XBMC tearing during playback

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

I am running a Intel NUC D34010WYK with a no-multilib 64bit installation of Gentoo.
With some pain I got VAAPI working (had to manually unmask libva version 1.3.0 for that) so decoding runs nicely through the GPU, leaving the CPU doing almost nothing.

Currently I am using XBMC 13.0_RC1, but the Beta versions and 12.something version experienced my below problem as well.

Before I got VAAPI up and running properly, and even now with VAAPI, I have screen tearing during video playback.
I tried all sorts of options in XBMC like video refresh on/off, and configured my television.
Sometimes the tearing is less, but it's always there, making it very annoying to watch something.

I also tried OpenElec (XBMC Beta versions) and not a single tearing there at all.
So there must be something wrong in my configuration of the system, I just can't figure out what it is.

The NUC is hooked up to the TV using a HDMI cable. Audio is passed on that cable too, to the TV.

I used the Gentoo guides on setting up X.org and VAAPI, adjusting the kernel, etc.

Hopefully anyone here can give me some pointers as where to look next.
I have no clue anymore...

Sakarias · n00b Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 60

Same problem i3 ivy. HD 4000
Try
gentoo-sources-3.13.6
mesa-10.1
xf86-video-intel-2.99.910
libdrm-2.4.52
libva-1.3.0
cairo-1.12.16
xorg-server-1.15.0
(https://01.org/linuxgraphics/downloads)

xorg.conf
Option "TearFree" "True"

Are you try xbmc-fernetmenta?
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Sakarias

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

While your message came in I was just trying to compile VDPAU in, even though intel is not supported with that, but OpenElec shows it as being used. So I figured I'd give it a go, and if it doesn't work I can always remove the Use flag and rebuild stuff again.
But the compile failed with some error, so removed the Use flag already.

When that is done, I will give your list/link a go an check all that.
One thing I noticed is Cairo. I know I don't have that in yet. It's not in any guide I've read on XBMC on Gentoo.
If you can call that a guide...

Also, the xorg.conf option I've not read about before too.
Is it just that line in, and nothing else?

I haven't tried xbmc-fernetmenta. Read about it, but it seemed to me I didn't need that for the NUC.
Although I forgot the details why not.

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

I updated all that I could to the latest version available in Portage.
Except gentoo-sources since 3.13.x isn't even in Portage, and 3.14.4 bugged out on static-dev because I use udev.
And the solution given to create a /tmp/newroot and build it in there didn't work either.
So I need to look into that.

And when I started XBMC and play a movie, I only hear sound. The controls from XBMC show fine when I press enter, and O shows the info on the decoding, but the video itself is not shown.

Getting late here, so tomorrow I will give a go with the specific versions from the list.

Btw, I am running gentoo-sources-3.12.6. For me it shows as the latest stable version.

Sakarias · n00b Joined: 12 May 2007 Posts: 60

Try xorg.conf

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "Intel"
Option "AccelMethod" "sna" #uxa
Option "TearFree" "true"
EndSection

Windowmanager is openbox and desktop lxde & slim
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Sakarias

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

Seeing your post I remembered I forgot the config of xorg. Whoops!

Haven't had the time tonight to try it out, so will this weekend.

Thanks for the entry. Kinda had the idea I needed more then just the one line.
I only have xorg installed, no window or desktop manager since the NUC boots straight into XBMC.

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

Finally had the time to investigate further.

The problem with the no video showing was due to libva and libva-intel-driver.
I reverted back to the stable versions (libva-1.0.15 and libva-intel-driver-1.0.17) and I got video playback again.

I did use a xorg.conf file with the options mentioned here.
Need to tidy things up a bit, but at least I have no tearing anymore. So I am very happy with that!

Now to figure out why a world update gives me three blocks...
And then update libva and libva-intel-driver one version at a time to figure the one that actually works.
Oh, and XBMC it self. Running 13.0 RC1 now and I saw 13.0_p2 as an ebuild.

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

For some reason vaapi wasn't used anymore on my NUC. No clue why.
So I tried libva version 1.3.0 and its intel driver, but again no display.

Seems that in he meantime version 1.3.1 of libva got released (intel driver still at 1.3.0) and with that I got vaapi back, and display!

thender · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 26 Aug 2013 Posts: 125

I have a haswell core i5 with hd4600

I get tons of tearing in VLC with any configuration.

I use this in my xorg.conf

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

I never really seek through a video, so I can't comment on that.
I watch a full episode or movie.

Are you sure vaapi is used during playback? With XBMC if you press "o" it shows if it's using vaapi.
If not, it won't mention it. I can tek a photo to show what I mean if needed.
And with just startx if you type vainfo, does it give an error on the i965 driver init or does it show a list of stuff?

The drivers and vaapi aren't great, I can admit that. With movies I can still see some stuttering, but I believe I see that with a real Blu-Ray player as well. Big camera movements mainly. It's just not fluent enough.

slaterson · Guru Joined: 26 Feb 2003 Posts: 313

make sure the composite extension in xorg is disabled.

it caused tearing for me, and from google searching it does the same for many others.

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

Will have a look at it when I boot the NUC again. Thanks.

thender · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 26 Aug 2013 Posts: 125

I left my intel GPU laptop for this reason.

I re-emerged world from scratch and updated everything a week ago, and it all went away. No more tearing.

So someone fixed something!

The Main Man · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:18 pm Post subject:

weust · n00b Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 26

When you press O during playback, it will show a information overlay on the top part of the screen.
Somewhere on the lower-right hand side of the information overlay it will say vaapi.
If not, you will notice the CPU('s) way more active. Mine are about 6% alternating between the four.

I don't have a screenshot at the moment. Would need to take a photo as the NUC is installed minimal just for XBMC.
If I don't forget, I will take one tonight.

The Main Man · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:36 pm Post subject:

It doesn't show for me, I mean info overlay shows but there's no "vaapi" anywhere.
Yes, cpu is more used, 40%
So I guess vaapi is not used.
But for tearing I think something else is in play here, not sure what though.

Don't bother with screenshots, I understand now, thanks !

The Main Man · Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 11:26 pm Post subject:

There's no tearing in mplayer based players and vlc, so it's something with XBMC.

Turning on and off vdpau and vaapi in XBMC don't change anything.

I've tried to enable vdpau in mplayer and video gets frozen on first image.

cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i vdpau :

The Main Man · Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:34 am Post subject:

Seems like I must wait for kernel 3.18 in order to have vdaapi and vdpau support for my card.

As for tearing in XBMC I have tried everything in XBMC options, apart from XBMC I don't have any other screen tearing, so it must be XBMC specific.
ffmpeg maybe or some other library XBMC is using.

The Main Man · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 9:09 pm Post subject:

Problem was in libsdl , after patching it I had no more tearing in XBMC.
Hope this helps someone in the future.