ati-drivers-8.27.10-r1 - possible scan rate control problem?

[Michael]

WRT open-source drivers are you speaking of the radeon driver in the kernel? The last time I went down that path it turned out they didn't have any support the composite video/S-Video outputs. They only worked over the normal VGA output. Has that changed? that would be nice. I don't need any 3D support since these 9100's don't have it in the silicon.

I guess there is also the Gatos drivers but I don't know a thing about them. They are listed as 'testing' in portage so it's no big deal to build them. I'm more concerned about how to build a proper xorg.config file if I was to go that way.

I'm certainly interested in what folks think the options are, but I'm also sort of shocked at how much worse the mpeg performance is on this new ati-driver compared to the one I used a year ago. Bummer...

Thanks!

- MArk

http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/ Oops, yeah, you might need to use GATOS for TV-out. More on GATOS is @ http://gatos.sourceforge.net/

Have you tried using TexturedVideo for improved video playback? More @ http://www.phoronix.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19

[Mark Knecht]

http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/ Oops, yeah, you might need to use GATOS for TV-out. More on GATOS is @ http://gatos.sourceforge.net/

I Was just reading the Gatos pages. It appears the 9100IGP is really R300 and apparently TV out is not working well on that series for them. I don't think I'm brave enough to go that direction right now.

Have you tried using TexturedVideo for improved video playback? More @ http://www.phoronix.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=19

I didn't know about it. Let me go read a bit on that. I'll likely try some thigns out tomorrow sometime.

Thanks for all your help,
Mark

[Mark Knecht]

Just a thought, but did you try unplugging the S-Video cable prior to turning the system on? Did composite work then?

Also, as a last resort, are you able to use a S-Video to composite adapter for your home theater setup?

I did try disconnecting the S-Video out. It didn't change anything. I don't have an S-Video to composite adapter. Maybe Radio Shack or Fry's carries something like that. Don't know.

I would be in better shape also if I could find a Cable TV set top box that had S-Video output. Basically I just need both devices (MythTV and set top box) to use the same technology so that I don't have to change inputs.

In the meantime at least it's working, tearing and jerky video as it is. It's watchable, but just barely.

Maybe there is something new in the way you have to configure a 2.6.17 kernel to get good video? I don't know. I jsut used my 2.6.16 .config file and did make oldconfig.

Thanks,
Mark

[Mark Knecht]

Hi after a bit of an absense,
I tried out the newest ati-drivers package today - 8.29.6 - and notice a marked improvement in all areas. It's not nearly as good as the much older pathced 8.14 driver I was able to use with the older kernels but it is FAR, FAR better than the versions I was running as recently as a few weeks ago.

The problems with what appeared to be missing frames is pretty much gone. there is, however, still considerable tearing of background images as a scenes is panning. I note also that CPU usage seems to be better with this new driver. With 8.28.8 my Pundit-R CPU fans would start spinning up to presumably cool the CPU. With the new 8.29.6 driver this does not, so far, appear to be the case.

If anyone is having problems at all like where discussing earlier in this thread they might well find things better after loading this newer version.

Cheers,
Mark