Are any external/USB graphics adapters supported?

Ehryk

I'm building a rack mount server, and it has no onboard graphics (Xeon/X99 platform). In lieu of a serial connection, are there any USB graphics adapters that I could just plug in for the (rare) times I want a monitor connected - pretty much just the initial setup or for perhaps troubleshooting later.

Otherwise I'd need to connect the COM1 port out of the rack chassis (and drill out a hole for the connector), and I'm planning on using the COM1 port full-time internally for a GPS NTP clock.

Guest

USB graphics? I don't think so.. You may have better luck with a USB Serial adapter.

Ehryk

None of those USB Display Port units work with Free BSD?

When you say USB to Serial adapters, do you mean something that utilizes a USB port on the machine and creates a virtual COM port, where the physical adapters would be USB and USB on both ends? What are these called or could you provide a link?

The motherboard only has one physical serial port, and I'm planning on using it, so a USB to 10-pin COM header wouldn't do any good, I'd have to open the case and unplug the existing serial connector for that.

Derelict

A better direction would probably be building a node that had a dedicated IPMI port.

Ehryk

At this point I've already purchased the components, and I'm set on an ASUS X99-M WS motherboard with a single serial port.

However, it's going to be in a 1U rack mount that only has one external full height slot, which will be the quad port NIC.

I could stick some random graphics card in with a ribbon cable, or with the top of the case off, just for the initial setup, and then pull it (or even grosser, leave it floating around inside the case), but it would be phenomenal if I could get the BIOS / FreeBSD to recognize something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152644525741

I might get one just on the off chance it works.

Derelict

Hmm. Sounds like you didn't get the right hardware for the job at-hand.

Ehryk

IPMI ports seem rather obscure a requirement. I want to plug in an external graphics adapter to have full graphics output on demand; IPMI is not the right hardware for the job at-hand.

This blog post shows a commit in FreeBSD that adds support for USB DisplayLink adapters; how would I be able to map a Free BSD SVN revision to a BSD release? Is this in pfSense 2.3 / FreeBSD 10.3 already?

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=FreeBSD-DisplayLink-Support

Derelict

An external graphics adapter is actually a pretty obscure requirement.

IPMI in a rack system is pretty ubiquitous. Else serial console. Else an actual VGA/KVM ports.

You screwed the pooch on this purchase. Sorry.

VAMike

You picked a gamer board designed around the ability to install 3 gpus and want to run it without a gpu… At this point the best solution is to give up the idea of gps and use the onboard serial port as a console. (Gps over serial is pretty lousy anyway.) Or if you're still within the return window, pick a more optimal motherboard.

Ehryk

I picked one of the few motherboards that met my requirements, of which 'gamer board' was not one:

Supports Registered ECC memory
Has at least 4 RAM slots so I can run 4x8GB instead of 2x16GB
Is Micro ATX or Mini ITX to fit in the 1U chassis I selected
Takes fairly modern CPUs (2011-3, AM4, or newer, but Ryzen ECC support only theoretical at this point)
Has at least one M.2 slot for an on-board SSD

https://pcpartpicker.com/products/motherboard/#A=1&E=1,4&N=4,16&f=7&s=28

None of these options have IPMI ports.

Why is GPS over serial lousy? It looks fairly legit in this video, with the PPS signal provided on a separate line (DCD) generating an interrupt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3UTcF7FQDs

Ehryk

Here's his result after adding the GPS over serial.

![GPS Syncronized NTP.png](/public/imported_attachments/1/GPS Syncronized NTP.png)
![GPS Syncronized NTP.png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/GPS Syncronized NTP.png_thumb)

Ehryk

In either case, no I do not want IPMI ports, nor does that solve what I asked.

No I do not want to abandon GPS over serial, or add another serial port, as it also does not solve what I asked.

I want on-demand graphics to a monitor over USB, from pfSense/FreeBSD. Does anyone know of any DisplayLink adapters that are compatible, or have gotten this working? This has been fairly well supported in Linux kernels for ~6+ years.

Derelict

Try it and see.

Ehryk

Indeed; how helpful.

whosmatt

@Ehryk:

Indeed; how helpful.

You're in territory here where nobody can give a first-hand experience "yes" or '"no" answer to your specific question. Hence, "try it and see."

Quick Google search brings up this: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=FreeBSD-DisplayLink-Support

Looks promising.

Ehryk

Indeed; it links to an SVN Commit from 2015.03.07, which makes it unclear as to whether it is part of the Free BSD 10.3 release 2016.04.04.

This is also promising, but it doesn't seem to be present in 10.3, only 11+

https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=udl&apropos=0&sektion=4&manpath=FreeBSD+11.1-stable&arch=default&format=html

stephenw10

Should be in pfSense 2.4 snapshots:
https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-src/blob/releng/11.0/sys/dev/usb/video/udl.c

No idea about making that the primary console though. Some hackery required I would think if it works at all.

Steve

Ehryk

Yeah, I plan on starting with a 2.4 snapshot. I'll try with a couple DisplayLink adapters I have already, but I will likely have to complete the initial setup via the serial port or a temporary graphics card.

doktornotor

@Ehryk:

I want on-demand graphics to a monitor over USB, from pfSense/FreeBSD. Does anyone know of any DisplayLink adapters that are compatible

Ehryk

If you don't care, or you don't know the answer, then your reply is not only pointless but also demonstrating that you do care in some way (at least sufficiently enough to comment).