[mythtv-users] XvMC on Unichrome Pro (Via Nehemiah)

[R. G. Newbury]

Karl Hiramoto wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> My main question how do i know XvMC is working, and how to debug if it is not?
>
> Not described in the wiki:
> http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php/XvMC
>
>
> My system is:
> Via Nehemiah  1.3Ghz
> Via Epia 13000  motherboard
> Gentoo Linux running diskless over NFS
> Xorg 7.0.0
> openchrome drivers
> Customized ebuild for mythtv to compile with  configure --enable-xvmc-pro
>
> I in mythfrontend i did:
> # Setup -> TV Settings -> Playback
> # Next, change the "Preferred MPEG2 Decoder" to "Standard XvMC"
> # Make sure "Extra audio buffering" is checked.
>
>
> In mythfrontend when i watch TV i see:
> 0: start_time: 0.036 duration: 0.166
> 1: start_time: 0.029 duration: 0.140
> stream: start_time: 0.321 duration: 1.920 bitrate=5999 kb/s
> 2006-02-22 13:20:26.117 AFD: Opened codec 0x8221390, id(MPEG2VIDEO)
> type(Video)
> 2006-02-22 13:20:26.282 AFD: Opened codec 0x820e850, id(MP2) type(Audio)
> 2006-02-22 13:20:26.313 Opening audio device '/dev/dsp'.
> 2006-02-22 13:20:26.314 Opening OSS audio device '/dev/dsp'.
> 2006-02-22 13:20:28.628 TV: Changing from None to WatchingLiveTV
> 2006-02-22 13:20:28.637 Using realtime priority.
> 2006-02-22 13:20:28.663 Video timing method: DRM
>
>
>
> In /var/log/Xorg.0.log i see:
>
> (II) VIA: driver for VIA chipsets: CLE266, KM400/KN400, K8M800,
>         PM800/PM880/CN400, VM800
> (II) Primary Device is: PCI 01:00:0
> (--) Chipset PM800/PM880/CN400 found
> (!!) VIA Technologies does not support or endorse this driver in any way.
> (!!) For support, please refer to http://www.openchrome.org/ or
>
> <snip>
>
> (II) VIA(0): direct rendering enabled
> Fulfilled via DRI at 12587008
> (II) VIA(0): Benchmarking video copy. Less is better.
> (--) VIA(0): Timed   libc YUV420 copy... 6032947. Throughput: 131.1 MiB/s.
> (--) VIA(0): Timed kernel YUV420 copy... 6008499. Throughput: 131.7 MiB/s.
> (--) VIA(0): Timed    SSE YUV420 copy... 3618673. Throughput: 218.6 MiB/s.
> (--) VIA(0): Timed    MMX YUV420 copy... 6266697. Throughput: 126.2 MiB/s.
> (--) VIA(0): Ditch 3DNow! YUV420 copy... Not supported by CPU.
> (--) VIA(0): Timed   MMX2 YUV420 copy... 3803600. Throughput: 208.0 MiB/s.
> Freed 12587008 (pool 2)
> (--) VIA(0): Using SSE YUV42X copy for video.
> (II) VIA(0): [XvMC] Registering viaXvMCPro.
> (II) VIA(0): [XvMC] Initialized XvMC extension.
>   

This looks about right. Also check your Xorg.0.log file which will show 
the various modules which are loaded, one of which will be the via 
module. I'm not at the mythbox and I cannot remember if anything is 
output about xvmc. I think so.

Out of interest what do you get for glxgears? ISTR that this number is 
reduced if xvmc is not running. I get about 790 on my SP13000 with xvmc 
etc installed but only 1160 with my desktop P4 2.4Ghz machine with a 
Radeon 7500 (128Meg memory) in it.

>
> I still have about 80% cpu usage while watching TV.
>
>   
This is waaaayyy too high. I run about 40% for live tv and can record 3 
streams of tv at once without problems.

Geoff

-- 
       R. Geoffrey Newbury			
     Barrister and Solicitor
 Suite 106, 150 Lakeshore Road West
    Mississauga, Ontario, L5H 3R2

  905-271-9600  Fax 905-271-1638
       newbury at mandamus.org