[mythtv-users] Dell Zino HD as FE/BE

[Jarod Wilson]

On Nov 12, 2009, at 10:36 AM, Johnny wrote:

>> I know for a fact there are full-time paid programmers working on the
>> open-source radeon drivers. It is indeed a constant game of catch- 
>> up as
>> Kevin suggested.
>
> Yeah, I figured there were some. I guess my point was that it isn't a
> problem necessarily with the open source development model. It is a
> problem of raw man power to keep up with the radical changes that are
> made with GPU hardware from one generation to the next.

The specs for in-development chips typically aren't released to the  
open-source developers, the docs tend to not be released until after  
there are already new graphics cards on the store shelves. nVidia's  
closed-source driver developers (I presume) have more immediate access  
to such things, and thus have a head start on support for the upcoming  
generation of stuff. In-house driver developers also have the ability  
to suggest improvements to in-development designs that make the  
driver's life easier. Etc. Its a lot more than just a problem of raw  
manpower.

> It isn't
> nearly as stable as the x86 architecture for example. So open source
> doesn't benefit as much from the mature efforts of past coders.

Past effort on stuff like the x1000 series is actually quite  
instrumental in bringing up later generation stuff, and that's  
happening at a quicker pace than it used to for new ATI chips, but  
even the past effort work on the x1000 series isn't yet complete --  
where "complete" is defined as "feature support and performance on par  
with the fglrx/catalyst driver".

-- 
Jarod Wilson
jarod at wilsonet.com