Subject: Re: [PATCH v11 03/22] drm: Add new general DRM property "color format"

From: Nicolas Frattaroli <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:11:27 +0100

On Wednesday, 25 March 2026 13:49:19 Central European Standard Time Dave Stevenson wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Mar 2026 at 16:02, Nicolas Frattaroli
> <[email-masked]> wrote:
> >
> > Add a new general DRM property named "color format" which can be used by
> > userspace to request the display driver to output a particular color
> > format.
> >
> > Possible options are:
> >     - auto (setup by default, driver internally picks the color format)
> >     - rgb
> >     - ycbcr444
> >     - ycbcr422
> >     - ycbcr420
> >
> > Drivers should advertise from this list which formats they support.
> > Together with this list and EDID data from the sink we should be able
> > to relay a list of usable color formats to users to pick from.
> >
> > Co-developed-by: Werner Sembach <[email-masked]>
> > Signed-off-by: Werner Sembach <[email-masked]>
> > Co-developed-by: Andri Yngvason <[email-masked]>
> > Signed-off-by: Andri Yngvason <[email-masked]>
> > Signed-off-by: Marius Vlad <[email-masked]>
> > Reviewed-by: Maxime Ripard <[email-masked]>
> > Signed-off-by: Nicolas Frattaroli <[email-masked]>
> > ---
> >  drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c |   5 ++
> >  drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_uapi.c   |  11 ++++
> >  drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c     | 108 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  include/drm/drm_connector.h         | 104 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> >  4 files changed, 228 insertions(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
> > index 26953ed6b53e..b7753454b777 100644
> > --- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
> > +++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_helper.c
> > @@ -737,6 +737,11 @@ drm_atomic_helper_check_modeset(struct drm_device *dev,
> >                         if (old_connector_state->max_requested_bpc !=
> >                             new_connector_state->max_requested_bpc)
> >                                 new_crtc_state->connectors_changed = true;
> > +
> > +                       if (old_connector_state->color_format !=
> > +                           new_connector_state->color_format)
> > +                               new_crtc_state->connectors_changed = true;
> > +
> >                 }
> >
> >                 if (funcs->atomic_check)
> > diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_uapi.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_uapi.c
> > index 5bd5bf6661df..dee510c85e59 100644
> > --- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_uapi.c
> > +++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_atomic_uapi.c
> > @@ -935,6 +935,15 @@ static int drm_atomic_connector_set_property(struct drm_connector *connector,
> >                 state->privacy_screen_sw_state = val;
> >         } else if (property == connector->broadcast_rgb_property) {
> >                 state->hdmi.broadcast_rgb = val;
> > +       } else if (property == connector->color_format_property) {
> > +               if (val > INT_MAX || !drm_connector_color_format_valid(val)) {
> > +                       drm_dbg_atomic(connector->dev,
> > +                                      "[CONNECTOR:%d:%s] unknown color format %llu\n",
> > +                                      connector->base.id, connector->name, val);
> > +                       return -EINVAL;
> > +               }
> > +
> > +               state->color_format = val;
> >         } else if (connector->funcs->atomic_set_property) {
> >                 return connector->funcs->atomic_set_property(connector,
> >                                 state, property, val);
> > @@ -1020,6 +1029,8 @@ drm_atomic_connector_get_property(struct drm_connector *connector,
> >                 *val = state->privacy_screen_sw_state;
> >         } else if (property == connector->broadcast_rgb_property) {
> >                 *val = state->hdmi.broadcast_rgb;
> > +       } else if (property == connector->color_format_property) {
> > +               *val = state->color_format;
> >         } else if (connector->funcs->atomic_get_property) {
> >                 return connector->funcs->atomic_get_property(connector,
> >                                 state, property, val);
> > diff --git a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
> > index 47dc53c4a738..e848374dee0b 100644
> > --- a/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
> > +++ b/drivers/gpu/drm/drm_connector.c
> > @@ -1388,6 +1388,18 @@ static const u32 hdmi_colorspaces =
> >         BIT(DRM_MODE_COLORIMETRY_DCI_P3_RGB_D65) |
> >         BIT(DRM_MODE_COLORIMETRY_DCI_P3_RGB_THEATER);
> >
> > +static const u32 hdmi_colorformats =
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420);
> > +
> > +static const u32 dp_colorformats =
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422) |
> > +       BIT(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420);
> > +
> >  /*
> >   * As per DP 1.4a spec, 2.2.5.7.5 VSC SDP Payload for Pixel Encoding/Colorimetry
> >   * Format Table 2-120
> > @@ -2940,6 +2952,102 @@ int drm_connector_attach_colorspace_property(struct drm_connector *connector)
> >  }
> >  EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_attach_colorspace_property);
> >
> > +/**
> > + * drm_connector_attach_color_format_property - create and attach color format property
> > + * @connector: connector to create the color format property on
> > + * @supported_color_formats: bitmask of bit-shifted &enum drm_output_color_format
> > + *                           values the connector supports
> > + *
> > + * Called by a driver to create a color format property. The property is
> > + * attached to the connector automatically on success.
> > + *
> > + * @supported_color_formats should only include color formats the connector
> > + * type can actually support.
> > + *
> > + * Returns:
> > + * 0 on success, negative errno on error
> > + */
> > +int drm_connector_attach_color_format_property(struct drm_connector *connector,
> > +                                              unsigned long supported_color_formats)
> > +{
> > +       struct drm_device *dev = connector->dev;
> > +       struct drm_prop_enum_list enum_list[DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT];
