VIDEO CARDS: ATI, Intel, VIA... whatever you got...

[l3mce]

At long last, as a side effect of dealing with the dvd snapshot maker, I picked up where I left off trying to get better video card support. I believe the next build should have video detection kicked wide open.

I need people to test Intel, ATI, and VIA MDs. I am trying not to be overly optimistic... but I am out of equipment to test on... and everything works (newest versions of nVidia hardware notwithstanding). However the new nVidia chipset interoperability is right around the corner. I have the source code, I just need to compile our own versions of the nVidia 295.20 drivers and nvidia-settings specific to that driver, and get it all happy in the DB. I have already written the detection scheme. On the newest nVidia chipsets there is a new VDPAU revision (rev D) which reports greatly improved h264 support, so I am looking forward to that.

LMCE should work on just about anything now. Just apt-get update, apt-get upgrade, and you will have to then run /usr/pluto/bin/Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh (again if run before, so that the new code is used for them).

Then pull out your abandoned cards/MD projects, and just plug them in. Set your laptops to network boot... MDs are all slim clients... your host OS will not be affected.

So, come on folks. Make me a liar.
Please report any failures along with output of lspci -v | grep "VGA"

[Marie.O]

A note: The built producing the new debs is currently under way. Please wait a bit. As soon as you see a version with 25659 at the end, you know you've got the right stuff. Also, we will have a 1004 snapshot iso with those changes. A big thanks to l3mce!

[Techstyle]

Any particular UI that people should use?

[l3mce]

As good as you can get.

Intel is producing great results. I mean if you are running a late 90s dell optiplex, I wouldn't shoot for compositing... however if you have a G45 or similar, UI2 with alpha is working. Honestly I have said optiplex running UI2 (no alpha) brilliantly right now. Couple of laptops have run with alpha... and frankly... the performance has been better than my non-VDPAU nVidia stuff.

ATI is anybodies guess. I don't have any HW that uses the fglrx drivers, and you are not likely to get alpha with radeon. U2.1 works great on my radeon hw.

Laughably my pico-itx VIA runs well enough on UI2.1. Mythtv takes a few seconds to buffer up, but it runs, which is funny to me. Performance would probably be up to par if I could get the s3d driver to fire, but as it was problematic on my VIAs, I set it to openchrome.

Along with the fglrx, these are the additional drivers being correctly detected and applied:
radeon: xserver-xorg-video-radeon
radeonhd: xserver-xorg-video-radeonhd
intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel
i128: xserver-xorg-video-i128
i740: xserver-xorg-video-i740
openchrome: xserver-xorg-video-openchrome
savage: xserver-xorg-video-savage
via: xserver-xorg-video-s3
virge: xserver-xorg-video-s3virge

I somehow let go of the detection that unlocks the Intel vaapi on the G45, i3, i5, i7 cores in this build. Will replace for next build. In the meantime if you have any of those, when you get to avwizard, apt-get install libva-driver-i965 and reboot.

*Oh... and I am quite sure I broke vesa... so... best to wait until after build, and new pluto-boot-scripts is generated after that.

[bongowongo]

As good as you can get.

Intel is producing great results. I mean if you are running a late 90s dell optiplex, I wouldn't shoot for compositing... however if you have a G45 or similar, UI2 with alpha is working. Honestly I have said optiplex running UI2 (no alpha) brilliantly right now. Couple of laptops have run with alpha... and frankly... the performance has been better than my non-VDPAU nVidia stuff.

ATI is anybodies guess. I don't have any HW that uses the fglrx drivers, and you are not likely to get alpha with radeon. U2.1 works great on my radeon hw.

Laughably my pico-itx VIA runs well enough on UI2.1. Mythtv takes a few seconds to buffer up, but it runs, which is funny to me. Performance would probably be up to par if I could get the s3d driver to fire, but as it was problematic on my VIAs, I set it to openchrome.

Along with the fglrx, these are the additional drivers being correctly detected and applied:
radeon: xserver-xorg-video-radeon
radeonhd: xserver-xorg-video-radeonhd
intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel
i128: xserver-xorg-video-i128
i740: xserver-xorg-video-i740
openchrome: xserver-xorg-video-openchrome
savage: xserver-xorg-video-savage
via: xserver-xorg-video-s3
virge: xserver-xorg-video-s3virge

I somehow let go of the detection that unlocks the Intel vaapi on the G45, i3, i5, i7 cores in this build. Will replace for next build. In the meantime if you have any of those, when you get to avwizard, apt-get install libva-driver-i965 and reboot.

