OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6 Release Note (March 7th, 2017)
---------------------------------------------------------
OpenChrome DDX is an open source implementation of X.Org Server
DDX (Device Dependent X) graphics device driver for VIA Technologies
UniChrome and Chrome9 IGPs. (Integrated Graphics Processor)
OpenChrome DDX handles only 2D and video acceleration.
Please note that OpenChrome does not support VIA Technologies IGPs
that are related to Trident Microsystems (i.e., Apollo MVP4, PLE133,
and KLE133) or S3 Graphics (i.e., KM266). Here is the project home
page for OpenChrome.
http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Openchrome/
Please note that VIA Technologies does not support OpenChrome in any way.
Supported Chipsets
------------------
- CLE266
- KM400(A) / KN400(A) / P4M800
- K8M800 / K8N800
- PM800 / PN800 / PM880 / CN333 / CN400
- P4M800 Pro / VN800 / CN700
- CX700 / VX700
- P4M890 / VN890 / CN800
- K8M890 / K8N890
- P4M900 / VN896 / CN896
- VX800 / VX820
- VX855 / VX875
- VX900
Supported Features
------------------
- VGA
- DVI from an integrated TMDS transmitter (CX700, VX700, and VX800
chipsets)
- DVI from Silicon Image SiI 164 and VIA Technologies VT1632(A) TMDS
transmitters
- Flat Panel
- EXA acceleration (RENDER acceleration)
- Xv and XvMC
- Dual monitor support
Unproven Features
-----------------
- Standby resume
- TV out
- KMS support
(Kernel Mode Setting; requires the use of still in
development KMS supporting OpenChrome DRM. See "Where to Obtain
OpenChrome Source Code" section for more details.)
Unimplemented Features
----------------------
- Hardware cursor support for CLE266, KM400(A) / KN400(A), and
P4M800 chipsets
- DVI via Chrontel TMDS transmitter
- LVDS via VT1631 / VT1636 LVDS transmitter
- External HDMI transmitter
(i.e., Jetway J7F5M-VHE-LF motherboard, VIA Embedded EPIA-P720
motherboard, etc.)
- HDMI support for VX900 chipset
(HDMI is supported via still in development KMS supporting
OpenChrome DRM. See "Where to Obtain OpenChrome Source Code"
section for more details.)
- DisplayPort support for VX900 chipset
OS Support
----------
- X.Org Server Version 1.7 or later
(It might not work correctly if it is compiled against an older
X.Org Server.)
- Linux Version 2.6.32 or later
(Note: For Linux Version 4.5 or later, you may have to blacklist
vesafb. This is a bug that has not been fixed so far.)
What's New for OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6
-----------------------------------------
OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6 is an improved version of OpenChrome DDX
Version 0.5 with a number of improvements made to the code. OpenChrome
DDX Version 0.6 is written in a way to completely replace Version
0.2.904 through 0.5.
OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6 has added the following new features.
- First official support for CX700, VX700, and VX800 chipsets
integrated TMDS transmitter (i.e., DVI support)
- Initial support for Silicon Image SiI 164 TMDS transmitter
OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6 has the following improvements.
- Improved FP reinitialization when resuming from standby
(HP 2133 Mini-Note, FIC CE260 / CE261 based netbooks like
Everex CloudBook and Sylvania g netbook)
- Improved automatic detection of display resources
- Improved X Server stability in dual monitor mode
- Automatic active steering of the display controller channel to the
correct display output device
OpenChrome DDX Version 0.6 fixes the following bugs.
- Fix for the disruption of the VT (Virtual Terminal) screen bug
introduced in Version 0.5
- Fix for HP 2133 Mini-Note's PCIe WLAN getting turned off
inadvertently bug introduced in Version 0.5
How to Contact OpenChrome Developers
------------------------------------
Please visit these OpenChrome mailing lists.
http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/openchrome-users
http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/openchrome-devel
openchrome-users mailing list is meant for non-technical users asking
questions about how to use OpenChrome, etc. openchrome-devel mailing
list is for discussing OpenChrome development issues.
Support for Older Versions
--------------------------
The OpenChrome Project practices rolling release update policy for
OpenChrome DDX. What this means is that the older version of
OpenChrome DDX will not be supported once a new version is out.
It is sometimes useful to try out the older version, in order to see
if a regression has occurred, but generally speaking, there will be
no fixes for the older versions. OpenChrome DDX is written so that it
can be compiled against X.Org Server Version 1.7 or later and Linux
Version 2.6.32 or later. We will likely maintain this minimum platform
requirement for the foreseeable future. What this means is that if the
user wanted to try the latest OpenChrome DDX, it can do so with an OS
that was released around Year 2010. OpenChrome DDX might still compile
for anything older than that, but it might not be stable enough to be
useful.
Where to File a Bug Report
--------------------------
In order to file a bug report, please visit http://bugs.freedesktop.org.
When you file the bug, file it against "xorg." When specifying the
component, please select "Driver/openchrome." This allows a message to
be sent to openchrome-devel mailing list, so that developers can be
notified of the bug.
It is highly recommended to file the bug report over at
http://bugs.freedesktop.org rather than sending a message to
openchrome-devel mailing list. Also, filing a bug report against the
Linux / BSD distribution you are using (i.e., Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora,
etc.) will likely be a waste of your time since the developers for those
distributions do not directly work on developing OpenChrome.
Where to Submit a Patch
-----------------------
In order to submit a patch to improve OpenChrome, please visit
http://bugs.freedesktop.org. Open a bug report and upload the patch there.
When you file the bug, file it against "xorg." When specifying the
component, please select "Driver/openchrome." This allows a message to
be sent to openchrome-devel mailing list, so that developers can be
notified of the bug.
Where to Obtain OpenChrome Source Code
--------------------------------------
OpenChrome source code repository is located at.
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/openchrome/xf86-video-openchrome/
OpenChrome DRM (Direct Rendering Manager) module source code
repository is located at.
https://cgit.freedesktop.org/openchrome/drm-openchrome/
https://cgit.freedesktop.org/openchrome/drm-openchrome/tree/drivers/gpu/drm/via
If You See a Bug
----------------
If you see a bug, please don't be surprised. OpenChrome has been in
development for more than 10 years. In that process, there were many
different developers that wrote the code in varying ways. OpenChrome
is a unified graphics device driver that supports 12 generations of
VIA Technologies IGP starting from CLE266 chipset all the way to
VX900 chipset. Even the VIA Technologies in house unified graphics
device driver does not support the number of devices OpenChrome does.
Furthermore, VIA Technologies IGPs tend to rely heavily on many
different external encoders and transmitters to display the image.
As a result, it is very difficult to get the code right for every
possible configuration you can think of.
Starting with OpenChrome Version 0.4, the project is under new
management, and moving forward, the emphasis will be on device driver
reliability and code maintainability.
(End of document.)
