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Full Version: How I got VAAPI working in XBMC on Ubuntu 10.10 for my HD5670
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I'm quite new to Linux so I found most of the guides difficult to follow and I got many errors which I didn't know how o solve.

Anyway I found this post that I thought I would share as I'm sure there are other newbie having trouble setting up vaapi as well.

http://forum.xbmc.org/archive/index.php/t-80940.html

On a fresh install of Ubuntu 10.10 I just did the following (Credit goes to Vanek for recommending this method).

sudo apt-get install -y python-software-properties
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
sudo rm /etc/X11/xorg.conf
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --reinstall fglrx fglrx-amdcccle -y
cd /etc/X11/ && sudo aticonfig -f --initial
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.37-11-generic-pae linux-image-2.6.37-11-generic-pae
wget http://www.splitted-desktop.com/~gbeauch...1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i xvba-video_0.7.7-1_i386.deb
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:lars-opdenkamp/xbmc-pvr
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
sudo apt-get install xbmc

And it worked, I started up xbmc and vaapi was available and I am now able to watch movies with very little cpu usage. All movies that I've tested so far work well except final fantasy advent children which displays strange pixels ever now and then, this doesn't happen when not using vaapi. I've upgraded to the latest api 11.3 drivers but still the same issue.

Anyway I want to get the above steps to the the smallest number possible but I don't know much about Linux so if someone could suggest which ones can be removed or a simpler method that would be great.
Glad to hear you got it working. Hopefully you won't have any problems from future (disparate) updates. For instance, you're not using the latest version of xvba-video. Version 0.7.8 came out more than a month ago. Did you try it but then intentionally roll-back to the previous 0.7.7 version?

If you're happy with the current performance then i would recommend not installing any other updates! :-) But that only applies if it's a dedicated HTPC, i.e., with no web browsing (or need of the latest security updates)
Hi!

bsmith1051 Wrote:For instance, you're not using the latest version of xvba-video. Version 0.7.8 came out more than a month ago. Did you try it but then intentionally roll-back to the previous 0.7.7 version?

I just finished installing according to the original instructions in this thread on a Gigabyte E350N mainboard, with a 6310HD. Got VAAPI working and the first tests show that it's perfect playback of 1080p with little CPU use. Haven't done any "day-to-day" testing yet, but looking good. I'm using 0.7.8-1 of the xvba-video pkg from the same site.
Only problem I have now is that when I exit XBMC back to GNOME, I get a black screen with just a mouse pointer. Have to restart X then.

bsmith1051 Wrote:Hopefully you won't have any problems from future (disparate) updates.

Exactly the main question. I was going to use the machine as a storage system (you know, for backups), but then figured the graphics card is much cooler than my original ION HTPC (Asrock 330). Got everything working now and see clear advantages of having just one machine for everything. But how will the updates work? I mean, downloading DPKG's from some site to get your video working is not what I call future-safe / out-of-the-box. :-)

/Robin
Hi guys,

Just an update. Managed to finally try some stuff at home, connected to my Sony Bravia via HDMI or DVI. Everything works great, but NOT putting the display in 24p, like I can do on my Ion based machine.

I put the overscan slider in the ATI settings to 0, picture fits perfectly (default was underscan). But in 24p mode, this setting seems "forgotten" and the image gets really strange and flickering.

It's connected to the wait for vert sync settings in both XBMC and ATI driver. Without that it works, but has tearing. With the wait for vsync enabled in the driver or XBMC (or both) it gets really strange, like "hanging" every other frame. Non-24p content works great.

I'll wait till next weekend and put on some new ATI drivers, a new one was released last week I think.

/Robin
same here
Thank you for this tutorial! It helped me a lot!