What do you want to see from ATI's drivers in the future?

Kombatant · Aug 3, 2005, 04:13 AM

I am mostly asking feature-wise. What do you think should be the No.1 feature that should be implemented asap? A better control panel? Overclocking options? Something else? I am curious to what the community has to say about this

RIV@NVX · Aug 3, 2005, 10:30 AM

I like driver installer. However, there is a lot of stuff I would also like to see; from most important to least important:

* FreeBSD driver.
* Support for X.Org composite/damage extension.
* Better fglrxconfig. Perhaps it shouldn't generate entire xorg.conf, but only add the necessary stuff wherever needed. I never had luck with it and always had to edit xorg.conf by hand.
* Get rid of the internal agpgart if possible; submit patches to kernel in order to make the agpgart in kernel works as good as this one.
* Reduce installer size, if possible.
* Something similar or powerful as CCC or Windows CP. CCC is written in .net, which is C#, so it might be possible to port it.
* If that's not possible, perhaps an improved control panel with both GTK and QT frontends.
* OpenSolaris driver. Not nearly as important as FreeBSD, but would be nice.

Also, a question: How come that ATI always lists "we support 2.6.x kernel with this driver" in release notes? Is it really needed, since installer can now compile the driver for specific kernel automatically?

BulletFx · Aug 5, 2005, 09:45 AM

in addition to what Riv@nvx said i'd really like an overclocking option something like radclocker for windows. it would be really appreciated.

RIV@NVX · Aug 6, 2005, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BulletFx

in addition to what Riv@nvx said i'd really like an overclocking option something like radclocker for windows. it would be really appreciated.

Yeah, that would indeed be cool; but I would rather underclock than overclock

It would be even cooler if it would allow (automatic) downclocking to save some power on laptop battery. I think it's called PowerPlay on Windows Catalyst drivers.

lcs · Aug 14, 2005, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kombatant

I am mostly asking feature-wise. What do you think should be the No.1 feature that should be implemented asap? A better control panel? Overclocking options? Something else? I am curious to what the community has to say about this

framebuffer_object, pixel_buffer_object

EDIT: Oh I forgot: GLX_SGI_video_sync

*mtippett* · Aug 15, 2005, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcs

framebuffer_object, pixel_buffer_object

EDIT: Oh I forgot: GLX_SGI_video_sync

pbuffers have been in for a while.

fbo's will come in a later release.

GLX_SGI_video_sync, I am not sure when.

Regards,

Matthew

Moshroum · Aug 15, 2005, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtippett

pbuffers have been in for a while.

Shouldn't "glxinfo |grep -i GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object" return something? Here it doesn't return anything (even when try "glxinfo |grep -i pixel_buffer" - when only non arb pixel_buffer_object is supported - i get nothing). So I would say that it maybe supports it (I haven't really tested it), but doesn't tell it via glGetString(GL_EXTENSIONS).

I forgot some informations:
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9600 XT Generic
OpenGL version string: 1.3.5140 (X4.3.0-8.14.13)

=MaxiM= · Aug 18, 2005, 06:08 PM

1. Speed compared to windows version!
2. Speed compared to windows version!!
3. Speed compared to windows version!!!
4. Half-decent control panel that would replace fglrxconfig as much as it can.
5. Overdrive...

RIV@NVX · Aug 19, 2005, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by =MaxiM=

4. Half-decent control panel that would replace fglrxconfig as much as it can.

I don't think you understand the point of fglrxconfig. It's simply ATI modified version of xorgconfig/xf86config. It is designed to generate xorg.conf. It's not (at least from what I understand) the tool to configure the card every time you want to start a game.
But I agree, it would be cool if the card settings could somehow be configured via control panel, by user that isn't necessarily root.

lcs · Aug 24, 2005, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtippett

pbuffers have been in for a while.

fbo's will come in a later release.

GLX_SGI_video_sync, I am not sure when.

Are we talking about the same thing? I mean EXT_pixel_buffer_object, similar to ARB_vertex_buffer_object but for memory-mapping textures.

GLX_SGI_video_sync: Being able to wait for vsync and draw a few pre-composed rectangles is nice, but one might be able to just swap buffers and draw to the front buffer. I've not tried yet.

