Open Graphics Cards

Fri

Jan 19
2007

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The Open Graphics Project and co-company Traversal Technology are not only producing open source drivers for their graphics cards, but are also releasing specifications for the cards. Unfortunately this doesn't go all they way to a full open hardware release. They comment "While the hardware will be open spec, not all of it will be open source. This gives Traversal Technology the advantage it needs to recoup its non-recoverable engineering (NRE) costs." Still, it's a good step of progress towards openness. (If ATI and Nvidia came only half this far, it would revolutionize the Linux desktop.)

Traversal released a prototype last month, currently in testing. I wonder if we might see sales by the end of 2007?

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Comments: 8

Phil Atio [01.20.07 02:53 PM]

Allison, I think NRE usually stands for "non-recurring engineering" as explained in

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-recurring_engineering

Allison Randal [01.21.07 12:57 AM]

Aye. I have a policy about not altering direct quotes, no matter how strongly my editorial instincts object.

Phil Atio [01.23.07 12:47 PM]

There are indications that Intel might also step up efforts in this domain. They are recruiting now

http://www.intel.com/jobs/careers/visualcomputing/

and they say "We are focused on developing discrete graphics products based on a many-core architecture targeting high-end client platforms."

Intel has open-sourced its integrated graphics chipset drivers and I suppose we could speculate about what they might do with their discrete graphics products.

jb [01.27.07 05:59 PM]

You wrote:
Unfortunately this doesn't go all they way to a full open hardware release.

The OGP page referenced mentions: We have committed to releasing all of the RTL to the chip.

Some of it is being developed in the open already. Some of it may be released at the time the ASIC is released. Some of it will be released after a time delay necessary for said competitive advantage.

Allison Randal [01.27.07 06:16 PM]

The OGP page referenced mentions: We have committed to releasing all of the RTL to the chip.

Yup, and I'm glad you are. What I don't know yet is if the descriptions will be detailed enough to exactly reproduce the hardware, and if the terms will be such that anyone can sell hardware based on the designs or their own modified versions of the designs.

jb [01.27.07 06:44 PM]

The code in SVN is Verilog, a hardware description language.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verilog

The FAQ http://wiki.duskglow.com/tiki-index.php?page=FrequentlyAskedQuestions
explains about the dual license which includes GPL2 or later eg:
https://svn.suug.ch/repos/opengraphics/main/trunk/rtl/pci/

Allison Randal [01.27.07 06:55 PM]

Great! So was the quote "not all of it will be open source" from the Open Graphics wiki meant to be "not all of it will be open source right away"? Or have plans changed since the original page was written? Just curious.

jb [01.27.07 07:32 PM]

The FAQ says: ..The RTL for the FPGA-based product (a prototyping and development board) is already being released under a dual license (GPL and proprietary).

and

RTL for the ASIC will be released under a dual license (GPL and proprietary) There will be a time-delay on some parts... but once the investment is recouped, the code will be released. (We need a law firm to escrow the RTL for us, pro bono.)

and

In order for the hardware vendor (Traversal Technology) to have a profitable business model (something necessary to be able to spend $millions on ASIC fabrication),..they.. will need to retain the right to sell the RTL and designs of their hardware to other companies under a closed license....(The dual license allows for a) ..graphics card with OGA architecture (to be) sold by Traversal to the embedded market. ... By selling this graphics card to the embedded market they can support some of the developers who contribute to OGP and raise the funds toward an ASIC design.

Also in News 18 a question was raised about Traversal allowing the OGD1 development Card to be used in proprietary designs. For the very latest information you might consider posting a q to the list or Traversal Technology.

HTH

Fri