Re: [Qemu-devel] Graphic card

["Jim C. Brown" <jma5@umd.edu>]

On Mon, Oct 31, 2005 at 10:01:45AM +0000, Ricardo Almeida wrote:
> >
> > Fast 3d and emultion does not mix that well.. the more advanced graphics
> > card you try to emulate the more complex (and also slower) the emulation
> > of that graphics card is.
> >
> 
> As I said in my previous reply, 3D calls probably don't need to be emulated.
> Just as you don't have to emulate a x86 processor if you're running in one,
> you can specify that you can only emulate some 3D card if the real hardware
> have some OpenGL driver. That way you wouldn't be emulating them, just
> redirecting the calls..,
> 
> Regards,
> Ricardo Almeida

Agreed.

One strategy that was being done is to use a custom OpenGL library (note, library
not a driver) for the qemu guest. OpenGL calls get passed to qemu directly,
which then does the 3d by calling OpenGL on the host.

Passing direct calls is doable, and takes far less of a hit. Of course there is
the cost of requiring qemu to be linked to an OpenGL library. (I suppose Mesa
is good enough for those who lack 3d cards.)

-- 
Infinite complexity begets infinite beauty.
Infinite precision begets infinite perfection.