[mythtv-users] Yet Another XvMC Problem

David Schlenk mythtv at schdav.org
Fri Aug 1 20:51:53 UTC 2008


On Fri, Aug 1, 2008 at 2:42 PM, Jonathan Heizer <jheizer at gmail.com> wrote:
> Ok, I have a wimpy machine as a frontend using a 1.6Ghz Athlon XP and a
> GF6200 outputting to a 1080p TV, but currently only trying 720p.  I am
> playing HD QAM recordings out the DVI to HDMI input and optical to a
> receiver.
>
> Even when outputting at 1080p the little machine will usually works just
> fine, but 1/10 times the cpu usage of mythfrontend will sky rocket.  Even
> after resetting Xorrg it will not work, but usually a reboot clears it up.
> Sad part is because of using a CF to IDE adapter and DMA issues, a reboot
> takes ~5 miutes for the kernel to be happy with no DMA and boot up.  After
> that things are snappy.  During these cpu spikes the video will still play
> fine, but the audio gets all jumpy.  I have to have XvMC set up right
> because this box would not be able to output 720p or 1080i to 1080p with out
> it I wouldn't think.
>
> Frontend Log on skipping playing a 720p @ 720p
>
> 2008-07-31 21:33:26.549 New DB connection, total: 3
> 2008-07-31 21:33:26.608 Connected to database 'mythconverg' at host:
> 10.0.0.197
> 2008-07-31 21:33:26.693 TV: Attempting to change from None to
> WatchingPreRecorded
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.129 AFD: Opened codec 0x878c180, id(MPEG2VIDEO_XVMC)
> type(Video)
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.129 AFD: codec AC3 has 6 channels
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.130 AFD: Opened codec 0x873d4d0, id(AC3) type(Audio)
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.173 Opening audio device 'default'. ch 6(2) sr 48000
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.173 Opening ALSA audio device 'default'.
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.185 Opening audio device 'default'. ch 2(2) sr 48000
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.185 Opening ALSA audio device 'default'.
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.400 AFD: Opened codec 0x874b5d0, id(MPEG2VIDEO)
> type(Video)
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.400 AFD: codec AC3 has 6 channels
> 2008-07-31 21:33:27.402 AFD: Opened codec 0x8742b70, id(AC3) type(Audio)
> 2008-07-31 21:33:30.104 VideoOutputXv: XvMC Adaptor Name: 'NV17 Video
> Texture'
> 2008-07-31 21:33:30.150 Unable to parse themeinfo.xml for glass-wide
> 2008-07-31 21:33:30.150 The theme (glass-wide) is missing a themeinfo.xml
> file
> 2008-07-31 21:33:30.150 OSD Theme Dimensions W: 640 H: 480
> 2008-07-31 21:33:30.597 NVP: Prebuffer wait timed out 10 times.
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.353 NVP: Prebuffer wait timed out 10 times.
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.364 TV: Changing from None to WatchingPreRecorded
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.367 Realtime priority would require SUID as root.
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.382 Failed to approve 'onefield' deinterlacer
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.382 Couldn't load deinterlace filter
> 2008-07-31 21:33:31.482 Video timing method: USleep with busy wait
> 2008-07-31 21:33:32.087 WriteAudio: buffer underrun
> 2008-07-31 21:33:32.502 WriteAudio: buffer underrun
>
>
> Linux mythtvlivingroom 2.6.23-chw-4 #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon May 26 14:44:56 PDT
> 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
>
>
> Please include all output in bug reports.
> MythTV Version   : 17686M
> MythTV Branch    : branches/release-0-21-fixes
> Library API      : 0.21.20080304-1
> Network Protocol : 40
> Options compiled in:
>  linux release using_oss using_alsa using_arts using_jack using_backend
> using_dbox2 using_directfb using_dvb using_firewire using_frontend
> using_hdhomerun using_iptv using_ivtv using_joystick_menu using_libfftw3
> using_lirc using_opengl_vsync using_opengl_video using_v4l using_x11
> using_xrandr using_xv using_xvmc using_xvmcw using_xvmc_vld
> using_bindings_perl using_bindings_python using_opengl using_ffmpeg_threads
> using_libavc_5_3 using_live
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Jon
>
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>
>

Almost sounds like a heat issue or something more hardware related if
its a periodic thing. Do you have adequate cooling for the video card?
I don't know much about how XvMC works but I believe its an assistive
type thing so the CPU is still somewhat involved... if a heat issue
caused the video card to slow itself down it started erroring out a
lot or something like that it would put more load on the CPU.

Also, are you continuing to use the CF card after boot? Do you load
the OS into a ramdisk from the CF card or are you treating it like a
hard drive? (You'll probably burn through the CF card's writing
abilities pretty quickly with log files alone.)  Also you mentioned
DMA problems - that could impact the ability to move content around
the bus so maybe its triggering some kind of race condition. I'd ditch
the CF card (for awhile anyway) and/or resolve your DMA issues to see
if that helped.


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