How do I use a console resolution of 80x50? (amd64, i386)

amd64 and i386 users normally get a console screen of 25 lines of 80 characters. However, many VGA video cards are capable of displaying a higher text resolution of 50 lines of 80 characters.

First, a font that supports the desired resolution must be loaded using the wsfontload(8) command. The standard 80x25 text screen uses 8x16 pixel fonts; to double the number of lines we will have to use 8x8 pixel fonts.

After that, we will have to delete and recreate a virtual console at the desired screen resolution, using the wsconscfg(8) command.

This can be done automatically at boot by adding the following lines to the end of your rc.local(8) file:

wsfontload -h 8 -e ibm /usr/share/misc/pcvtfonts/vt220l.808

wsconscfg -dF 5

wsconscfg -t 80x50 5

As with any modification to your system configuration, it is recommended you spend some time with the man pages to understand what these commands do.

The first line above loads the 8x8 font. The second line deletes screen 5 (which would be accessed by [CTRL]+[ALT]+[F6]). The third line creates a new screen 5 with 50 lines of 80 characters each. If you do this, you will see your primary screen, and the other three default virtual consoles, come up in the standard 80x25 mode, but a new screen 5 at 80x50 accessible through [CTRL]+[ALT]+[F6].

Remember that [CTRL]+[ALT]+[F1] is screen 0 (ttyC0). If you wish to alter other screens, simply repeat the delete and add screen steps for whichever screens you want running at the 80x50 resolution.

You should avoid changing screen 4 (ttyC4, [CTRL]+[ALT]+[F5]), which is used by X as a graphical screen. It is also not possible to change the resolution of the primary console device (i.e., ttyC0).

As one might expect, all these commands can also be entered at the command prompt, as root, or (better) using sudo(8).

Note: this will not work on all video cards. Unfortunately, not all video cards support the uploaded fonts that wscons(4) requires to achieve the 80x50 text mode. In these cases, you might wish to consider running X

(port from:openbsd FAQ)