AMD Posts Navi Display Stream Compression Support For Linux

One of the kernel-side features not yet in place for AMD's newest Navi graphics processors on Linux has been Display Stream Compression support but that is being squared away with a new patch series.

Fourteen patches posted today adding more than six hundred lines of code to the AMDGPU Linux kernel driver enable Display Stream Compression support for DisplayPort connectors on Navi GPUs. VESA's Display Stream Compression is for low-latency lossless compression performance for power-savings and higher resolution/refresh-rates based on bandwidth and enabling the likes of DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport (MST) technology.

Though before getting too excited, the patches note that for handling 8K@60Hz and 4K@144Hz, "ODM Combine" functionality is needed with Navi and currently that is an AMD-internal feature that may be currently buggy.

The patches for now are on the mailing list but will hopefully be merged for the upcoming Linux 5.4 cycle. Aside from bits like DP DSC, the Linux 5.3 kernel is in good shape for the open-source Navi support with the Radeon RX 5700 series when paired with the forthcoming Mesa 19.2.