[espencer]

This question has been previously make in other threads, but I'm afraid that I wasn't able to deduce if XBMC is able to output video interlaced (1080i) or not.

I'm running OpenElec 4.1.3 (XBMC 13.1) on a intel based late 2009 Mac mini. HDMI reports correctly 1080i as a valid resolution (checked with xrandr -q --verbose). In fact, I can switch to a 1080i, BUT selecting 1080p and 30Hz (or 25Hz for PAL systems). XBMC System > Settings > Video output (http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Set...deo_output) only list progressive modes.

The picture quality is fine, but the video playback is far from being smooth, it shutters. I tested both disabling and enabling "Deinterlace" from video playback settings in OSD Video Settings http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Vid...o_settings (although obviously the best quality is obtained with interlace off).

I think that XBMC should detect output resolution as interlaced, thus allowing to select it and playing back smoothly.

Can anyone confirm if XBMC allows interlaced video output?

PD1: Some posts I've read comments that XBMC makes a very good job deinterlacing video, and in fact I tested 720p and looks great. But unfortunately I own an old plasma tv set, and the best image quality is achieved in 1080i.

[Memphiz]

You should read the whole thread from this very post:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1789555

This is a general discussion on why interlaced output doesn't do anything good. I think your problem might be related microstutter because of playing 24fps content on 50 or 60 hz displays. Could you enable refresh rate adaption in video settings and see if this fixes your problems? Allowing interlaced resolutions to be selected is not the solution based on what fernetmenta said in the post i linked above.

[espencer]

Thanks for your reply, Menphiz.

I already have read the full thread, but after reading it I cannot conclude if XMBC supports interlace video output or not, or if its support has been removed in newer versions, or if only was removed on OS X. Take into account that I'm not running on OS X (mainly because the info of that thread, XBMC for OS X seems to have removed interlaced video output.). I'm running on OpenElec (supposedly XBMC on Linux have interlaced video output support, hasn't it?)

BTW: The problem is NOT related to playing 24fps content, I'm playing PAL 50Hz interlaced. 720p at 50Hz plays fine, but 1080p 25Hz (because the XBMC version I'm using does not have interlaced resolutions, it list them only as progressive) shutters.

So the questions is "does XBMC have interlace video output support on Linux?". In affirmative case, how to activate it?

[FernetMenta]

Negative

[espencer]

Ok... Thanks.

I suppose that is too much asking for this feature (as probably there are few people with this issue). I don't mind building XMBC and OpenElec from source, and making some (small) code changes, if someone guides me in the right direction.

[Memphiz]

Its not about small codechanges if i got it right. Enabling interlaced resolutions doesn't solve the problem.

[wsnipex]

if your TV only accepts 1080i, but not 1080p, its almost certainly only HD ready, so 720p native resolution. Use that and everything will be fine.

[espencer]

@wsnipex it's an old Panasonic EDTV ('E' stands for enhanced) with a native resolution of 480p, but the best picture quality is obtained at 1080i (internally interlaces at 480x2, ie 960).

[espencer]

@Memphiz do you mean that enabling interlaced output does not solve the problem because it involves other components/subsystems too? As @FernetMenta commented previously in this post http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1790254, although I understood he refers to OS X, not Linux.

[FernetMenta]

As mentioned in the other thread: 1) deinterlace 2) scale
Further we can't set which field comes first, means outputting interlaced and have the tv do the deinterlacing may not work for many cases. assume we have progressive material like 1080p@50 and we want to output this as 1080i@50. we would need to drop every 2nd frame, same for 720p50. the number of scenarios which may work are very limited. for all others we would get problem reports because it is almost impossible to disable all code paths for cases which may not work. even to define the not working cases in advance is quite hard.

[espencer]

Thank you very much for your help. Understood that XMBC does not support interlaced output.

It's a pity, as my previous media center (based on a Realtek chipset) is able to deliver interlaced output, even for progressive material.

Obviously, XBMC is far more superior regarding the number of features it has. So I'll stick with XBMC at 720p.