[LinuxBIOS] Open Gaming Console

Arc arc at Xiph.org
Thu Sep 1 19:52:18 CEST 2005


On Thu, Sep 01, 2005 at 10:33:22AM -0700, Adam Talbot wrote:
> I have no problems with a 939 based board.  The major problem there is 
> the nForce 4 chipset. Most of the 939 SFF are based of the Nforce 
> chips.  So far i think linux bios has never run on a nForce based 
> board.  Is that correct?

That's less of an issue than their hardware accelerated 3d support being 
only available through proprietary drivers.  That nice GPU is worthless 
on a game console if you can't boot with it, but instead have some 
cheesy 2d splash screen while the system boots to the point that the 
nVidia drivers and X11 can load.

That's one reason why VIA is a better option, and why we need to support 
them.  Unlike nVidia, it's possible to build a 3d bootloader which 
doesn't require a full "boot" to get you through the first screen or 
two.  It's also possible to build support directly into the kernel 
making booting faster.  

-- 

Diversity is the Fuel of Evolution, 
 Conformity it's Starvation.
Be Radical.  Be New.  Be Different. 
Feed Evolution with Everything You Are.




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