Previously available only on Windows and Mac, the drivers can now be developed for Linux devices now that the source code library has been released under GNU Lesser General Public License v2 (LGPL). The library should enable the development of Linux X Servers, drivers, and other applications that work with the DisplayLink-compatible technology. As a result, USB-to-monitor attachments should be available on Linux devices including netbooks, notebooks, mobile Internet devices (MIDs), mobile phones, embedded displays, embedded devices, and digital signage, the company says.
A DisplayLink driver compresses graphics using adaptive compression technology that automatically balances compression methods based on the content, available CPU power, and USB bandwidth, says the company. The data is then sent out through the USB port to a monitor or other device with an embedded DisplayLink DL-120 or DL-160 chip, which include a USB port on one side and an analog, DVI, or FPI (LVDS) video port on the other. The chip decompresses the stream and enables "instant cloning or extending of a desktop among multiple displays," says DisplayLink. The technology is said to support 32-bit True Color depth and displays with up to SXGA (1280 x 1024) for the DL-120, or UXGA (1600 x 1200) resolution for the DL-160.
Oh, this is awesome. I talked with the Displaylink guys at CES about Linux drivers for their displaylink technology. They were kinda hesitant to do anything but stuff for Windows, and maybe possibly for Mac. But it appears they did at least consider the idea and have taken the steps necessary to let the community do the rest.
It's not quite what I wanted, but heck, I'm not complaining.
Has anybody tried this on their tablet yet? I see at http://lists.freedesktop.org/archive...ay/000104.html that there's already a fbcon driver and xfb to run on top of it. Should be an easy port to maemo - I see that someone already has it running on a sheevaplug.
I'd do it myself as I've got devices but I've no USB-host cable and not much spare time.
someone at work was given a displaylink adaptor as a promo, so I immediately dismantled it to see inside, and then built the linux drivers (ubuntu 9.04 64 bit) and it worked. I'll find a usb U cable - with power add-on, and see what the tablet makes of it.
