Hi - I’m one of gamers/developers waiting for their Pandora ( see http://www.openpandora.org ).
In my daily life I optimize video drivers (mainly JIT compilers from DX token stream to target HW bytecode).
Reading specs of OpenGL ES it seem that PVR SGX has significantly greater capabilities compared to what OGL ES is exposing (no geometry shading for example…).
Is there a way to get detailed HW specs that would allow to design ‘close-to-the-metal’ API that would allow almost direct programming of SGX ?
I’m talking instruction set, mapped registers, debugging, and everything what would allow to setup entire SGX pipeline… I know it’s not for the faint of heart, but it seems very worthwhile.
This way Pandora could have the best GFX, and PVR SGX would be praised forever. [yup-I’m sugarcoating…]
So - is it possible to get those docs ?
Unfortunately this is not possible. You will have to rely on the documentation TI releases.
Regards,
Georg
OK, I was afraid so.
Is it legal to reverse engineer those specs ?
I’m not trying to step on any toes, and understand, that if legal department days so - it is so. Also I respect your right to protect your own IP.
…but if series of mundane experiments I (or open-source community at large) will result in more-or-less complete behavioral specification of SGX - will I/community be in legal trouble ?
I’m considering this to be my pet-project, but I want no harm or bad blood. SGX seems like great piece of HW, I would be shame not to use it to the maximum of its capabilities…
Regards,
Maciek
I am not a lawyer, nor could I possibly know the relevant laws of all the jurisdictions around the world. So I can’t answer that question.
Regards,
Georg
