diff --git a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/SetDisplayMode.c b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/SetDisplayMode.c
index af68e6a022..135d1998a3 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/SetDisplayMode.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/SetDisplayMode.c
@@ -154,22 +154,22 @@ status_t SET_DISPLAY_MODE(display_mode *mode_to_set)
 		{
 		case B_CMAP8:
 			colour_depth1 =  8;
-//			head1_mode(BPP8, 1.0);
+			head1_mode(BPP8, 1.0);
 			head1_depth(BPP8);
 			break;
 		case B_RGB15_LITTLE:
 			colour_depth1 = 16;
-//			head1_mode(BPP15, 1.0);
+			head1_mode(BPP15, 1.0);
 			head1_depth(BPP15);
 			break;
 		case B_RGB16_LITTLE:
 			colour_depth1 = 16;
-//			head1_mode(BPP16, 1.0);
+			head1_mode(BPP16, 1.0);
 			head1_depth(BPP16);
 			break;
 		case B_RGB32_LITTLE:
 			colour_depth1 = 32;
-//			head1_mode(BPP32, 1.0);
+			head1_mode(BPP32, 1.0);
 			head1_depth(BPP32);
 			break;
 		}
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ status = B_OK;
 		/* first set the colordepth */
 		head1_depth(colour_mode);
 		/* then(!) program the PAL (<8bit colordepth does not support 8bit PAL) */
-//		head1_mode(colour_mode,1.0);
+		head1_mode(colour_mode,1.0);
 
 		/* set the display pitch */
 		head1_set_display_pitch();
@@ -432,8 +432,8 @@ void SET_INDEXED_COLORS(uint count, uint8 first, uint8 *color_data, uint32 flags
 		b[i]=*color_data++;
 		i++;	
 	}
-//	head1_palette(r,g,b);
-	if (si->dm.flags & DUALHEAD_BITS) head2_palette(r,g,b);
+	head1_palette(r,g,b);
+//	if (si->dm.flags & DUALHEAD_BITS) head2_palette(r,g,b);
 }
 
 /* Put the display into one of the Display Power Management modes. */
diff --git a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/crtc.c b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/crtc.c
index 1510b61925..5e59a90590 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/crtc.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/crtc.c
@@ -423,27 +423,41 @@ status_t eng_crtc_depth(int mode)
 	uint8 genctrl = 0;
 
 	/* set VCLK scaling */
+	/* genctrl bit use:
+		b7:	 ?
+		b6:	 ?
+		b5:	 ?
+		b4:  %0 = 15-bit color in 2 bytes/pixel mode;
+			 %1 = 16-bit color in 2 bytes/pixel mode.
+		b3-2:%00 = 1 byte /pixel;
+			 %01 = 2 bytes/pixel;
+			 %10 = 3 bytes/pixel; (assumed)
+			 %11 = 4 bytes/pixel.
+		b1:	 %0 = 4 bits/pixel;
+			 %1 = b3-2 scheme above.
+		b0:  ?
+	 */
 	switch(mode)
 	{
 	case BPP8:
-		/* bits unknown (yet): 'direct mode' */
+		/* indexed mode */
 		genctrl = 0x22; //%0010 0010
 		break;
 	case BPP15:
-		/* bits unknown (yet): 'indirect mode' (via colorpalette?) */
-		genctrl = 0xb6; //%1011 0110
+		/* direct mode */
+		genctrl = 0xa6; //%1010 0110
 		break;
 	case BPP16:
-		/* bits unknown (yet): 'indirect mode' (via colorpalette?) */
+		/* direct mode */
 		genctrl = 0xb6; //%1011 0110
 		break;
 	case BPP24:
-		/* bits unknown (yet): 'indirect mode' (via colorpalette?) */
-		//fixme: unknown what to set yet..
-		genctrl = 0x00;
+		/* direct mode */
+		//fixme: complete guess..
+		genctrl = 0x0a; //%0000 1010
 		break;
 	case BPP32:
-		/* bits unknown (yet): 'indirect mode' (via colorpalette?) */
+		/* direct mode */
 		genctrl = 0xae; //%1010 1110
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/dac.c b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/dac.c
index bc02be69fa..d210df6e1d 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/dac.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/dac.c
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* program the DAC */
 /* Author:
-   Rudolf Cornelissen 12/2003-10/2004
+   Rudolf Cornelissen 12/2003-7/2005
 */
 
 #define MODULE_BIT 0x00010000
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ status_t eng_dac_mode(int mode,float brightness)
 	uint8 *r,*g,*b;
 	int i, ri;
 
+	/* 8-bit mode uses the palette differently */
+	if (mode == BPP8) return B_ERROR;
+
 	/*set colour arrays to point to space reserved in shared info*/
 	r = si->color_data;
 	g = r + 256;
@@ -94,9 +97,14 @@ status_t eng_dac_mode(int mode,float brightness)
 status_t eng_dac_palette(uint8 r[256],uint8 g[256],uint8 b[256])
 {
 	int i;
-
 	LOG(4,("DAC: setting palette\n"));
 
+	/* enable primary head palette access */
+	SEQW(MMIO_EN, ((SEQR(MMIO_EN)) & 0xfe));
+	/* ??? */
+	SEQW(0x1b, ((SEQR(0x1b)) | 0x20));
+	/* disable gamma correction HW mode */
+	SEQW(FIFOWM, ((SEQR(FIFOWM)) & 0x7f));
 	/* select first PAL adress before starting programming */
 	ENG_REG8(RG8_PALINDW) = 0x00;
 
@@ -104,9 +112,9 @@ status_t eng_dac_palette(uint8 r[256],uint8 g[256],uint8 b[256])
 	for (i = 0; i < 256; i++)
 	{
 		/* the 6 implemented bits are on b0-b5 of the bus */
-		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = r[i];
-		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = g[i];
-		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = b[i];
+		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = (r[i] >> 2);
+		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = (g[i] >> 2);
+		ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) = (b[i] >> 2);
 	}
 	if (ENG_REG8(RG8_PALINDW) != 0x00)
 	{
@@ -121,10 +129,11 @@ if (1)
 	ENG_REG8(RG8_PALINDR) = 0x00;
 	for (i = 0; i < 256; i++)
 	{
-		R = ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA);
-		G = ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA);
-		B = ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA);
-		if ((r[i] != R) || (g[i] != G) || (b[i] != B)) 
+		R = (ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) << 2);
+		G = (ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) << 2);
+		B = (ENG_REG8(RG8_PALDATA) << 2);
+		/* only compare the most significant 6 bits */
+		if (((r[i] & 0xfc) != R) || ((g[i] & 0xfc) != G) || ((b[i] & 0xfc) != B)) 
 			LOG(1,("DAC palette %d: w %x %x %x, r %x %x %x\n", i, r[i], g[i], b[i], R, G, B)); // apsed
 	}
  }
diff --git a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/general.c b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/general.c
index 71c07d9cba..76cf589553 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/general.c
+++ b/src/add-ons/accelerants/via/engine/general.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ status_t eng_general_powerup()
 {
 	status_t status;
 
-	LOG(1,("POWERUP: Haiku VIA Accelerant 0.03 running.\n"));
+	LOG(1,("POWERUP: Haiku VIA Accelerant 0.04 running.\n"));
 
 	/* preset no laptop */
 	si->ps.laptop = false;