XvBA on Evergreen

[XabiX]

So what can linux users do with their evergreen cards?

I am asking because it looks like there is no GPU decoding available yet if I understand correctly (no VaAPI and no XvBA).

How do you guys use your HD5xxx card today? I am using fglrx 10.7 drivers but I am not very satisfied of their xv rendering even with DVDs :-(

What could we do in the meantime to use them and enjoy ours HTPC?
I have an i3 530 cpu

Do we have any insights on when we should have some GPU decoding capabilities?

MANY THANKS
XabiX

[bridgman]

We recommend using GL output for video playback rather than Xv, btw.

[XabiX]

We recommend using GL output for video playback rather than Xv, btw.

Is it GLX (XCB) under VLC for example? for Mplayer I have several gl one, is even called gl (quick for ATI) is it the one?

Any special thing to add in the xorg.conf?

Thanks
Xabix

[curaga]

I have an i3 530 cpu

Wait, isn't that one of the supported Intel ones? H.264 at least, IIRC.

[bridgman]

Choosing a gl output is done differently for every player. Usually I find the most complicated looking option name that doesn't crash works best

Nothing special required in xorg.conf if you're starting with a "vanilla" xorg.conf then running aticonfig --initial against it. If you've pasted in a bunch of options already you might have to take some of them out...

[XabiX]

Is it GLX (XCB) under VLC for example? for Mplayer I have several gl one, is even called gl (quick for ATI) is it the one?

Any special thing to add in the xorg.conf?

Thanks
Xabix

FYI

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier     "amdcccle Layout"
	Screen      0  "amdcccle-Screen[1]-0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
	Option	    "Xinerama" "off"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "0-DFP1"
	Option	    "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
	Option	    "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
	Option	    "DPMS" "true"
	Option	    "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
	Option	    "TargetRefresh" "30"
	Option	    "Position" "0 0"
	Option	    "Rotate" "normal"
	Option	    "Disable" "false"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "0-CRT2"
	Option	    "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
	Option	    "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
	Option	    "DPMS" "true"
	Option	    "TargetRefresh" "60"
	Option	    "Position" "0 0"
	Option	    "Rotate" "normal"
	Option	    "Disable" "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "amdcccle-Device[1]-0"
	Driver      "fglrx"
	Option	    "ForceMonitors" "tmds1,nocrt2"
	Option	    "TVFormat" "PAL-N"
	Option	    "EnableRandR12" "false"
	Option	    "Monitor-DFP1" "0-DFP1"
	BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "amdcccle-Device[1]-1"
	Driver      "fglrx"
	Option	    "Monitor-DFP1" "0-DFP1"
	BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
	Screen      1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "amdcccle-Screen[1]-0"
	Device     "amdcccle-Device[1]-0"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "amdcccle-Screen[1]-1"
	Device     "amdcccle-Device[1]-1"
	DefaultDepth     24
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Kernel: 2.6.34-02063401-generic

libva: libva version 0.31.1-sds1
Xlib:  extension "XFree86-DRI" missing on display ":0.0".
libva: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva: Trying to open /usr/lib/va/drivers/fglrx_drv_video.so
libva: va_openDriver() returns 0
vainfo: VA API version: 0.31
vainfo: Driver version: Splitted-Desktop Systems XvBA backend for VA API - 0.7.2
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
      VAProfileMPEG2Simple            :	VAEntrypointIDCT
      VAProfileMPEG2Main              :	VAEntrypointIDCT
      VAProfileH264High               :	VAEntrypointVLD
      VAProfileVC1Advanced            :	VAEntrypointVLD

[XabiX]

Wait, isn't that one of the supported Intel ones? H.264 at least, IIRC.

I was using it at the beginning for the video and it was pretty good even quite new. The only killing feature with the 5.1, DTS, true-hd on the HDMI. So for an HTPC server 2.0 was bad so instead of changing the motherboard I added a video card but struggling with getting nice vids.

At least I liked the idea of using Intel HD Graphics for green HTPC

Now I have an ever green card instead

[curaga]

I was using it at the beginning for the video and it was pretty good even quite new. The only killing feature with the 5.1, DTS, true-hd on the HDMI. So for an HTPC server 2.0 was bad so instead of changing the motherboard I added a video card but struggling with getting nice vids.

Please elaborate.

The board couldn't output 5.1 via hdmi? By itself, or even as a passthrough?
Is this a limit of the Intel gpu, the sound card, or the chip that muxes hdmi output?

[XabiX]

Please elaborate.

The board couldn't output 5.1 via hdmi? By itself, or even as a passthrough?
Is this a limit of the Intel gpu, the sound card, or the chip that muxes hdmi output?

I tried in pass-through with my Yamaha decoder but it didn't work I had only 2.0 then I read the user guide
http://download.gigabyte.us/FileList...5)m-usb3_e.pdf

Page 19: Please note the HDMI audio output only supports AC3, DTS and 2-channel-LPCM formats. (AC3 and DTS require the use of an external decoder for decoding.)

I was so frustrated to discover this after buying the motherboard and spending weeks investigating and finding also that the drivers didn't support interleace mode 1080i.

now I have "issues" with my ATI card but at least I have 5.1 audio :-)

[curaga]

I'm still a bit in the dark, you have a Yamaha decoder/amp to pipe DTS to, which should be supported (as reads in the manual)?