appears that, somehow, the Monitor detection has "triggered" SOMETHING which allowed the current 1440 x 900 resolution-compatibility between Video Adapter and Monitor. Right? If Mageia does it, then why not other distros (which have SiS)? [This is a basis of my previous post asking about settings seemingly outside of video-adapter specifications.]

Kind Regards,
wayne (of kelmscott)

It would be preferred if you could at least highlight your actual questions so others don't have to wade through several pages of plaintext

boombaby wrote:As far as I can determine, Mageia-5 (and Mandrake family) still have a (Winschhofer) SiS driver (in whatever form that takes) which continues to manage (my) OLD-STYLE SiS-6326 video card, and therefore the Monitor setup TOO. If Mageia can manage it, why not others? The other distros seem - somewhere along the way - to have TOTALLY dropped SUPPORT for old SiS. [Just quietly - between you and me - Winischhofer noted on page-1 of that archive that SiS was not supporting Linux drivers. So could that be a reason for the apparent demise in mutual support within various distros, or is it more a critical thing - for instance, that "space" in distro ISO(s) is guiding decisions? "Political" or "practical" - what's your opinion?]

Mentioned that above, the sis driver often broken when X server was updated to newer releases, and many other distros probably consider target population using this driver much too small to invest more efforts into it, so they simply drop it.
There's no point in asking this here, you should ask the various distros why the driver is not working or not present. See my previous post:

doktor5000 wrote:For the question why only Mageia (I believe it's not only Mageia, others distros also have the same version of the sis driver) can do that,
is maybe because one of our contributors also uses an sis card, and hence one of the developers was merciful and didn't kill the driver,
but updated and fixed it to build with newer X server versions. Other distros may simply have killed it.

boombaby wrote:2. I know that the SiS-6326 specification states it has "VESA-2" capability. [Wherever I have tried VESA in various distros (as kernel arg), and in different ways, it has failed to get anything running. (I don't go into that here. I'm just letting you know that, since you referred me to it.)]

What particular kernel option did you try, and to achieve what exactly? Your card has vesa 2.0 extensions, and those are automatically used, no need to enable anything.

boombaby wrote:3. Please advise me if Linux "Display" (in a nutshell) means:

The O/S (ie Kernel plus any extra helper Modules) interacts with the CORRECT Driver (of chip electronics) on the Video adapter
to place consequential video signals (text or graphics) onto it's ouput going to the Monitor, which (if set at proper rates/values) receives and
correctly displays that information - WITH those "consequential" signals (at adapter) being generated either by independently-run programs, or
within an organized, visual, "X"-format desktop-system [which (in modern Linux) is enhanced further into a highly-interactive and malleable
sub-system (ie K, Gnome, "Mate", LDM, etc.)], that gathers "feedback" via mouse-pointer position; clicks; keyboard; etc. which is returned
back to the O/S system.

Yes and no. The linux graphics architecture is somewhat more complex. To get an understanding on the several layers that are involved,
see e.g. this post by one of the key contributors in that area: http://www.keithp.com/blogs/MST-monitors/
It tries to explain what is necessary to get 4K monitors working, but that doesn't matter, it also explains the layers involved.
See also http://blog.mecheye.net/2012/06/the-lin ... ics-stack/ for an overview of the higher layers.

boombaby wrote:However I do want to understand "LINUX DISPLAY" better (but not high-falutin' technospeak for top Linux geeks). I want to understand "DISPLAY" - especially when the SPECIFIC Driver is NOT available, say, at install - if there is an easy way to get (possibly work with) basic video RENDERINGS? By that (and in my limited understanding of "internals") I ask whether the kernel can provide a "generic" point of easy access to (say) VESA, DRI, framebuffer, etc? Or have I got that wrong? [I have tried kernel ARGS in many ways but sometimes the args appear to be overidden by something-or-other further along the boot process.]

Yes, there are several generic drivers, at least fbdev and the vesa driver. See the manpage via

Code: Select all: man vesa man fbdev

and for fbdev see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_framebuffer

boombaby wrote:ALL the Linux distros seem to be able to present some high-quality graphics environment AT INSTALL (whether direct or "live", or with or without "SiS" drivers) but for a lot of people (me included), after the re-boot - no display! Blackness! Blackness or fuzziness or thin, interference lines etc. That contradiction has always puzzled me... FOR "install" or "live", very good display; AFTER install, "problems". [That does NOT apply to Mageia-5!]

