There Might Be An Open PowerVR Driver In Q3'11

[phoronix]

Phoronix: There Might Be An Open PowerVR Driver In Q3'11

If the PR representative I just spoke with at CES actually knows what she's talking about when it comes to Linux, in the third quarter of this year there may be an open-source PowerVR driver for Linux...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=ODk4Ng

[cb88]

It would be soo awesome if this were for the MBX as well... as the SGX parts we'll see :-)

Sure would be nice to have a real open source driver on the n800 as well as the pandora and many other devices that use Imanination Technologies' IP.

[not.sure]

Thanks for bugging people about Linux!

[Plombo]

Michael, could you please be more specific in your articles about which PowerVR you're talking about? Talking about PowerVRs without being more specific is no better than doing the same for Radeons. My Sega Dreamcast has a PowerVR graphics card, and I am almost positive that you are not referring to that particular model.

[cb88]

Michael, could you please be more specific in your articles about which PowerVR you're talking about? Talking about PowerVRs without being more specific is no better than doing the same for Radeons. My Sega Dreamcast has a PowerVR graphics card, and I am almost positive that you are not referring to that particular model.

Well probably not that particular model but ... It would be nice if they would. The n800 developers and users have made it quite clear they want a working driver which is next to impossible with the binary driver.

Even if a driver release didn't document older hardware it would probably give some insite into thier workings as older ideas were probably carried forward in newer designs.

Its not like micheal is doing the code release anyway LOL.

[some-guy]

2.6.40. Maybe its about time the kernel went to 2.7

[Plombo]

Even if a driver release didn't document older hardware it would probably give some insite into thier workings as older ideas were probably carried forward in newer designs.

Well, the Dreamcast PVR has been almost completely figured out over the years. KallistiOS has a fully functional homebrew driver for it. But there are still no Linux drivers as far as I know.

Its not like micheal is doing the code release anyway LOL.

That's true...

[Adarion]

Well, I believe this when I see it. I talked with a lot of people on exhibitions, developers as well as marketing clowns (sorry but they are clowns) and they had high soaring plans for everything but in the end there was nothing.
We'll see. If it happens fine, if not then I am at least not disappointed.

[Xavier]

They are aware that their clients aren't happy with the closed-source situation (especially big players such as found at Linaro), and are afraid of loosing them. So they promise something for 2012 (that's what a marketing droid means by "third quarter of 2011").
Rest assured that they won't do it unless really pressured by big clients (end-users don't count), like Broadcom has been.

[Apopas]

I don't understand the current relation betwwen PowerVR and Linux. I mean back at 2.4 kernel series they had a future rich and good Linux driver for their Kyro and KyroII chipsets. I had such a card myself and know first hand. So I mean if they had the motivation and especially the knowledge for such a driver, why now is worse even than VIA?