AMD Makes An Evolutionary Leap In Linux Support

[Kano]

This is only supported with a 9800 GTX as far as I know, the 8800 GTS 512 uses the same chip basically but the driver will not enable this feature.

[DCKing]

Hey guys, new to the forums. Posting because I'd like to have something cleared up:

Previously we shared that open-source UVD support may be unlikely for the Radeon R600 series due to trouble sharing UVD documentation without exposing the DRM (Digital Rights Management) coupled within this block. Future product generations may be of a more modular design, but there's potentially good news surrounding the open-source UVD on the RV770. Its UVD2 design isn't modular, but AMD's John Bridgman believes there may be a way to open up UVD2 without comprising their DRM obligations.

It's nice to have UVD support from open source drivers, but this piece here seems to suggest to me that UVD is supported in the propietary drivers already?! Is the fglrx developing so fast that it supports hardware video decoding already? Is it coming soon? Or am I just seeing things?

I mean, if there's going to be UVD support, I'm buying parts for a MythTV box tomorrow

[WSmart]

I'd like to see quad LCD support. Let's see AMD make a platform that can handle 4096x3072 resolution.

[Yfrwlf]

"With ATI's official packaging, Tux will be prominently displayed on the packaging. This is to show the consumers that ATI graphics cards are supported under Linux. However, for the AIB partners designing their own product packaging, it's up to them whether to include this Linux symbol."

So has anyone found a pic of an ATI Radeon 4800 series box that shows Tux yet? I only was able to find AMD/ATI's own version on Frys.com, but it only shows you a single pic and you can't see much.

Perhaps when AMD finally gets their Linux drivers on par with the Windows ones, you'll finally start seeing Tux or Linux mentioned on all boxes, but so far I'm just trying to find it mentioned on any of them. The reason being that if you advertise a card as having features X, Y, and Z, and say that you either require Linux or Windows, but then you don't have all those features on Linux, that'd definitely be considered false advertising IMO. It's understandable they don't want to be sued. Having said that, it's somewhat surprising that even the ATI packaging would show Tux.

[he_the_great]

The reason being that if you advertise a card as having features X, Y, and Z, and say that you either require Linux or Windows, but then you don't have all those features on Linux, that'd definitely be considered false advertising IMO.

Companies are give some leeway on what constitutes false advertising, and on that note it really wouldn't be, the card supports what is listed on the box. You may not get it in Linux but the card has the features. And really they could add that, "Some features unavailable for Linux."

[linzerd]

AN evolutionary leap in linux support?? The third party vendors won't do it... As simple as that! I will consider an evolutionary leap on support when fglrx supports VideoOverlay playback without image "jumping" on my Xpress 200 IGP... Get simple things stable men! And then think in introducing new features...

[Yfrwlf]

Companies are give some leeway on what constitutes false advertising, and on that note it really wouldn't be, the card supports what is listed on the box. You may not get it in Linux but the card has the features. And really they could add that, "Some features unavailable for Linux."

True, they could state that to make things more clear. I'm still waiting for any box that actually shows Tux on it though. For us existing Linux users, the best news is if driver support is finally put on par with the Windows drivers as well as AMD's improved openness. For new or uninformed Linux users though, and for advertising purposes, putting Tux on the box was a big deal, so I'm sorry to see it not pan out so far.

[he_the_great]

Yeah, I want to see one too. I should buy the card from ATi and then sell the box on ebay.

[MetalheadGautham]

CrossFire X will be the leading MultiGPU technology. This is because CrossFire X is capable of running any CrossFire X-compatible cards. If you for example have got a RV670 for some time now, and want to have some more performance, you can just buy a new RV770 and combine those two cards which are of different generations. You could also use a RV670, a RV770Pro and a RV770XT. This is a confirmed feature for Windows and due to using the same codebase it should also work fine with Linx.

Wow! thats indeed amazing.
But what remains to be seen is WHEN they will implement these features. Take a look at the AMD 780G for example. The Hybrid CrossFire mode looks very attractive but at the same time, its still not available on Linux. Before they finish talking about future plans for linux, AMD CPU users would already have purchased nVidia GeForce 8200 or 8300 based motherboards...

[Dragonlord]

Crossfire is nice on the paper but from a game developers point of view it's not that blistering. I do not see too much future for those multi-graphic cards except misusing one for physics while the other renders... which is though like having a dedicated physics card which helps more.