Thank you L3mce, I have been waiting for this for so long, but this 2 weeks I cannot do anything. My boss expects me to work for my money. Weird! But my bongo is itching like always.

[JaseP]

I'll test this tonight on my Intel core machine... I was getting an error at the avwizard with a fresh install using the script over the last several days.

Sorry for the OT request, but any chance on getting the ability to define partitions on the 1004 Install ISO, or is that right out???

I like my primary and /home partitons separate and got some junk on there I'd like to keep (that is; no reformatting of my /home partition).

[JaseP]

OK simply downloading the libva driver is a no go... I've re-run the script and will see if that does the trick,... But I doubt it...

FYI my lspci output is as follows:

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00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)

... Yep,... Just like I figured avwizard fails with "failed to setup X" message in ASCII...

It's broke...

[l3mce]

I should have updated this as the build has not happened yet. Things have been very busy on the builder side, so I have been fine tuning and doing spot tests on very new hardware.

I will post again when it is ready to go. I was a bit anxious, so I just submitted the code and started the thread. I was a bit premature in the announcement. I think I will have to fine tune some things on the ATI side as well... but thank you for testing, and please try again when I repost.

[JaseP]

So it's not my particular chipset?!?! Thanks for responding so quickly and working on it... I'm anxious to get everything working for the first time...

I'm just DYING to duplicate my Z-wave stuff on to my second (LinuxMCE controlled) Aeon Z-wave stick.

[l3mce]

Bring it.

Ok... to reiterate a couple of things.

In 1004 ONLY (for now), on the core:

Code: [Select]

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgradeTo pass this new code on to media directors you will need to rerun:

Code: [Select]

sudo /usr/pluto/bin/Diskless_CreateTBZ.shMedia Directors will NOT get the new detection scheme unless you do.

In web admin, remove any failed attempts at creating these md's before by clicking Media Directors on left, and choosing "Delete" to the right of the moon number.

Then... just plug it in and push da button.


I will tell you that this will NOT work on Sandy Bridge/HD3000. Just too new for 1004.

[l3mce]

JaseP:

OK simply downloading the libva driver is a no go...

Please do not download any drivers on your own to try and fix it if it doesn't go.

There is a known bug in Intel driver for your specific chipset.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xserver-xorg-video-intel/+bug/539533
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/578460

However, we build our xorg a little different, and with the updates to the driver on their side it may just light up, so give it a go as I have done it. If you still get a failed to setup x, I will give you some specific stuff to do to get it going, however I am not sure how WELL I can get it to perform once we change it.

[JaseP]

Here's the thing,... This is the Core machine, not just a media director... The chipset & install was working before (as of like 2 weeks ago, with a clean install)... I was getting decent performance out of it with UI2 with Alpha blending. The chip set works after the LinuxMCE avwizard fails and I manually login to my user account and do s startx. In fact I am typing this on that machine right now from inside KDE, running with full (KDE) compositing. So the Intel driver works fine... There are not limitations in it that would be of concern to LinuxMCE (3D gaming,... maybe). And to my knowledge that bug you mentioned, is over a year old and has been patched...

I DID the apt-get update/upgrade/rebuild all media directors thing. I do not have access to the web admin, as LinuxMCE does not come up (and I have no idea what the URL is for the web admin utility, or if it's even up & working at this point). So,... If you specific instructions that I can follow to get LinuxMCE to detect the chip set, I'd be appreciative.

PS: I found the thread about accessing the web admin portal,... So getting access to that's no problem.

[l3mce]

Look... I am really trying to be nice here. You do not make it easy.

I don't care what you did before. I don't care how you think things should work.

