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The beaglebone uses TI AM335X SOC which has a SGX530 3D Graphics Engine.

I wish to know if there is a single open source operating system available in the world wide web capable of using the beaglebones GPU.

Currently I believe the DRM graphics calls are processed only by the CPU and the GPU is standing there doing nothing.

I have a need to clarify this information.

Thank you very much for your views and answers.

Denis
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  • I am not sure, but I think OpenCV can do GPU optimized calls to the Neon graphics accelerator on the Beaglebones.. have a look at the ARM Compiled OpenCV builds.. What are you trying to do? – KyranF Apr 09 '15 at 19:28
  • I am not trying to do anything. I figured that most comparisons between the raspberr pi and Beaglebone are wrong. Raspberry Pi uses its GPU and its CPU is only busy with CPU type procssing. But the none of the operating systems use GPU in it to process graphics. I understand there may be ways to access the GPU but that is not what I meant. If the operating system does not use the GPU and is wasting it, I think then that OS is a arguably a bad operatigng system. I just want to clarify this. – Denis Apr 10 '15 at 00:40
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    You're asking a good question. Just having a GPU doesn't mean it is useful or contributes to system performance. On the Pi I remember it took them a year or two to harness the GPU for rendering the desktop. Before that it was all CPT. It made a huge difference to the speed. For mere mortals, the performance of a board = hardware * software. – tomnexus Apr 10 '15 at 02:59
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    Its finally confirmed. Beaglebone does not use GPU at all. I received an answer on the thread I posted on their forum. Raspberry PI uses the GPU and it has a better GPU in every way.I am a Beaglebone lover but I am sad that GPU has been untouched for too long. – Denis Apr 10 '15 at 07:49
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    the PowerVR SGX530 GPU was licensed by TI from Imagination Tech, apparently under some sort of NDA that prevents TI from publishing the details of this hardware. TI's only allowed to release a binary driver, that would require creating its own infrastructure to work on BBB, and there's not enough interest in keeping up that work. so there is no progress. – Denis Apr 10 '15 at 07:52
  • so the bottom line is, if a user uses beaglebone and also connects the same to a HDMI output for video, that user will be wasting so much resources on processing graphics through the CPU additional to the typical CPU load making the same slower. – Denis Apr 10 '15 at 07:56
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    Amazing! The BeagleBone has a GPU that is just sitting there waiting for developers. – andDevW Dec 21 '17 at 20:45

1 Answers1

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This page talks about using GLES on SGX530: http://www.edlangley.co.uk/projects/opengl-streaming-textures/

This uses TI's bc-cat OpenGLES driver for AM35x platforms: http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/OpenGLES_Texture_Streaming_-_bc-cat_User_Guide

theamk
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