Chapter 14
X Windows Acceleration
14.1 Introduction
X-Windows System (aka X11 or X) is a portable, client-server based, graphics display
system.
X-Windows System can run with a default frame buffer driver which handles all drawing
operations to the main display. Because there is a 2D GPU (graphics processing unit)
available, some drawing operations can be accelerated. High level X operations may get
decomposed into many low-level drawing operations where these low level operations
are accelerated for X-Windows System.
14.2 Hardware Operation
X-Windows System acceleration on i.MX 6 uses the Vivante GC320 2D GPU.
Acceleration is also dependent on the frame buffer memory.
14.3 Software Operation
X-Windows acceleration is supported by X.org X Server version 1.7.6 and later versions,
as well as the EXA interface version 2.5.
The types of operations that are accelerated for X11 are as follows. All operations
involve frame buffer memory which may be on screen or off screen:
• Solid fill of a rectangle.
• Upload image from the system memory to the video memory.
i.MX 6Solo/6DualLite Linux Reference Manual, Rev. L3.0.35_4.1.0, 09/2013
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
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