Hybrid Graphics Comes To Linux In Crude Form

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Hybrid Graphics Comes To Linux In Crude Form

While the support for graphics processors on Linux in the free software stack has improved a lot over Linux, there still are entire areas of support missing, such as with supporting NVIDIA's SLI or AMD's CrossFire technologies. Additionally, NVIDIA and AMD as well as Intel have been plopping dual GPUs into notebooks...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=Nzk0Mw

[mdmadph]

Well, even if it's not perfect, it's good work, regardless.

[rhdunn]

An excellent first step. With the Gnome (and KDE!) logout support, it will be on par with XP and Mac.

With some work on the Xorg side, this should be transparent and then be on par with Vista/Win7. Also, done right, this should also allow switching what is shown between two different displays (or is this already supported in X?).

[Adarion]

Oh such a load of good news on one day. That's so good to see even if it is not really working now. But that is what I have dreamt of. 2 GPUs and one powerful only active when needed.
And I'm sure it is basically possible to do it (nearly) seamless, even without killing/restarting X or something.

[jakubo]

ok, just theoretically.....
wasnt wayland supposed to be providing multiple x sessions?
if so, one would just need to implement an object on the screen that's source is the faster graphic card, which will only be addressed when needed otherwise will fall back like its normally supposed to do now right?
and then just overlap the outputs... or load the complicated ready object as a frame (or whatever you call that)
probably easier said than done... and im no pro... i dont really see the difference to SMP, its about calculating which processor isnt fully occupied right?

i guess i better shut up

[linuxjacques]

This is very encouraging news!

I don't mind restarting the X server to switch graphics.

Good job David Airlie.

Imagine what he could do if he had better access to hardware.

[mattmatteh]

great that there is support for this.

maybe this isnt the right place to ask, but i dont understand why this is not in hardware. if the best way to get power management is to have a different gpu, why not have a low power ati and a high power ati, and have the driver to all the managing. having to switch between to different brands of gpu in software seems silly and an over poor design.

however, i could see this being kinda cool for a desktop where a user might want an nvidia and ati card, either for performance or driver issues. but not sure how the dvi/display port output would work.

matt

[bugmenot]

AMD and Intel developers should go hand in hand to give the user a good experience! This is a great first step.

OT: What about the rootless x server actually? With KMS it should be able to run without root privileges, is that implemented already? I remember that Dave (?) hacked something with this, too!

[newbeewan]

Good news but Nvidia ?

Hi !

It is a very great news !
I've got a Vaio laptop with hybrid graphic GPU (intel/nvidia) and today I need to make a cold restart to change the GPU and tell the bios to activate one or the other.

I will switch from Nvidia close source driver to Nouveau if it could work without restarting my computer !

Regards

[rmartinez]

Great news!! Eager to know how it works with ATI/ATI hybrid configuration.