EDIT: FBO: Never mind. (Another small test program works so I must have done something wrong in my code.)

DavoNogo · Aug 25, 2005, 12:48 AM

How about all the HDTV and SDTV resolutions found in the Windows version BUT(!!!) with a refresh rate of 50Hz as well as the usual 60Hz

so that means 1024x576i @ 50Hz, 1024x576p @ 50Hz, 1280x720p @ 50Hz, 1920x1080i @ 50Hz, and the two ATi optimised resolutions of 1152x648p and 1776x1000i, also at 50Hz

ronnn · Aug 25, 2005, 02:59 AM

I would mainly like to be able to install the *&^%%$ things. I wish they could make it straight forward like windows.

Eman Resu · Aug 25, 2005, 04:52 AM

A working installer would be nice (It didn't work in ubuntu), becouse manually compiling kernel module and bla bla bla is a pain in the ass.

A nice control panel like the old windows control panel (not the bloated .net thingy).

RENDER, DAMAGE and COMPOSITE extension would be nice too.

Ahm, and some performance.

fglrxconfig should only touch the sections it needs, not the whole thing, or ask about it.

ghost_zero · Aug 25, 2005, 10:33 AM

The things are already said:
-) smaller installer
-) speed as the Windows drivers
-) stability as the Windows drivers
-) all features as the Windows drivers (TV-Output, ...)
-) a good Linux control-panel

knuth · Aug 25, 2005, 11:14 AM

Improved multi-monitor support. Right now it's extremely inconvenient (i.e still isn't working properly).

Pottsy306 · Aug 25, 2005, 11:48 AM

better 64bit linux drivers,
also i would like direct rendering to be enabled by default, when i installed the latest drivers direct rendering is not enabled. I have to re-edit the xorg.conf and reboot and then it works.

ivan300 · Aug 25, 2005, 01:45 PM

1: Speed
2: Control Panel
3: Composite Extention

Oscar · Aug 25, 2005, 06:57 PM

OpenGL 2.0. It's long due.

Dawnrazor · Aug 25, 2005, 10:15 PM

S

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronnn

I would mainly like to be able to install the *&^%%$ things. I wish they could make it straight forward like windows.

Seconded!

MidnightWatcher · Aug 27, 2005, 12:49 PM

Without a doubt a Control Panel, and the ability to hook up my HDTV as well @ 1280x720x60Hz to watch movies!!

Kombatant · Aug 27, 2005, 03:32 PM

As for me, I'd love to see the Compositing Extension working properly and finally enjoy all these cool effects

jec0s · Aug 27, 2005, 05:29 PM

Better compatibilty with cedega/wine (ability to play GTA series games)

Faster 2D

ztride · Aug 31, 2005, 10:54 AM

Basically speed, compatibility, and stability.

I think the control panels and other fancy stuff can come later. There's no use for a control panel if the drivers don't even work right?

Kombatant · Aug 31, 2005, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ztride

There's no use for a control panel if the drivers don't even work right?

Aren't you a bit unfair here? If you have problems, why don't you post them so that we can try to help you? Saying "the drivers don't work right" doesn't solve much

UberLord · Aug 31, 2005, 05:47 PM

Better compatability with the radeonfb kernel driver (ie no lockups and screen corruption)
No MTRR conflicts/overlaps when using radeonfb (or even vesafb) kernel driver
Fix those gcc warnings - it looks unprofessional!

Forced FSAA and Aniso would be nice

configure via ~/.drirc so that you can have different settings per different applications. Which is what Windows users have been asking for for ages! Let us Linux users have it first and rejoice!

Pottsy306 · Sep 5, 2005, 04:14 PM

xgl support

Quote:

XGL - xgl will allow us to fully realize hardware acceleration, meaning more than just eyecandy. By using the graphics card to render the desktop it should help make things snappy as well. Hopefully the ATI driver will be able to use this by the time it comes around

jec0s · Sep 17, 2005, 02:24 AM

The Ability to use Zapping TV App in overlay mode.. (I dont think ive ever been able to get it to work in overlay mode with fglrx)

RIV@NVX · Sep 28, 2005, 04:30 AM

Here is another one; make DRI work even when DRM is enabled in kernel.