[GUIDE] Simplified Guide for a perfect minimal HTPC on INTEL platforms

Drae · 2011-11-20 01:46

Just wanted to confirm Alan's comments about the 3.2 kernel. After applying the CEA patch and another patch (which fixes an error in the ELD processing of the git version I have) EDID detection works very well. All modes are detected and it correctly discovers all audio capabilities of my amp, DD, DTS, DTSHDMA, Dolby TrueHD and LPCM.

To add - I compiled with an external version of ffmpeg (the n0.7.6 version used in another topic) and VC-1 vaapi decoding works. It's all a little flakey but I imagine that'll be sorted when a proper update of xbmc's built-in ffmpeg occurs.

**alanwww1** · 2011-11-20 02:03

Drae Wrote:Just wanted to confirm Alan's comments about the 3.2 kernel. After applying the CEA patch and another patch (which fixes an error in the ELD processing of the git version I have) EDID detection works very well. All modes are detected and it correctly discovers all audio capabilities of my amp, DD, DTS, DTSHDMA, Dolby TrueHD and LPCM.

To add - I compiled with an external version of ffmpeg (the n0.7.6 version used in another topic) and VC-1 vaapi decoding works. It's all a little flakey but I imagine that'll be sorted when a proper update of xbmc's built-in ffmpeg occurs.

Great news! Thanks for sharing. I guess after xbmc Eden is out, devs will update the internal ffmpeg. Also it will include multithreaded decoding as well.

Drae · 2011-11-22 02:19

I saw your post about patching vaapi_vc1.c. Think I discovered which you meant, have applied and tada VC-1 decoding now works. Great catch! Hopefully this change can make it into Eden. I'm getting a small pause in play a few seconds into content (h264 and vc1) which causes about 16 dropped frames. Haven't really looked at the logs yet but plan on doing so.

Now the only "major" thing left is the BROADCAST_RGB situation within the driver, i.e. it assumes full range RGB rather than limited. Had a brief search around and cannot find much about it aside from this post. Tried the xrandr command and it just errors for me. A remaining minor issue is the whole 23.976 "bug" but that can be lived with, for me at least. Hopefully Ivy Bridge and what not will resolve that.

drip · 2011-11-22 10:25

alanwww1 Wrote:...You might have to answer some config questions which are new to the just fetched kernel version compared to the one you have installed. Just choose the default option at all times...

Alanwww, when answering the config questions, which are the default options? Does simply pressing 'enter' work?

Also, at what stage of the install process do I need to follow you instructions to compile the custom kernel?

**alanwww1** · 2011-11-22 13:38

Drae Wrote:I saw your post about patching vaapi_vc1.c. Think I discovered which you meant, have applied and tada VC-1 decoding now works. Great catch!

Could you please guys make more test with vc1 encoded files. I still found some files which has some artifacts while playing. They are both smples, so it might be that it is related to an incomplete starting of the stream.

Here is the patch https://github.com/alanwww1/xbmc/commit/...4a47787d30

This fixes me a lot of files. For example Planet Earth sample.

But it is not perfect with a Source Code Sample file.

I have this type of artifacts.

This is why I have not made a pull request yet. I will also contact the great Intel developer Gwenole Beauchesne if he can get a cure for this. I also tried a VAAPI enabled VLC playback with the same results. So now VC1 support is in par with VLC and mplayer at least.

Waiting for your feedback guys. Would be good to test this patch with a full VC1 BD rip.

Thanks. Cheers, Alan

86themachine · 2011-11-23 11:10

Hello, I've been following this issue on Sandy Bridge for almost a year and I'm ready to give it another try thanks to your work and others.
---------
Getting some errors in the PPA as follows
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
xbmc : Depends: xbmc-bin (>= 2:11.0~git20111122.89fe561-0ubuntu1~ppa1~natty) but it is not going to be installed
Depends: xbmc-bin (< 2:11.0~git20111122.89fe561-0ubuntu1~ppa1~natty.1~) but it is not going to be installed
E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
---------
I'm sure its something simple I've overlooked. Any input?

**alanwww1** · 2011-11-23 12:48

86themachine Wrote:Getting some errors in the PPA as follows
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
xbmc : Depends: xbmc-bin (>= 2:11.0~git20111122.89fe561-

It is due to a recent feature in xbmc using libcec to control av receivers and tv with xbmc remote. For that we need libcec to be installed. I am sure they plan to add tihis to xbmc ppa, this is why it gives this error at the moment. To workaround this, juts add this ppa:

Code:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:pulse-eight/libcec

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install libcec

As sson as xbmc devs add this to the main ppa, we wont't need this in the future.

86themachine · 2011-11-23 18:16

Thanks Alan she's up and running. Looking forward to more of your insight as the build evolves. Are you exclusive to Intel? Have you done any builds with the new AMD CPU's with built in graphics? I plan on building a few of these so I'm interested in high performance and reliability.

Thanks Again

**alanwww1** · 2011-11-23 19:08

86themachine Wrote:Thanks Alan she's up and running. Looking forward to more of your insight as the build evolves. Are you exclusive to Intel?

No, I test every platforms. I just found a great thing to have completely opensource drivers, integrated into the linux kernel. And this way you can take part in the developement and testing.

Drae · 2011-11-23 20:49

I've not tested the two samples you linked to yet. I did however play through one full movie and another couple partially - all VC-1 encoded (Goonies and Back to the Future and ... another). They both played fine - initial 16 or so frame drop excepted. The third movie can't remember which but playback fits your description of being heavily artifacted. However I stopped and restarted and it was fine for as much as I played.

86themachine Junior Member Posts: 33 Joined: Nov 2010 Reputation: 0	2011-11-23 18:16 Steady As She Goes Post: #38 Thanks Alan she's up and running. Looking forward to more of your insight as the build evolves. Are you exclusive to Intel? Have you done any builds with the new AMD CPU's with built in graphics? I plan on building a few of these so I'm interested in high performance and reliability. Thanks Again
	find quote