AMD RadeonSI Gallium3D Driver Runs A Bit More

[phoronix]

Phoronix: AMD RadeonSI Gallium3D Driver Runs A Bit More

Earlier this week the RadeonSI Gallium3D driver hit the glxgears milestone for handling AMD's latest-generation Radeon HD 7000 series graphics cards on an open-source OpenGL driver. There's still much work left, but it's moving bit by bit...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTE1MzQ

[Figueiredo]

Does the fact that it runs glxgears means that it can already run a full DE?

[oliver]

While this may sound like a flametroll, it's a fair question. 3D DE's don't require much from the GPU does it? The basic stuff at least. So if unity3d/gnomeshell would run happily, why not.

[Adarion]

DE:
I'd say that depends on the effects you are using.

on topic
I really hope that UVD will be used, because I don't want to decode HD video on a little APU without assistance of a suitable ASIC that is already built in anyway.
Good to see SI comes along. I never expected a quick working since when you compare the driver set for the former chips, how long it took and now a new HW generation... meanwhile I stick to my HD 5xxx. It's already fairly well supported.

[89c51]

on topic
I really hope that UVD will be used, because I don't want to decode HD video on a little APU without assistance of a suitable ASIC that is already built in anyway.
Good to see SI comes along. I never expected a quick working since when you compare the driver set for the former chips, how long it took and now a new HW generation... meanwhile I stick to my HD 5xxx. It's already fairly well supported.

Just a question since you bring this up. Are those decoders/encoders hardcoded?? I mean can they for example be made decode webm with a firmware update or something?

[agd5f]

It's getting close to being able to run a GL compositor like gnome shell. Of the top of my head I think there are just some issues with the blender setup. Glamor support is close as well, just needs some improvements to the flow control code in the shader compiler. After that, it's just a matter or going through piglit tests and mesa demos and fixing any remaining bugs.

[agd5f]

Just a question since you bring this up. Are those decoders/encoders hardcoded?? I mean can they for example be made decode webm with a firmware update or something?

They are fixed function decoders so you can't just drop in support for arbitrary new formats unfortunately. That's one of the advantages of a shader-based solution.

[VeganProvolone]

My hd5670 died today (2 years of life and i didn't use it for 11 months). It looks like the 7750 is the best card in the performance/cost/power consumption right now, therefore i really hope this driver makes some progress.
If i didn't want to play the occasional videogame i would stick to my the ivy bridge integrated graphics, though.

[agd5f]

For those that are interested, the SI ISA document is now available:

http://developer.amd.com/sdks/AMDAPPSDK/assets/AMD_Southern_Islands_Instruction_Set_Architecture.pdf

The 3D pipeline is structured similarly to previous asics.

[Adarion]

I wish I could hack code for a driver. But thanks anyway for the release of specs. This makes the driver world go round.
If there's any news for UVD documentation feel free to keep us posted.