Is SuperZaxxon GNU/Linux needs any closed drivers to run?


hafron

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Mar 15, 2013
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Hi,
question as is in title. Do I need any closed source drivers(blob) to run Super Zaxxon on OpenPandora device?
 
I remember reading something about the nub drivers being closed.  Perhaps they were special for some other reason though.
 
What GPU driver is used? Maybe there is a project that aims to create its free alternative?
 
I remember reading something about the nub drivers being closed.  Perhaps they were special for some other reason though.
I think the nub firmware is closed, but the drivers aren't...

...or something:)

There may have been a project to reverse-engineer the GPU, but I don't think they ever got very far (and certainly never produced anything useful)
 
I remember reading something about the nub drivers being closed.  Perhaps they were special for some other reason though.
The nub firmware is closed source,  but the nubs are not software programmable anyway.  (They  can only be reprogrammed by connecting a reprogramming device to the headers on the board.)

- Neelix
 
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Also bluetooth has closed blob firmware that we send to it always when we boot the bt device. Not a big thing but decided to list that for completeness.
 
The battery gauge also has some closed-source stuff in its rom iirc, but that's also not software programmable afaik.
 
To answer the original question: the answer is no, you don't need any closed drivers. Of course that means you don't have wifi/bt (except maybe via USB if you can find one that has an open driver) and you cannot use the GPU.

Lots of the 3D stuff on the Pandora (e.g. Playstation emulation with PCSX ReARMed) doesn't use the GPU anyway, because optimized NEON code seems to be faster or more reliable.
 
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