Date:   Mon, 30 Mar 2020 17:41:03 +0300
From:   Pekka Paalanen <ppaalanen@...il.com>
To:     Neil Armstrong <narmstrong@...libre.com>, code@...oeckl.com
Cc:     Simon Ser <contact@...rsion.fr>,
        "mjourdan@...libre.com" <mjourdan@...libre.com>,
        Kevin Hilman <khilman@...libre.com>,
        "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
        "dri-devel@...ts.freedesktop.org" <dri-devel@...ts.freedesktop.org>,
        "linux-amlogic@...ts.infradead.org" 
        <linux-amlogic@...ts.infradead.org>,
        "linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org" 
        <linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org>,
        Daniel Vetter <daniel@...ll.ch>
Subject: Re: [PATCH v4 7/8] drm/fourcc: amlogic: Add modifier definitions
 for the Scatter layout

On Fri, 27 Mar 2020 15:14:46 +0100
Neil Armstrong <narmstrong@...libre.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On 26/03/2020 10:36, Pekka Paalanen wrote:
> > On Wed, 25 Mar 2020 17:18:15 +0100
> > Neil Armstrong <narmstrong@...libre.com> wrote:
> >   
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> On 25/03/2020 14:49, Pekka Paalanen wrote:  
> >>> On Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:24:15 +0100
> >>> Neil Armstrong <narmstrong@...libre.com> wrote:
> >>>     
> >>>> Hi,
> >>>>
> >>>> On 25/03/2020 10:04, Simon Ser wrote:    
> >>>>> On Wednesday, March 25, 2020 9:50 AM, Neil Armstrong <narmstrong@...libre.com> wrote:
> >>>>>       
> >>>>>> Amlogic uses a proprietary lossless image compression protocol and format
> >>>>>> for their hardware video codec accelerators, either video decoders or
> >>>>>> video input encoders.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> This introduces the Scatter Memory layout, means the header contains IOMMU
> >>>>>> references to the compressed frames content to optimize memory access
> >>>>>> and layout.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> In this mode, only the header memory address is needed, thus the content
> >>>>>> memory organization is tied to the current producer execution and cannot
> >>>>>> be saved/dumped neither transferrable between Amlogic SoCs supporting this
> >>>>>> modifier.      
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I don't think this is suitable for modifiers. User-space relies on
> >>>>> being able to copy a buffer from one machine to another over the
> >>>>> network. It would be pretty annoying for user-space to have a blacklist
> >>>>> of modifiers that don't work this way.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Example of such user-space:
> >>>>> https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/mstoeckl/waypipe/
> >>>>>       
> >>>>
> >>>> I really understand your point, but this is one of the use-cases we need solve.
> >>>> This is why I split the fourcc patch and added an explicit comment.
> >>>>
> >>>> Please point me a way to display such buffer, the HW exists, works like that and
> >>>> it's a fact and can't change.
> >>>>
> >>>> It will be the same for secure zero-copy buffers we can't map from userspace, but
> >>>> only the HW decoder can read/write and HW display can read.    
> >>>
> >>> The comparison to secure buffers is a good one.
> >>>
> >>> Are buffers with the DRM_FORMAT_MOD_AMLOGIC_FBC_LAYOUT_SCATTER modifier
> >>> meaningfully mmappable to CPU always / sometimes / never /
> >>> varies-and-cannot-know?    
> >>
> >> mmappable, yes in our WIP V4L2 driver in non-secure path, meaningful, absolutely never.
> >>
> >> So yeah, these should not be mmappable since not meaningful.  
> > 
> > Ok. So we have a modifier that means there is no point in even trying to
> > mmap the buffer.
> > 
> > Not being able to mmap automatically makes things like waypipe not be
> > able to work on the buffer, so the buffer cannot be replicated over a
> > network, hence there is no compatibility issue. However, it still
> > leaves the problem that, since waypipe is "just" a message relay that
> > does not participate in the protocol really, the two end points might
> > still negotiate to use a modifier that waypipe cannot handle.  
> 
> Not mmapable won't be limited to this kind of buffer, or secure, any DMA-BUF
> provider can decide to disable mmaping, so waypipe should work with this
> whatever this discussion goes to.
> 
> > 
> > Secure buffers have the same problem: by definition, one must not be
> > able to replicate the buffer elsewhere.
> > 
> > To me it seems there needs to be a way to identify buffers that cannot
> > be mmapped. mmap() failing is obvious, but in waypipe's case it is too
> > late - the end points have already negotiated the formats and modifiers
> > and they cannot handle failures afterwards.  
> 
> The AFAIK last open question was on this thread:
> https://lore.kernel.org/dri-devel/d6f8092d-9f90-d5ff-2ab3-b1867f8f5700@ti.com/
> But it was more like, how the consumer driver knows the buffer is secure.
> 
> Daniel, is there something new ?
> 
> >   
> >>>
> >>> Maybe this type should be handled similar to secure buffers, with the
> >>> exception that they are not actually secured but only mostly
> >>> inaccessible. Then again, I haven't looked at any of the secure buffer
> >>> proposals.    
> >>
> >> Actually, the Amlogic platforms offers secure video path using these exact
> >> modifiers, AFAIK it doesn't support the NV12 dual-write output in secure.
> >>
> >> AFAIK last submission is from AMD, and it doesn't talk at all about mmapability
> >> of the secure BOs.  
> > 
> > To me, a secure buffer concept automatically implies that there cannot
> > be CPU access to it. The CPU is not trusted, right? Not even the kernel.
> > I would assume secure implies no mmap. So I wonder, how does the secure
> > buffers proposal manage userspace like waypipe?  
> 
> None, as I said, waypipe whould handle non mmapable buffers, by asking
> for a different modifier set, or sending a gray buffer with a llama
> instead.

Hi,

the only thing waypipe can do, is not forward some of the modifiers
during negotiation, before any buffers are created. That is, assuming
Waypipe actually understands the protocol it shovels through
(libwayland does not understand Wayland, in comparison).

Or disconnect when mmap() fails.

I'm having second thoughts here on the feasibility of the waypipe use
case. It seems to be simply mutually exclusive with secure buffers and
this modifier here.

Manuel, could you check through this thread and let us know what you
think? Maybe I have misassumed something.


Thanks,
pq

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