Xdmx
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Xdmx is the Distributed Multihead X Project. It acts as a proxy X-windows server for multiple back-end X servers. When combined with Xinerama support, the multiple displays handled by Xdmx are presented to the user as a single unified screen.
For example, Xdmx could provide multi monitor support using two desktop computers, each of which has a single monitor. Or, it could unify a 4 by 4 grid of monitors between 8 computers each with 2 monitors attached to them.
Xdmx was developed and runs under Linux. In addition, Xdmx has been reported to work under most X11 architectures such as X11 running under Mac OS.
A misconception about Xdmx is that it is a window manager. Xdmx is not a window manager, but another version of an X server. As a result another window manager such as KDE, GNOME, Fluxbox, etc. is needed to run on top of Xdmx for maximum usage. The Xdmx server is known as the front-end X server, while the servers that the Xdmx server connects to are known as the back-end servers. X clients can use the Xdmx server just like a normal X server, while the Xdmx server uses the back end servers to actually do the drawing.
Xdmx implements the GLX protocol for indirect rendering. This allows clients to use OpenGL for 3d graphics on a distributed display. This feature is known as GLX proxy. However, GLX proxy has a number of issues. Including:
- It requires homogenous GLX visuals on the back-end displays. This often cases problems for people who are mixing back-end machines with differing 3d capabilities. For example, it would likely not work if one back-end used an ATI graphics card and another a nVidia card.
- It has limited support for newer versions of OpenGL and lacks support for most modern OpenGL extensions.
- It is not combatable with dynamic screen addition and removal.
- Indirect Rendering is almost always slower than direct rendering.
Because of the above limitations, many users use Chromium for OpenGL support when using Xdmx. Using the tilesort SPU, Chromium can provide 3d acceleration over the entire DMX display (consisting of multiple machines). In addition, Chromium can be configured to use the dmxdirect SPU to provide near native 3d rendering capabilities by limiting 3d rendering to only a single backend display.
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