1. The limitation would be compositing, which is of concern to LinuxMCE using alpha blending. Do not explain to me what is important.
2. I know the driver can be made to work. The problem is setting up an xorg that the driver can take advantage of WITHOUT having to do anything manually.
3. Those bugs are open, as in not closed, as in not fixed. There is about a 50/50 chance the driver will "just work" on a given setup.
4. The build happened TODAY, so what you did previously matters f*** all because the code was not available to make it work.
5. The idea, is that nobody has to do anything special to make these things work. I don't want to give hacks. I am doing all of this to make it work for everyone... so, until you do what I tell you to, I am not going to place a hack here, because then people just patch their systems rather than helping me make things work for everyone.

Lastly, if you never plan on attaching any media directors to your core, you can skip the Diskless_SetupTBZ.sh. I will update the instructions to reflect this.


So... just follow the instructions, or drop out of my threads.
kthxbi

[JaseP]

I'm not trying to be difficult,... I'm just trying to point out that it was working before but didn't later...

Question:

You say the limitation would be compositing,... But the Intel driver supports compositing,... Compiz, Native compositing in KDE, XFCE, LXDE, etc (and it seemed to be working before in LinuxMCE). What is LinuxMCE doing differently that you say compositing won't work in LinuxMCE???

Again, I'm not trying to be a P.I.TA., I really just want to know. I've configured X-server configs for a decade, so I could actually be a little help here... I've got motivation to help make this work, as 2/3rds of my finished network will be running on similar Intel grafics chipsets. And I solved graphics issues surrounding various Intel chipsets before. I've got old Xorg.config files that work laying around.

P.S. I'll give the new build a spin tonight and post the results.

[l3mce]

I'm not trying to be difficult,... I'm just trying to point out that it was working before but didn't later...

Question:

You say the limitation would be compositing,... But the Intel driver supports compositing,... Compiz, Native compositing in KDE, XFCE, LXDE, etc (and it seemed to be working before in LinuxMCE). What is LinuxMCE doing differently that you say compositing won't work in LinuxMCE???

Again, I'm not trying to be a P.I.TA., I really just want to know. I've configured X-server configs for a decade, so I could actually be a little help here... I've got motivation to help make this work, as 2/3rds of my finished network will be running on similar Intel grafics chipsets. And I solved graphics issues surrounding various Intel chipsets before. I've got old Xorg.config files that work laying around.

P.S. I'll give the new build a spin tonight and post the results.

The reason it was working before, and then didn't, is because I broke it trying to get to this point where it will work again, hopefully better than ever.

I was replying to your statement that it shouldn't matter to lmce. I did not say that compositing WOULDN'T work, I only meant to say that compositing does matter to the system. All that has changed on that front is detection and adding the newer libva-driver-i965. If you had compositing going, that is not an issue unless you added it yourself, which disrupts my ability to determine if our side is doing it right... which is the only reason I asked you not add any drivers on your side.

Our xorg.conf generation is complicated and the pieces each happen in several different places before coming together. I have nothing to indicate that it will NOT work for you, so as of yet I do not know that any help is needed. I try not to make changes to the process for a single chipset because it makes it more likely to break everything around it, and typically migrating to new distro's, the change becomes irrelevant except to cause problems. However if it is not particularly invasive, I am willing to generate specific modlines based on oddball cases.



Thus far, out of 8 Intel machines that never gotten to AVWizard before, all but the hd3000 have... and it is just too spanking new for Lucid, requiring natty backports and too much work in general to deal with.


I am sorry if I am curt with you. It seems like I try being nice to you, and you come back nasty at me. You begin posting in the thread, not reading where posde said:

A note: The built producing the new debs is currently under way. Please wait a bit. As soon as you see a version with 25659 at the end, you know you've got the right stuff. Also, we will have a 1004 snapshot iso with those changes. A big thanks to l3mce!

and then say

OK simply downloading the libva driver is a no go... I've re-run the script and will see if that does the trick,... But I doubt it...


... Yep,... Just like I figured avwizard fails with "failed to setup X" message in ASCII...

It's broke...

I have hundreds of hours in this. Your attitude is pessimistic and rude. Still I am polite. Then you come back, after not following directions, telling me it isn't going to work, not understanding that the new code has not been available until I posted saying it was ready (as I said I would do). I don't want to be unpleasant to you. It isn't constructive in any way. I don't want people kissing my ass either... but if we could find a happy medium between asshole and thankful, it would be much better for everyone.