> > +       unsigned int i = 0;
> > +       unsigned long fmt;
> > +
> > +       if (connector->color_format_property)
> > +               return 0;
> > +
> > +       if (!supported_color_formats) {
> > +               drm_err(dev, "No supported color formats provided on [CONNECTOR:%d:%s]\n",
> > +                       connector->base.id, connector->name);
> > +               return -EINVAL;
> > +       }
> > +
> > +       if (supported_color_formats & ~GENMASK(DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT - 1, 0)) {
> > +               drm_err(dev, "Unknown color formats provided on [CONNECTOR:%d:%s]\n",
> > +                       connector->base.id, connector->name);
> > +               return -EINVAL;
> > +       }
> > +
> > +       switch (connector->connector_type) {
> > +       case DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_HDMIA:
> > +       case DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_HDMIB:
> > +               if (supported_color_formats & ~hdmi_colorformats) {
> > +                       drm_err(dev, "Color formats not allowed for HDMI on [CONNECTOR:%d:%s]\n",
> > +                               connector->base.id, connector->name);
> > +                       return -EINVAL;
> > +               }
> > +               break;
> > +       case DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_DisplayPort:
> > +       case DRM_MODE_CONNECTOR_eDP:
> > +               if (supported_color_formats & ~dp_colorformats) {
> > +                       drm_err(dev, "Color formats not allowed for DP on [CONNECTOR:%d:%s]\n",
> > +                               connector->base.id, connector->name);
> > +                       return -EINVAL;
> > +               }
> > +               break;
> > +       }
> > +
> > +       enum_list[0].name = "AUTO";
> > +       enum_list[0].type = DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_AUTO;
> > +
> > +       for_each_set_bit(fmt, &supported_color_formats, DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT) {
> > +               switch (fmt) {
> > +               case DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444:
> > +                       enum_list[++i].type = DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444;
> > +                       break;
> > +               case DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444:
> > +                       enum_list[++i].type = DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444;
> > +                       break;
> > +               case DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422:
> > +                       enum_list[++i].type = DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422;
> > +                       break;
> > +               case DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420:
> > +                       enum_list[++i].type = DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420;
> > +                       break;
> > +               default:
> > +                       drm_warn(dev, "Unknown supported format %ld on [CONNECTOR:%d:%s]\n",
> > +                                fmt, connector->base.id, connector->name);
> > +                       continue;
> > +               }
> > +               enum_list[i].name = drm_hdmi_connector_get_output_format_name(fmt);
> > +       }
> > +
> > +       connector->color_format_property =
> > +               drm_property_create_enum(dev, DRM_MODE_PROP_ENUM, "color format",
> > +                                        enum_list, i + 1);
> > +
> > +       if (!connector->color_format_property)
> > +               return -ENOMEM;
> > +
> > +       drm_object_attach_property(&connector->base, connector->color_format_property,
> > +                                  DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_AUTO);
> > +
> > +       return 0;
> > +}
> > +EXPORT_SYMBOL(drm_connector_attach_color_format_property);
> > +
> >  /**
> >   * drm_connector_atomic_hdr_metadata_equal - checks if the hdr metadata changed
> >   * @old_state: old connector state to compare
> > diff --git a/include/drm/drm_connector.h b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
> > index af8b92d2d5b7..bd549f912b76 100644
> > --- a/include/drm/drm_connector.h
> > +++ b/include/drm/drm_connector.h
> > @@ -571,14 +571,102 @@ enum drm_colorspace {
> >   *   YCbCr 4:2:2 output format (ie. with horizontal subsampling)
> >   * @DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420:
> >   *   YCbCr 4:2:0 output format (ie. with horizontal and vertical subsampling)
> > + * @DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT:
> > + *   Number of valid output color format values in this enum
> >   */
> >  enum drm_output_color_format {
> >         DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444 = 0,
> >         DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444,
> >         DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422,
> >         DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420,
> > +       DRM_OUTPUT_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT,
> >  };
> >
> > +/**
> > + * enum drm_connector_color_format - Connector Color Format Request
> > + *
> > + * This enum, unlike &enum drm_output_color_format, is used to specify requests
> > + * for a specific color format on a connector through the DRM "color format"
> > + * property. The difference is that it has an "AUTO" value to specify that
> > + * no specific choice has been made.
> > + */
> > +enum drm_connector_color_format {
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_AUTO: The driver or display protocol
> > +        * helpers should pick a suitable color format. All implementations of a
> > +        * specific display protocol must behave the same way with "AUTO", but
> > +        * different display protocols do not necessarily have the same "AUTO"
> > +        * semantics.
> > +        *
> > +        * For HDMI, "AUTO" picks RGB, but falls back to YCbCr 4:2:0 if the
> > +        * bandwidth required for full-scale RGB is not available, or the mode
> > +        * is YCbCr 4:2:0-only, as long as the mode and output both support
> > +        * YCbCr 4:2:0.
> 
> Is there a reason you propose dropping back to YCbCr 4:2:0 without
> trying YCbCr 4:2:2 first? Minimising the subsampling is surely
> beneficial, and vc4 for one can do 4:2:2 but not 4:2:0.

