Linux 3D GPU Access on PS3

[BlastyTrasty]

From forums.ps2dev.org:

Here is a draft of the separate kernel module:

git clone http://mandos.homelinux.org/~glaurung/git/ps3rsx.git

I've updated the Xorg driver accordingly:

git clone http://mandos.homelinux.org/~glaurung/git/xf86-video-ps3.git

 

It is not yet finished, and mostly untested, but it shows my plan for the interface with userspace. Basically we have two options to access the FIFO:

- exclusive: we disable framebuffer redraw, allocate a context, then use the FIFO workaround to start running the context's FIFO and use it until the application is over. No other application can use the GPU, and any blit from either the fb driver or another context would break the application in exclusive mode. That's how we've been using the RSX so far.

- shared: we allocate a context, then run the FIFO for some time using a fake blit (size 0x0). When commands are finished processing, a new fake blit is needed to kick the FIFO again and process more commands. In the meantime, other contexts (including FB driver) can use the GPU. Note that contexts are not preempted, so if we put FIFO in a loop, other contexts are not able to execute commands (and we get error -24 for FB blit). So this is cooperative sharing.

 

I want to be able to support both modes. The former is easier to use and more efficient (useful for e.g. 3D demo or game), while the latter allows mixing multiple users of the GPU (e.g. Desktop usage, with one context for Xorg, one for GLX, and one for VRAM used as swap). The current module provides those two modes, with one ioctl() to enter exclusive mode, and one ioctl for one-shot kicking of the fifo (shared mode). The Xorg driver still uses exclusive mode ATM; I've code for shared mode but it needs testing and benchmarking. My short term goal is usable Desktop usage (X is improved, now we need more RAM).

 

On the long term, my plan is to add RAMIN/VRAM memory management to the module, have libps3rsx provide the user space API for FIFO control and object instanciation. Also, Xorg driver should use libps3rsx to avoid code duplication. Maybe when can then move slowly from ps3rsx.ko/librsx to drm/libdrm API (but keep exclusive mode option in parallel). Sound good?

 

kjelde: http://forums.ps2dev.org/viewtopic.php?t=8...c&start=211

 

Dette må no bety at ein ordentleg mod nærar seg, og at me får sjå eit skikkeleg mediacenter på PS3 straks!

[kallstrom]

Dette betyr jo at vi får full tilgang på gpu'n.

Kan det da gå ann å kjøre PS3 spill fra linux, eller må disse kjøres gjennom gameos?

[prebenl]

Dette betyr jo at vi får full tilgang på gpu'n.

Kan det da gå ann å kjøre PS3 spill fra linux, eller må disse kjøres gjennom gameos?

Gjennom gameos, i all uoverskuelig fremtid. Sannsynligvis for alltid. PS1-spill derimot kan man kanskje greie å emulere fra Linux, men det spørs om ting må optimaliseres litt først.

 

Forøvrig en svært interessant utvikling.

Endret 3. desember 2007 av Geofrank

[Mazeking]

Det store spørsmålet er om vi på sikt kan få se en port av xbmc til linux på ps3. Gjerne også med support for TV-SAT-kabel-tuner via USB hvis USB har nok båndbredde til det da.