VIA Releases FOSS Graphics Driver

Posted by kdawson on Sunday August 31, 2008 @02:48PM from the following-through dept.

billybob2 writes "VIA has released a 113,800 line open source graphics driver with full mode-setting support for CRT, LCD, and DVI devices along with 2D, X-Video, and cursor acceleration. Harald Welte, VIA's open source representative, states that the next step is to add 3D (see preview), TV-out, and hardware codec support while integrating this work with existing open source projects. VIA has pre-installed Linux on a significant portion of the company's latest products, including the EVEREX gPC2, 15.4" gBook, and CloudBook. It has also helped port the open source CoreBoot BIOS (previously LinuxBIOS) to several of its motherboards." VIA seems to be making good on the promise of its open source initiative announced last April.

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VIA stuff doesn't support 720p or 1080i by Anonymous Coward · 2008-08-31 15:35 · Score: 0, Redundant

Their chips only support certain modes and none of those modes proportionally scale 720p or 1080i so their chips are effectively dead in the US market. They have potential for embedded stuff, but in less than 6 months, NTSC will be no more in the USA and VIA is just not an option for its replacement.
Fortunately, AMD-owned ATI is stepping up to the plate and their new Linux software rocks. (Stay away from nVidia which once ruled Linux but now blows chunx, not just in terms of chip defects, but in terms of un-supporting previously stable hardware in screwed up binary-only driver releases that you are otherwise forced to install when you need to upgrade your kernel for some reason.)