[mythtv-users] VPDAU and Nvidia GPU running on non-Nvidia motherboard?

[R. G. Newbury]

Robin Gilks wrote:
>> Rob Smith wrote:
>>> On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 5:22 PM, Al McIntosh <al at allanmcintosh.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Am I correct that it's warning it's safe to only install NVDIA VDPAU
>>>> enabled
>>>> driver on an NVIDIA motherboard?  Or does the mention of chipset and
>>>> chip
>>>> refer to GPU?
>>> It's basically saying that running Nvidia GPUs mixed with other
>>> non-Nvidia GPUs in the same box is unsupported and doesn't work very
>>> well. Motherboard chipset doesn't matter.
>>
>> Gee, I thought I was being clear.That's what law school does to you! Yo
>> become verbose, prolix and misunderstood. Or is it misunderestimated?
>>
>>
>> Normally, you can install any driver package you want and it will not
>> affect you ability to use a different driver of the same group, such as
>> a video driver.
>> Merely installing the 180 series NVIDIA driver screws up  your ability
>> to get proper video output with non-Nvidia GPU chips. The install itself
>>   breaks things for other GPU chips. The Nvidia 180 series driver should
>> only be installed when you intend to use a vdpau enabled nvidia GPU.
>>
>> I found this out the hard way with the 180.08 driver. It may change but
>> my examination of the 180.22 package shows that it will do the same thing.
>>
>> Geoff
> 
> So its nothing to do with the driver itself, its the header files that it
> brings with it that cause MytTV to be compiled in such a way as to no
> longer work with (for example) Intel GPUs.
 >
> Did I get it right? In which case I'm confused as to why you are
> installing Nvidia drivers when you don't have an Nvidia GPU...

It is everything to do with the driver. I wouldn't say '...causes Mythtv 
to be compiled....no longer work'. Myth compiled in a straightforward 
manner without error. But Mythyv thereafter failed to play properly.

When the VDPAU news hit, I decided to buy an Nvidia card. Ordered 
it...backordered. I decided to install the driver..never assuming that 
it would break things....Assume....Make an ass of me! Installation 
dropped non-standard headers into my machine. Playback of digital 
streams (using the intel driver and GPU) failed. Instant segfault. 
Without any logged errors and leaving a deceptive backtrace record. The 
  crash starts in libavcodec.

Original analog (MPEG2) streams continued to record and play. Digital 
(MPEG4) hdhomerun streams continued to record. Digital streams played 
nicely in mplayer and segfaulted instantly in mythtv.

Nvidia card arrived. TOO big to fit into the case space. Returned for 
replacement. Order flexible PCIE extension cable. Wait time is a few 
days. WAF dropping faster than Bernei Madoff's credibility.

Nuked the installation and re-installed Fedora 8. Digital and analog 
streams record. Digital and analog streams play, except that sound is 
munged on digital playback.  Mplayer continues to do a sterling job.

Installed 16Gig USB thumb stick and installed Fedora10 on that (root MBR 
is still /dev/sda). Myth runs fine, except for the audio problem. I have 
not yet changed over to the nvidia 9500GT GPU card, because of this 
problem. I really need to get that bug squished before attempting to run 
a beta driver!

See the thread:  Fwd: Digital Audio on HDMI MB not working

Help will be gratefully accepted towards finding the cause of the 
gravelly sound. Fedora10, SVN trunk 19790 or so.



Geoff






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