Well, if the generic vesa or fbdev drivers don't work on your hardware correctly after installation, or the sis driver is not working or not available, you would probably would need to report that to the other distros where it's not working correctly.

boombaby wrote:
5.
Still with my setup, let's take the current 1440 x 900 resolution config. That is not a spec in SiS-6326. It is the preferred spec of the Monitor. (I know it shows up in the xrandr output that I provided, but it's not under the SiS-6326 specification.) HOW did the driver setup achieve that resolution outside of the SiS spec? To me, it appears that, somehow, the Monitor detection has "triggered" SOMETHING which allowed the current 1440 x 900 resolution-compatibility between Video Adapter and Monitor. Right? If Mageia does it, then why not other distros (which have SiS)? [This is a basis of my previous post asking about settings seemingly outside of video-adapter specifications.]

What do you mean by "not a spec in SiS-6326" ? The 6326 supports resolutions up to 1600x1200, how is 1440 x 900 outside of the spec? What spec do you refer to in particular?
I looked at http://web.archive.org/web/200202040301 ... agpfea.htm which is linked from http://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/com ... s-6326-agp

Hello, Doktor5000

>>>>> QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
It would be preferred if you could at least highlight your actual questions so others don't have to wade
through several pages of plaintext

(A.)
CORRECT! (And ditto for huge technobabble Man pages and vast codified and anacronymized Log files. [Yes; I did just invent that word.])

(B.)
I DID state at the outset that the "story" was long (for a reason). The "gist", for those who might have missed it, was about the concept of Linii supporting "re-using & re-cycling" old equipment, and/or mix-n-matching newer equipment (including LG-L>>> 196 <<<WTQ monitors). That's my understanding of a Linux aim of ye olden dayes. [I also sought help about "DISPLAY" - on such a system.]

(C.)
I also hoped laying it all "out there" would give confidence to other "newbie" or "gui-only" types that MAGEIA-5 was (therefore) a good choice of distro in that regard.

>>>>> In my 2nd post I RE-VAMPED a previous question about drivers (my driver - SiS-6326) being UN-available in other distros - which you immediately picked up on...

QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
There's no point in asking this here, you should ask the various distros why the driver is not working or not
present. See my previous post: [qv. NOT REQUIRED HERE]

(D.)
CORRECT! Patience!

(E.)
Also, that was for the benefit of others - "newbies" or "gui-only" types. ( ...who might be looking for "peripheral" info about Display or olde drivers.)

>>>>> QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
What particular kernel option did you try, and to achieve what exactly? Your card has vesa 2.0 extensions, and
those are automatically used, no need to enable anything.

(F.)
I did not know about "AUTO" vesa extensions activation. So, thanks.
[Remember, I DID say that I work at the desktop/GUI. Only in my very recent efforts have I tried looking at the internals in VARIOUS, MODERN distros (in the context with my olde equipment). NOTE WELL: That is ONLY because Linux distros >> IMPOSE << that necessity on the User. I don't necessarily want to be in the "guts" of it. (However, it can be a learning experience.)]

(G.)
To respond to your particular point of enquiry in the quote... Of recent times I have tried SO MANY configuration options (even mucking around inside X) that I cannot be precise for you here. (Possibly something like: video=vesa:...blah,blah. I might remember something in particular later.) However, let me put it this way... if there WAS a way to configure it I did it - and nothing came of it. As a slightly more precise indication (at the desktop level)... where I could use VESA-optioned choices in (drop-down) selections for screen resolutions the choice ALWAYS failed. In the end I stopped selecting any options marked as "vesa...".

That's why I am interested in Winischhofer noting about "vesa" and "fbcon". (Don't know if it will mean anything on my system though.)

Having said all that (ie about distros), I told you that MAGEIA-5 is fantastic, and serving the purpose of me being able to do "stuff".

>>>>> QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
Yes and no. The linux graphics architecture is somewhat more complex. To get an understanding on the several
layers that are involved, see e.g. this post by one of the key contributors in that area: [Link removed, see
earlier post.]

(G.)
PERFECT! Will read shortly. Thanks.

>>>>> In my re-post I enquired further about basic Linux "DISPLAY".

QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
Yes, there are several generic drivers, at least fbdev and the vesa driver. See the manpage via
Code: Select all
man vesa
man fbdev

(H.)
PERFECT! (Although I find the "man" pages system and data too technical in places, confusing or downright unhelpful, I take your advice and will read soon too. Thanks.)

