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Hardware-Based Video Acceleration Coming To Linux
sammydee writes "Phoronix reports that GPU based video decoding acceleration will be implemented in Gallium3d sometime this year. Drivers currently using Gallium3d include the open source nouveau driver for NVIDIA cards and experimental Intel GMA drivers. This is definitely good news for anybody who has ever tried to play high-definition 1080p content on any CPU older than about a year."
But they're video card manufacturers, not OS providers. It's not anti-competitive in the slightest. Sour eggs, perhaps? :)
The point isn't that Linux doesn't have codecs to play play hi-def content, the point is that there apparently are no Linux drivers out there that make use of the HD video acceleration hardware that is currently available.
As for having yet another API to go through, I fail to see how it would be a 'crushing blow to all gaming for Windows', since even if it did have perfect Direct3D compatibility, it would simply make it easier to port Windows games to Linux. We already have Direct3D support through WINE, and even then it isn't 100%, so what makes you think that starting again and trying to route it through another API is going to make it any better?
What would be more of a problem for Windows gaming, is if games manufacturers actually started making games for other operating systems. Even then it is not going to be a 'blow' unless this actually causes less games to be sold for Windows.
I don't mean this post in any hostile or patronising way btw, I simply am trying to point out what I think is the case. I've often wished over the years that more games were made specifically for Mac OS and Linux. Recently I just gave up and got a PS3. Consoles haven't been a very attractive option compared to PC gaming since the controls aren't very suitable for some types of game (RTS/FPS), but at least these days they can download patches and extra content. I still wish all FPS games on the PS3 would support the keyboard and mouse arrangement, but I'm getting okay with the joysticks. And at least for online play, everyone else is limited by the same type of control system. I mostly just miss the mouse when using sniper rifles now, as I know from Counter-Strike and Operation Flashpoint that I am capable of far, far better speed and precision with a mouse.
which is totally what she said
MythTV uses mplayer to play the videos. So really, your solution is exactly what MythTV uses, except MythTV gives you a nice interface for a TV set.
And 1080i is about half the bandwidth of 1080p. There's a big difference between decoding the two.
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
Your post,with the allegedly,and supposed to,kinda makes me think of a good point: How are we supposed to know whether or not these things actually do what they say they do? What I mean is,tomorrow they could say this thing can decode format X,Y,Z,but when you actually TRY to find a way of getting to decode X-Z,you get this maze of "allegedly" and "supposed to" and this endless hunt through forums where we are told to buy this or that programs that "should" do it,maybe.
These things are such black box hardware that short of someone actually getting it to work through CUDA I have no way of knowing without shelling out a bunch of cash and hoping my configuration works with their voodoo that the thing actually works. They can claim it'll render every codec known to man but if the only way to do it is some special driver that they don't offer to the public,how can that count? We can test for framerate,render quality,etc,but how do we accurately test for this? All Nvidia offers is a single Mpeg 2 codec for $20. I could not find anywhere where they would sell me an .mp4 codec for the card. And why are they allowed to tout this "feature" if there is no way to actually get the feature without shelling out more money to some third party that they don't even guarantee will work?
Everyone else has to put disclaimers like "batteries not included",but while I can go to the corner store for batteries,I am supposed to...what.write my own driver? Shell out a bunch of cash playing "guess which codec might work"? It seems like a total scam to me,because they are touting a "feature" that 90% of their audience will never be able to use for lack of a freakin' driver.But as always this is my 02c,YMMV
ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.