Post by: silentbob343 on November 12, 2006, 04:58:00 PM
QUOTE(u221e @ Nov 12 2006, 07:38 PM) 
I've been reading the just released Linux docs on power developer and found something I haven't heard talked about yet. Sony will not be allowing Linux or homebrew software access the RSX GPU.
Under the "Graphics/Video" section of "Linux Kernel Overview" I found this:
"PS3 has a powerful graphic processing unit with high speed host connection. The GPU is connected to both HDMI and AV multi interface. Although the GPU is connected directly to CBE, no direct access by guest OSes to the GPU is allowed currently. Video mode/format setting is also the role of AV setting driver. PS3 Linux fb driver calls AV setting driver to setup video modes.
Currently X server uses virtual frame buffer to render its image. No hardware acceleration is supported under Linux. See the description above section."
To the people wondering how Sony would be able to allow Linux and homebrew without opening the door to piracy, now you know.
Thanks for the info, I wonder how this will affect perfomance under linux?
Post by: u221e on November 12, 2006, 05:05:00 PM
QUOTE(silentbob343 @ Nov 12 2006, 06:05 PM)
Thanks for the info, I wonder how this will affect perfomance under linux?
General Linux performance wouldn't be affected by not having any hardware acceleration. However if you want 3d homebrew games then the developer would have to go old school with software rendering.
Post by: throwingks on November 12, 2006, 05:23:00 PM
Post by: calderra on November 12, 2006, 07:27:00 PM
QUOTE(throwingks @ Nov 13 2006, 01:30 AM)
I am glad they did this. Now there is a reason to start hacking.
When people get arbitrary OSs going on a system within a week of release, I don't think you have to worry about the need for people to "start" hacking.
Post by: bigjimmy on November 12, 2006, 09:51:00 PM
QUOTE
I am glad they did this. Now there is a reason to start hacking.
Bout time too. I have been waiting for sony to announce a 'catch' in being able to run linux on the PS3. Someone will find a way to hack this though.
Post by: incognegro on November 13, 2006, 03:49:00 AM
Post by: incognegro on November 13, 2006, 09:00:00 AM
QUOTE(silentbob343 @ Nov 13 2006, 12:44 PM)
Interesting question, but could the OS use video memory as system memory even without the lock out?
I was wondering that too....
Post by: incognegro on November 13, 2006, 01:33:00 PM
QUOTE(thax @ Nov 13 2006, 06:24 PM)
Even if the CPU was allowed to access the 256MB of GPU RAM; the bandwidth allocated to write operations makes this memory pretty much useless in this configuration.
Im sure some good programing can get around this
Post by: xymor on December 02, 2006, 10:07:00 AM
Quake 3 using software rendering.
Nothing like RSX hardware rendering, but a beginning nonetheless.
Post by: luther349 on December 05, 2006, 03:19:00 AM