[ashlar]

None of the Linux devs who work on video have Nvidia as they perceive Nvidia as anti-open source when it comes to GPU card drivers. The sponsorship is indeed from the Nvidia ShieldTV team, and like lots of huge organisations they have no direct dealings with other divisions.

I wouldn't want to get mixed in this, being a Windows user I don't have any need for NVDEC support, but what you state here is quite the mixed message. If there are ethical reasons, deals should not be taken with the company involved. It's the same company, no matter the product you decide to support. Boycotting single divisions of a company is pretty much unheard of in the ethical arena, AFAIK.

If the problem is the lack of a latest gen Nvidia card, I'm sure something could be done easily to raise the money needed to gift one to a willing developer (by "easily" I mean "easily by users"). Not being a developer, I can only state that I'd be willing to pay half the cost of the card, to put my money where my mouth is. It wouldn't be my first time supporting the project the only way I can.