[mythtv-users] Mplayer ( default ) will not play video. No video. XV?

[Michael T. Dean]

On 02/07/2008 12:51 PM, Mark Hutchinson wrote:
> Husam Senussi wrote:
>   
>> On 7 Feb 2008, at 14:04, Steve Curtis wrote:
>>> On 05/02/2008, *Mark Hutchinson* <mark at onnow.net 
>>> <mailto:mark at onnow.net>> wrote:
>>>
>>>     What could I be missing?
>>>     I downloaded the driver from Nvidia, init 3, ./NV* and changed the
>>>     driver from nv to nvidia?
>>>
>>>     What am I missing?  I have done it this way for years.
>>>
>>>
>>> Mark - The Nvidia driver does not support XV in the 8xxx series 
>>> cards.  Have a google around and you will confirm it somewhere on the 
>>> Nvidia site...
>> I agree ... I'm using nVidia 8800GT  and everywhere you go it says 
>> 8 family doesn't support Xv.
> Does XV add that much better performance?  I have the 8600 Nvidia, with 
> the NVidia drivers. Core2Duo 1.87ghz processor.
> I am getting jitter on playback, with occasional CPU spikes over 100% 
> with increased jitter when CPU is high.
> Do I need more CPU power?

Xv is the X video acceleration API.  It basically allows the system to 
use the video card's memory directly rather than working in RAM and 
copying each frame to the video card's memory (which is /very/ slow and 
resource intensive).

So, you either need Xv or a program that does OpenGL video.  Myth's 
trunk version (and soon 0.21), does allow OpenGL video, but the 
implementation in Myth is slow, so Xv requires less resources.  
Basically, XvMC will take the least resources, then Xv, then OpenGL, 
then Xshm (which is probably what you're using).

Basically, you have a souped up sports racer that can't shift out of 
first gear, so you're having to run it at redline. (OpenGL would at 
least get you to second gear.  Xv would have gotten you to 5th and XvMC 
to 6th. :)

Mike