AMD 8.42.3 Driver Released -- The Baby Is Born!

[Porter]

Does anyone have an inside track on when the 8.42.3 driver will be rolled out in the Ubuntu repositories? Is there a timeline?

Thanks!

[givemesugarr]

Does anyone have an inside track on when the 8.42.3 driver will be rolled out in the Ubuntu repositories? Is there a timeline?

i don't know if it will reach the new gusty. the problem is that the 7+ release uses the new slub which don't work well with slub, i don't think it will reach the official repo soon. first it has to be patched in some way, but since i've read that it needs to recompile the kernel with slab to have some functions to work, i don't think that the official packagers would insert a broken package inside their repo.

[Uchikoma]

i don't know if it will reach the new gusty. the problem is that the 7+ release uses the new slub which don't work well with slub, i don't think it will reach the official repo soon. first it has to be patched in some way, but since i've read that it needs to recompile the kernel with slab to have some functions to work, i don't think that the official packagers would insert a broken package inside their repo.

ATI fglrx 8.42.3 will NOT be added to the Ubuntu repositories.

[Porter]

i don't know if it will reach the new gusty. the problem is that the 7+ release uses the new slub which don't work well with slub, i don't think it will reach the official repo soon. first it has to be patched in some way, but since i've read that it needs to recompile the kernel with slab to have some functions to work, i don't think that the official packagers would insert a broken package inside their repo.

Well, the current fglrx driver included in Ubuntu 7.10 is just as broken with regard to SLUB, so I'm not sure why it would matter.

ATI fglrx 8.42.3 will NOT be added to the Ubuntu repositories.

Do you know if there is a certain reason why this is? Considering that the current fglrx is also broken?

[Uchikoma]

Well, the current fglrx driver included in Ubuntu 7.10 is just as broken with regard to SLUB, so I'm not sure why it would matter.

Do you know if there is a certain reason why this is? Considering that the current fglrx is also broken?

The fglrx version in Gutsy is the same as Feisty. (fglrx version 8.37).

It's been decided that they will not include the driver for the following reasons:

a) Poor performance (w/ Compiz notably)
b) They usually don't do linux-restricted-module backports either
c) It's not regression free as many a person has noted here.

That about sums it up. You can view the launchpad entry with full details and comments from users and the Ubuntu team.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-restricted-modules-2.6.22/+bug/156325

Perhaps in time, when 8.43 comes out, and everything is more stable (for instance no tearing/choppy video in Xv with Compiz), then they'll consider backporting it. Best to wait till we get an fglrx release that is relatively stable and works well with compiz before asking again.

[Porter]

Thanks for the information! It's much appreciated.

[fulgas]

I have to say it AMD releases are getting worse on the basic needs of a driver. The overall performance i do find it pretty good compared to a few versions earlier but in terms of stability it keeps getting worse...
Lost a couple of image formats (YUY2 and RGB), the Xv is a laugh, and now even gl is screwed. It just keeps getting worse to watch pretty much anything on any player and for the cherry on top of the cake... xorg is randomly restarting due to the xv issues after watching a movie..

Nice work AMD/ATI.

PS: what good is AIGLX for if pretty much the rest is borked?

[Uchikoma]

For me:

Xv works fine on 8.42 (and does not restart x)
gl works fine on 8.42 (and does not restart x)

So, this is kind of interesting. >_>

Linux 2.6.22.14.21 [Ubuntu]
Xorg 1.3 w/ XFCE on top.

[Berniyh]

Looks like you don't have TexturedVideo enabled from your xorg.conf.

I didn't have that Option in my xorg.conf, but xv was working, I did try it then and suddenly hat an awful lot of tearing an stuff. I then switched back and everything is working fine again.

Note, that xv really _is_ working (mplayer -v -vo xv shows stuff like this):

VO: Description: X11/Xv
Xvideo image format: 0x32595559 (YUY2) packed
Xvideo image format: 0x59565955 (UYVY) packed
Xvideo image format: 0x32315659 (YV12) planar
Xvideo image format: 0x30323449 (I420) planar
using Xvideo port 131 for hw scaling

[fulgas]

Xvideo image format: 0x32315659 (YV12) planar
Xvideo image format: 0x30323449 (I420) planar

Only got this ones... lost the rest on the driver change.

btw i got a x1950GT.

gl have a huge delay between the sound and the image. ( no the video is not out of sync)
xv have the scale problem and sometimes i just can't use the xv, some strange problem trying to access something and the random restart. So i'm pretty (not) happy with ATI, right now.