DisplayLink Linux Driver Continues To Mature

It was just one week ago that there was an update released to the DisplayLink X.Org driver and its kernel frame-buffer module, but there is now yet another update available. This time around the xf86-video-displaylink driver is at version 0.3 and it adds preliminary support for RandR and eliminates its ShadowFB support. Supporting the Resize and Rotate extension will make it easier to configure multiple display heads that are using a DisplayLink USB adapter, but so far this support is still very early. The shadow frame-buffer support has been eliminated in favor of using the frame-buffer kernel module's back-buffer, which means less system RAM is now used.

The main developer behind this DisplayLink Linux work, Roberto De Ioris, who has been working on this code since DisplayLink became Linux friendly, plans to continue enriching this driver. Next up he will be adding DisplayLink support within the xf86-video-intel driver so that a virtual CRTC can be created for each DisplayLink adapter on the given system. In turn the Intel X.Org driver can then use the Intel IGP to draw the screen contents in an accelerated fashion before handing it over to the monitor attached via the DisplayLink USB device.

The latest DisplayLink Linux driver release announcement can be read here.