I’m working on a project for my career degree. It’s about volume visualization of data through 3D textures. I use a GeForce2 Mx card (running NVidia 1.0-1251 Linux driver). Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe that 3D textures are software implemented because I have obtained a not good performance. Am I right?
On the other hand, I have a serious problem with the 3D textures size. When I try to create a texture greater than 64x64x64 I only obtain a black image (without errors). Is there any limitation? Is there any way to create 3D textures
greaters than 64x64x64 (because I need hem), like 128x128x128 or 128x16x16 ??
Finally, I’ve heard that GeForce3 supports 3D textures in hardware, but the current driver does not. Anybody knows when will be a driver which supports them?
Maybe I’m wrong, but I believe that 3D textures are software implemented because I have obtained a not good performance. Am I right?
I believe the situation is that GeForce2 of any sort doesn’t support 3D hardware textures, but GeForce3 does. So what you are seeing is a software implementation (and jolly slow it is too).
On the other hand, I have a serious problem with the 3D textures size. When I try to create a texture greater than 64x64x64 I only obtain a black image (without errors). Is there any limitation? Is there any way to create 3D textures
greaters than 64x64x64 (because I need hem), like 128x128x128 or 128x16x16 ??
64x64x64 is the largest 3D texture you can create on GeForce. You can obtain the maximum size by querying the drivers (glGetInteger with GL_TEXTURE_SIZE_3D, or something like that). The ARB docs. on the 3D extension will tell you.
You can simulate bigger textures by tiling in 3D. Divide your volume into sub-cubes and render them seperately (probably in back-to-front order, depending on what you’re doing I guess).
Finally, I’ve heard that GeForce3 supports 3D textures in hardware, but the current driver does not. Anybody knows when will be a driver which supports them?
As far as I know this is correct. The latest Windows drivers do support 3D textures in hardware, but Linux seems to be lagging behing (which is annoying).
> I believe the situation is that GeForce2 of any sort doesn’t
> support 3D hardware textures, but GeForce3 does. So what
> you are seeing is a software implementation (and jolly
> slow it is too).
About GF3, Do you know what is 3D textures size limitation
in a GF3 card?
> 64x64x64 is the largest 3D texture you can create on GeForce.
> You can obtain the maximum size by querying the drivers
> (glGetInteger with GL_TEXTURE_SIZE_3D, or something like that).
> The ARB docs. on the 3D extension will tell you.
I don’t understand why there is a size limitation if 3D textures
are software implemented. I think this limitation shouldn’t exist
and the programmer should decide if the speed is enough
good for his program. Like Mesa that allows 3D-textures of
2048x2048x1048.
> You can simulate bigger textures by tiling in 3D. Divide
> your volume into sub-cubes and render them seperately (probably
> in back-to-front order, depending on what you’re doing I guess).
Ok, but I’m interested if is there any way to avoid that
limitation like an instruction?
> Ok, but I’m interested if is there any way to avoid that
> limitation like an instruction?
I agree. I’m disillusioned with NVIDIA because Linux is a
good tool for students.