Open source "Radeon" driver: vsync, vblank_mode, tearing and (open)GL

[nanonyme]

Linux? Then xv is always the prefered method.

Yeah, assuming they're not using some silly player like XBMC which only supports OpenGL output.

[Meneer Jansen]

You will only have to update your kernel. I'm not sure when I will get to it. I'm happy to review a patch if someone else beats me to it.

(bump)
I sincerely hope that you will add said xrandr functionality to the kernel. If you write a patch, can I add that to any kernel source w/ the old command:

patch -p0 < patch-file-name-here

If so, then I'll try to compile a kernel myself if you write a patch. I am really very eagerly waiting for an updated kernel...

Or have the xrandr options like:

• tv_vertical_position
• tv_horizontal_position
• tv_horizontal_size

been added already to the kernel the last few weeks? With those options it's possible to overscan.

[chrisr]

You're not the only one for whom 2.6.35 kernels are "hanging".

P.S. Some of those 2.6.35 kernels make my PC "hang" a couple of minuted after booting. Known bug? Don't have those probs w/ the 2.6.32 Ubuntu Lucid kernel.

If by "hang" you mean "hard lockup that needs a power-cycle", then yes, my RV350 is experiencing random hangs with 2.6.35 kernels too. I have raised this issue in the kernel's bugzilla:

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=17221

2.6.34 kernels seem unaffected by this when using the identical userspace, and my Mesa-Gallium and xorg-drv-ati are both from git.

I'm suspecting the vsync code, because that does seem to be the Big Difference between .34 and .35 apart from the memory changes. And my card only has 256M of VRAM on board anyway. (It uses 256M of VRAM under .34 too.)

[Meneer Jansen]

If by "hang" you mean "hard lockup that needs a power-cycle",

Yep. That's what I mean. I've got the 2.6.32-24-generic kernel from the regular Ubuntu repositories now and my PC shuts off about 3 times each time I can successfully turn it on. In my case: I think it's a hardware (motherboard) problem. I might try to reinstall my Nvidia card to see if it really is my MoBo.

However. I'd like the following xrandr options:

• tv_vertical_position
• tv_horizontal_position
• tv_horizontal_size

to be included first of all...

[chrisr]

Then we must be seeing different problems

I think it's a hardware (motherboard) problem.

My PC "only" locks up (after a random period of time) when using OpenGL. And currently that means "Gallium from git" too, because I've used Compiz with Fedora's classic 7.8.1 without any trouble so far.

[MisterIO]

Linux? Then xv is always the prefered method.

I see. Well, I hope that with Gallium we'll get something better then.

[Panix]

So Evergreen cards work perfect now with the FOSS driver?

You can use any distro, any kernel or any X.org version with perfect video now?

It's almost a year since the release of the HD 5xxx series. So, there shouldn't be tearing and you should be able to use vsync and xv video output now? So, no black screens or tearing?

For e.g., if you were to try:

1) Fedora 13 - kernel 2.6.33, X.org 1.8 (*'wonder how Rawhide/14 would fare!)

2) Ubuntu 10.10 - kernel 2.6.35, X.org 1.9

3) OpenSUSE 11.3 - kernel 2.6.34, X.org 1.8
*X.org - Xorg-XServer

Anyone try any of those?: what were your findings?

I am assuming that the HD 5xxx cards work in those or at least two of them... the released ones... no video playback issues by now

[Meneer Jansen]

You can use any distro, any kernel or any X.org version with perfect video now? [...] So, there shouldn't be tearing and you should be able to use vsync and xv video output now? So, no black screens or tearing?

Yes. When I use KMS then there is no prob. w/ vsync ands GL. However, I cannot use some features that are very important to me. They are:

• tv_vertical_position
• tv_horizontal_position
• tv_horizontal_size

When I do not use KMS to load the driver(s) then I can those options are available to me. When will this be fixed?

P.S. I use Ati RV350.

[pingufunkybeat]

He was talking about Evergreen.

And no, it's not "perfect". It should mostly work, though.