radeonfb question

Alpha list,

This may not be alpha-specific.  I don't know.  Perhaps Gentoo has an 
appropriate forum?

To make my radeon work, I had to build the X driver into the kernel. 
This forced me to build a radeonfb module.  The framebuffer module makes 
my console 1280x1024 32bit with 160x64 text.
I would really, really, really prefer something else on my 17" 
non-widescreen monitor.  I can't figure out a way to do it.

For X, xrandr can switch to a variety of auto-detected modes.  The 
console framebuffer only gives one choice by default.  So, I tried fbset 
and /etc/fb.modes.  Regardless of geometry, the only timings line that 
works is 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.  For example

mode "800x600"
   geometry 800 600 800 600 24
   timings 25000 88 40 23 1 128 4
   hsync high
   vsync high
endmode

That gives "ioctl FBIOPUT_VSCREENINFO: Invalid argument" as a result. 
The timings listed are from formula and are confirmed by an old example 
posted at https://github.com/Distrotech/fbset/blob/master/etc/fb.modes.ATI
(800x600 60HZ)
Changing timings to all zeroes removes the error, but gives me an 
800x600 piece of a 1280x1024 screen.

So, I tried passing a parameter to the module.  The kernel loads it 
automatically while booting.  I made a radeonfb.conf file in 
/etc/modeprobe.d, but nothing worked.
It seems strange that I can rmmod radeonfb and fb_ddc and the console 
remains unaffected.

What am I missing?  Is it not possible to change my console resolution? 
  I need help.

Thanks,  DW