========> QUESTION COMING UP =============>>>
Just on the "framebuffer" bit, in my system - now using "15-bit" colour (chosen at Mageia5 desktop drop-down, which was required to get hires display) - am I also (automatically) configured to 15-bit framebuffer? Is that what it means? How can I tell?

)

>>>>> QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
Well, if the generic vesa or fbdev drivers don't work on your hardware correctly after installation, or the sis
driver is not working or not available, you would probably would need to report that to the other distros where
it's not working correctly.

(I.)
Yep. Nada. Like the screens.

>>>>> QUOTE: doktor5000 » Jan 10th
What do you mean by "not a spec in SiS-6326" ? The 6326 supports resolutions up to 1600x1200, how is 1440 x 900 outside
of the spec? What spec do you refer to in particular?

(J.)
Well, let's take the link given.
It states...
High Performance 2D Accelerator
- Support to 1024x768/ 800x600/ 640x480 in 8/16/24 bit color format @ 120Hz refresh rate
- Support to 1280x1024 in 8/16/24 bit color format @ 85Hz refresh rate
[I know that I also mentioned the 1600x1200 resolution (but I cannot locate the source of that at the moment).]

(To me) None of those are the EXACT 1400x900 rate I have used (with the LG monitor).

========> QUESTION COMING UP =============>>>
I note that on page-1 of the archive you linked, Winischhofer states (about the old series SiS-6326)...
Old series
On the old series, things are pretty straight forward. The driver uses the X.org/XFree86 default modes and
eventually additional modes provided by user-added Modelines.

Do I understand that advice (and yours) means a User can setup >>> ANY <<< resolution in the modelines? Does that imply "unlimited" (ie "contiguous") ability? In other words the spec doesn't have to "state" 1440x900 but it can be setup anyway? Got me?

[P.S. I note that I have just spotted Winischhofer saying (on page 1 of the archive) that he provides NO DRI support in SiS-6326. So I've got that.]

Thanks for your advice. Been helpful.

For heavens sake and for readability, please, pretty please - use the Quote-button. It's intended to do exactly what you did manually.

boombaby wrote:That's why I am interested in Winischhofer noting about "vesa" and "fbcon". (Don't know if it will mean anything on my system though.)

fbcon is related to the virtual console framebuffer driver, same as for the next point.

boombaby wrote:========> QUESTION COMING UP =============>>>
Just on the "framebuffer" bit, in my system - now using "15-bit" colour (chosen at Mageia5 desktop drop-down, which was required to get hires display) - am I also (automatically) configured to 15-bit framebuffer? Is that what it means? How can I tell?

No, that's only the colour depth in your running X server. Framebuffer means the virtual console.
Usually the framebuffer can only do 256 colours, that is 8 bit.

See e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_console
and the vga= option at https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentatio ... meters.txt

boombaby wrote:(J.)
Well, let's take the link given.
It states...
High Performance 2D Accelerator
- Support to 1024x768/ 800x600/ 640x480 in 8/16/24 bit color format @ 120Hz refresh rate
- Support to 1280x1024 in 8/16/24 bit color format @ 85Hz refresh rate
[I know that I also mentioned the 1600x1200 resolution (but I cannot locate the source of that at the moment).]

(To me) None of those are the EXACT 1400x900 rate I have used (with the LG monitor).

It doesn't mention anything below 85Hz explicitly, even when that's what you're probably using.
Those values of 85Hz and above are irrelevant, as nowadays LCD / TFT displays usually only run on 60Hz.
The link states a little further above that

- Display resolution: 320x200 to 1600x1200 pixels

This is the uper and lower boundary. Anyways, I don't get why you're going back and forth over this point.
Be happy that you can use the resolution if it's working for you. If you ask why, you may need to ask somebody else.

boombaby wrote:========> QUESTION COMING UP =============>>>
I note that on page-1 of the archive you linked, Winischhofer states (about the old series SiS-6326)...
Old series
On the old series, things are pretty straight forward. The driver uses the X.org/XFree86 default modes and
eventually additional modes provided by user-added Modelines.

Do I understand that advice (and yours) means a User can setup >>> ANY <<< resolution in the modelines? Does that imply "unlimited" (ie "contiguous") ability? In other words the spec doesn't have to "state" 1440x900 but it can be setup anyway? Got me?

In theory, yes. Usually only works if the attached monitor can also display that resolution.

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