Multi-thread, multi-window rendering provides a lot of power and flexibility when used correctly so make sure you read this post to understand how it works.
Imagination’s PowerVR Graphics are heavily invested in developing for the mobile world. This technical article focuses on the ability to manage multiple graphic windows on these smaller platforms that are, as users increase demands, expected to perform as quickly and smoothly as laptop and desktop devices.
The key issues of space available (both physically and in terms of memory, etc) and the number of assisting tools, such as GPU’s which are becomeing commonplace in the non-mobile world, must be addressed not only with hardware that accomodates the needs, but software and programming/coding approaches that can maneuver around the difficulties.
This article addresses this concern from the aspect of using OpenGL ES for the rendering of graphics, and is a quite concise (and visual) summary of 1)differentiation between “multi-thread rendering” (typically necessary for gaming or other visualization apps) and 2)”multi-window rendering”-which is become a greater expection of users as they push these hand-held devices to do more simultaneous multi-tasking.
Although the article concludes with best practices as applied to Imagination’s own solutions, there is good information and smart approaches useful for anyone programming in that or similar environments.
See on withimagination.imgtec.com
