Radeon 7850 and Ubuntu Precise

[legluondunet]

Install xvba-va-driver, check "Input & Codecs" -> "Use GPU accelerated decoding" in VLC preferences. Run "sudo amfconfig --set-pcs-u32=MCIL,HWUVD_H264Level51Support,1" if you need High@L5.1 video support.

Thank you for your support but I'm asking me why it is not integrated with the driver by default?
I try to install it on ubuntu, the package name is:

$ apt-cache search xvba
xvba-va-driver - XvBA-based backend for VA API (AMD fglrx implementation)

I installed it and after reboot, my system was unstable and I had no more 3D acceleration.
Because the ubuntu package was compiled with another and older Catalyst version, the catalyst version of the Ubuntu official depot.
While I installed the last version 12.6 from the file on the official AMD site.

Anyway, I decided to compile my own package. For this operation to work you have to install catalyst drivers from AMD site and choose deb package installation.

To compile xvba-va-driver Ubuntu package from source, do:

$  apt-get build-dep xvba-va-driver

to install dependency to compile this package then

$ apt-get source -b xvba-va-driver

and finally install the package:

$ dpkg -i xvba-va-driver_0.7.8-1ubuntu3_amd64.deb

I don't know if it is necessary, but i saw on a forum I have to add this lines:

LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=xvba
LIBVA_DRIVERS_PATH=/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/

to /etc/environment file.

Reboot.

Finally I enable GPU acceleration in VLC but I didn't see a change, VLC continues to play video at 22% of my processor (intel core 2 duo 2ghz), like before the xvba-va-driver instalaltion...but I guess it is enough for 720 HD video playing.

Run "sudo amfconfig --set-pcs-u32=MCIL,HWUVD_H264Level51Support,1" if you need High@L5.1 video support.

I didn't do that, I didn't understand what it is for...and my compute doesn't find amfconfig command.

AMD should integrate this video driver in the aim driver installation, it's a very annoying step I'll have to reproduce at each driver update...

[storma]

*amdconfig*

[legluondunet]

;-) ok.

When I play full HD video 1920x1072, VLC takes 35% processor and Xorg +20%, it is bad or good?
Totem have worst performance with the same fully HD video: 60/70% proc, +20% Xorg

For the stability point, i have to verify if gnome-shell could be affected by Catalyst drivers, perrhaps a memory leak...

[bug!]

with this xbmc https://launchpad.net/~wsnipex/+archive/xbmc-xvba HW acceleration works like charm. but only without composition. xbmc tends to freeze with composition.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Thank you for your support but I'm asking me why it is not integrated with the driver by default?

Driver provide XvBA API, not VA-API. Even for using hardware decoder of Intel GPU you need to install separate i965-va-driver package. So it' more likely common VA-API problem, but not fglrx problem. For using API like XvBA and VDPAU (in software like XBMC-XvBA and mplayer) you doesn't need to install additional packages.

Finally I enable GPU acceleration in VLC but I didn't see a change

Did you check "vainfo" output?

[legluondunet]

$ vainfo
libva: VA-API version 0.32.0
Xlib: extension "XFree86-DRI" missing on display ":0".
libva: va_getDriverName() returns 0
libva: Trying to open /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/dri/fglrx_drv_video.so
libva: va_openDriver() returns 0
vainfo: VA-API version: 0.32 (libva 1.0.15)
vainfo: Driver version: Splitted-Desktop Systems XvBA backend for VA-API - 0.7.8
vainfo: Supported profile and entrypoints
VAProfileH264High : VAEntrypointVLD
VAProfileVC1Advanced : VAEntrypointVLD

I think it's a good result?

next step, I have to declare some bug on "AMD radeon unofficial bug tracker":

- no access to my TTY console, only black screen
- If I reboot the computer, I have off/on my screen or I have only a black screen
- 12.6 is not compatible with 3.5 kernel

[fritsch]

To use Level51 support with xvba-va-driver, you need a patch I posted some time back into this forum - if you are on AMD64, you can also try a package I have made: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/55728161/xvb....0-5_amd64.deb

Doing sudo amdconfig --set-pcs-u32=MCIL,HWUVD_H264Level51Support,1 alone is not enough as xvba-va-driver checks for Levels great than 41 and calcs down the reframes. Btw. rebuilding the ubuntu package i not good either as they ship binary only packages.

Update: Found my patch again :-) http://phoronix.com/forums/showthrea...701#post272701

[legluondunet]

Hello Fritsch,


before install your package, coul you give me the catalyst version it was compiled with?

[fritsch]

It is independent, all that was needed is amdxvba.h and this API did not change since first release :-). I don't know how they link, but no fglrx needed. I had 12.6 installed.