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Open 3D-Graphics Spec For Devices Nears Release

Posted by timothy on from the more-tivo-alikes-please dept.

An anonymous reader writes "LinuxDevices.com reports that version 1.0 of the Khronos Group's OpenGL ES (embedded subset) graphics API spec for embedded devices is now ready for final review and ratification by Khronos Group members, a process which should lead to its public release in July 2003. OpenGL ES is described as a light-weight, royalty-free embedded graphics standard that provides 3D-capable graphics API profiles for a broad range of embedded systems and devices, including handheld wireless devices, automotive and avionics displays, and multimedia consumer devices such as advanced digital TVs, set-top boxes, and game consoles."

9 comments

  1. The only one to win here by ObviousGuy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The only company on the Primary Contributor list that has anything to gain from this is ATI whose chips are nowhere to be found in the embedded space.

    The other companies involved look like they just want to have a piece of the pie in case this takes off. Considering that you can put WinCE on these devices for a very nominal licensing fee and have DirectX support out of the box, many device makers will have already chosen against OpenGL. Likewise, Java has a good enough graphics library for phone-like devices.

    This is probably great for truly embedded systems like flight computers, but for general purpose devices like telephones, automotive computers (Navigation systems, etc), or PDAs there just doesn't seem to be a real market for OpenGL.

    --
    I have been pwned because my /. password was too easy to guess.
    1. Re:The only one to win here by ArmorFiend · · Score: 1

      Well, I think we the nerdy people also win, since OpenGL is quite fun to develop for, I hope to see some OGL games ported to cellphone. Because Snake II and Space Impact are getting Real. Old.

    2. Re:The only one to win here by ocelotbob · · Score: 2, Insightful
      The only company on the Primary Contributor list that has anything to gain from this is ATI whose chips are nowhere to be found in the embedded space.

      Not totally true. ATi's graphics are found in the Gamecube, which, while not embedded, is in the consumer-grade hardware sector, which is one of the main focuses of this group. Since ATI helped originate the specs, chances are, people looking to build devices with 3d framebuffers are going to look to them for the chips to make it happen. Same goes for PDAs. Just like the line between micro- and mini- computer was wiped out, the ever-increasing power of PDAs is going to mean that people are going to start to want them to display full-screen 3-d accellerated graphics; might as well provide a good open specs for folks to work on now so they just have to wait a short while for the hardware to get here.

      --

      Marxism is the opiate of dumbasses

    3. Re:The only one to win here by weicco · · Score: 1

      I wouldn't like to play games with my cellular phone. The screen is so tiny that me eyes gets sore after a while. I like to make calls and talk with my friends with my cellular phone. I have desktop computer and PlayStation if I want to play games.

      --
      You don't know what you don't know.
    4. Re:The only one to win here by SynKKnyS · · Score: 1

      Actually, ATI's Imageon chipset for embedded devices already has accelerated gouraud shading and the such. The Imageon is already used by Pocket PCs from Toshiba I believe.

      I can see ATI upgrading their Imageon line to have a pixel pipeline and a T&L engine in the near future.

  2. ring me, we'll frag by cryptozoologist · · Score: 1

    i hope this means i will soon be able to play bzflag (www.bzflag.org) on my cell phone ;)

  3. Mini GL sounds like fun! by halfgeek · · Score: 1

    As a fairly recent inductee into the community of GL programmers, and one who has already had a lot of fun with it, I really like the sound of this idea, even despite a potential absence of viability. I know that if GBA, for example, were a possible build target for OpenGL on SDL, I would buy one in a heartbeat...

    Well, one can dream, can't he?

  4. seventh post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    seventh post

  5. A handheld OpenGL by msh104 · · Score: 0

    Having OpenGL support on a handheld probably is a great thing. it will surely offer choise to the world. having nothing but directX around is a bad thing, it removes the ability to choose. the ability to choose for a product you think is best. i'am very worried about all the directX progs nowaday. almost every game, every prog uses it. the main probably is that microsoft has never done a good job on opengl support ( they ever dropped OpenGL ARB support ! ) just wondering... how much this handheld OpenGL thingy is the same as the real OpenGL standard? can programms be easely ported or do you have to write a programm specialy written for this extension.