Raspberry PI Development Poll: Graphics Subsystem

[MartenR]

Hi,
this is a series of polls, I will use to determine certain choices for raspberry pi porting.
I only use the poll only as recommendation.

So here is my first question, what Graphics subsystem should I use.
So far, I used a simple OpenGL system, which might be used later to get a 3D GUI.
I chose it because it seems it would be ideal for software decoding using shaders,
but  giving the current implementation the reason why I choose it do not exist.
In the moment, it is relatively slow and unaccelerated, so next steps for it require to make it accelerated.

The good thing about the pi is that several graphics layer exists and I can choose a different OSD rendering system then for video decoding.

So there exist two other options:
1) Dispmanx the native rendering system of the chip. It is capable of doing exactly the same amount of hardware accelaration, that the mediamvp did. So handling surfaces, but no accelarated drawing.
2) OpenVG, a very nice interface for handling vector accelerated drawing of lines and surfaces. Advantage, it is possible to run it on a higher resolution then the window system.
Making a HD OSD at different resolutions possible, without the need to implement for every resolution a new interface.

So I await your comments.

Marten

[odin4242]

Hi Marten,

maybe i recall it wrong, but haven't you said once, that you had some type of skin able GUI ready?
So is there a urgent need to change something in the handling for the GUI?

Till

[MartenR]

Hi Marten,

maybe i recall it wrong, but haven't you said once, that you had some type of skin able GUI ready?
So is there a urgent need to change something in the handling for the GUI?

Till

This was for my attempt on the bluray player in java...
Here the old gui is still there...

My question is more related to a design decision, which framework is used to draw the old. But based on the capabilities of the  framework limitation in future changes in GUI   are determined.

Marten

[JTe]

Hi Marten,

I guess the OpenVG could be the best bet as we do not really need the 3d effects of OpenGL. And would the vector accelerated drawing of OpenVG also enhance drawing of subtitles, as currently they are not drawn very fast...?

So said I voted for OpenVG...

[MartenR]

And would the vector accelerated drawing of OpenVG also enhance drawing of subtitles, as currently they are not drawn very fast...?

Most subtitles are bitmaps. (Teletext not but I do not know about ttf font for teletext).
I do not know about text subtitles in dvb at least they are not supported by vomp I think.

Marten

[davep]

I don't know anything about the pros and cons of the different graphics subsystems, but it seems that the ability to create a standard OSD irrespective of the media being displayed would be important. In the future I would hope to be able to show standard DVB, iPlayer 'HD' content (720p mp4) and full broadcast HD, and have the same OSD for all of them.

[MartenR]

I don't know anything about the pros and cons of the different graphics subsystems, but it seems that the ability to create a standard OSD irrespective of the media being displayed would be important. In the future I would hope to be able to show standard DVB, iPlayer 'HD' content (720p mp4) and full broadcast HD, and have the same OSD for all of them.

This will be possible for all attempts the OSD is completely independent.
But I do not know about iplayer, I think it is a uk thing.

Marten

[davep]

Yes iPlayer is an IP TV service provided by the BBC, available only to UK IP addresses. Programmes can be downloaded using a tool such as 'get_iplayer' which stores HD content as mp4 files.

[stu-e]

Says here dispmanx is being deprecated in favour of OpenWF.
http://elinux.org/RPi_VideoCore_APIs