I worked under the assumption that 4:2:0 was more common than 4:2:2 based
on the existing HDMI state helper code that also doesn't try 4:2:2 first.
But this is a good point, it should try 4:2:2 as well (at least on
implementations where it's supported, e.g. i915 does not support 4:2:2 at
all from what I see.)

Kind regards,
Nicolas Frattaroli

> 
>   Dave
> 
> > +        *
> > +        * For display protocols other than HDMI, the recursive bridge chain
> > +        * format selection picks the first chain of bridge formats that works,
> > +        * as has already been the case before the introduction of the "color
> > +        * format" property. Non-HDMI bridges should therefore either sort their
> > +        * bus output formats by preference, or agree on a unified auto format
> > +        * selection logic that's implemented in a common state helper (like
> > +        * how HDMI does it).
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_AUTO = 0,
> > +
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444: RGB output format
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444,
> > +
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444: YCbCr 4:4:4 output format (ie.
> > +        * not subsampled)
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444,
> > +
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422: YCbCr 4:2:2 output format (ie.
> > +        * with horizontal subsampling)
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422,
> > +
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420: YCbCr 4:2:0 output format (ie.
> > +        * with horizontal and vertical subsampling)
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420,
> > +
> > +       /**
> > +        * @DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT: Number of valid connector color
> > +        * format values in this enum
> > +        */
> > +       DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_COUNT,
> > +};
> > +
> > +/**
> > + * drm_connector_color_format_valid - Validate drm_connector_color_format value
> > + * @fmt: value to check against all values of &enum drm_connector_color_format
> > + *
> > + * Checks whether the passed in value of @fmt is one of the allowable values in
> > + * &enum drm_connector_color_format.
> > + *
> > + * Returns: %true if it's a valid value for the enum, %false otherwise.
> > + */
> > +static inline bool __pure
> > +drm_connector_color_format_valid(enum drm_connector_color_format fmt)
> > +{
> > +       switch (fmt) {
> > +       case DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_AUTO:
> > +       case DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_RGB444:
> > +       case DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR444:
> > +       case DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR422:
> > +       case DRM_CONNECTOR_COLOR_FORMAT_YCBCR420:
> > +               return true;
> > +       default:
> > +               return false;
> > +       }
> > +}
> > +
> >  const char *
> >  drm_hdmi_connector_get_output_format_name(enum drm_output_color_format fmt);
> >
> > @@ -1129,6 +1217,13 @@ struct drm_connector_state {
> >          */
> >         enum drm_colorspace colorspace;
> >
> > +       /**
> > +        * @color_format: State variable for Connector property to request
> > +        * color format change on Sink. This is most commonly used to switch
> > +        * between RGB to YUV and vice-versa.
> > +        */
> > +       enum drm_connector_color_format color_format;
> > +
> >         /**
> >          * @writeback_job: Writeback job for writeback connectors
> >          *
> > @@ -2127,6 +2222,12 @@ struct drm_connector {
> >          */
> >         struct drm_property *colorspace_property;
> >
> > +       /**
> > +        * @color_format_property: Connector property to set the suitable
> > +        * color format supported by the sink.
> > +        */
> > +       struct drm_property *color_format_property;
> > +
> >         /**
> >          * @path_blob_ptr:
> >          *
> > @@ -2610,6 +2711,9 @@ bool drm_connector_has_possible_encoder(struct drm_connector *connector,
> >                                         struct drm_encoder *encoder);
> >  const char *drm_get_colorspace_name(enum drm_colorspace colorspace);
> >
> > +int drm_connector_attach_color_format_property(struct drm_connector *connector,
> > +                                              unsigned long supported_color_formats);
> > +
> >  /**
> >   * drm_for_each_connector_iter - connector_list iterator macro
> >   * @connector: &struct drm_connector pointer used as cursor
> >
> > --
> > 2.53.0
> >
>