[mythtv-users] Overlay and blink problems with Lenovo M58

faginbagin mythtv at hbuus.com
Sat Jan 31 07:34:47 UTC 2015


Hi Barry,

On 1/28/2015 7:18 PM, Barry Martin wrote:
> Hi Helen!
> 
>> Did you intend to reply privately? Anyway ...
> Nope -- accidentally clicked <reply> and didn't change the TO: field.  Think I got it right this time! <g>
> In the interim between work, life, and an event for which minor surgery next week have been playing with 'stuff' here.  Reluctant to upgrade the current Backend from 10.10 only because I don't have the best of luck at upgrades.  (I'd probably make a great beta tester! <g>)  I do appreciate the link you gave me and will probably attempt when I get the second (and kept current!) Backend going.
> Have found the Frontend with 10.10 from the installation disk I have doesn't connect to the repositories - no big surprise.  That makes it a little difficult to try to add/modify config files: no nano, no vi.  Might be other editors available; don't think worth the effort to search for something compatible.  Oh, modifications gleaned from Googling to try to get my audio working.  It seems to be supported in later versions.  (For some reason even when booting to the originally installed Windows 7 there is no audio via HDMI; only when a cable is plugged in to the headphone or Line Out jacks does the Volume Mixer and/or Playback Devices appear.)
> Thought I'd try 12.04.1 -- newer -- LTS -- maybe...?  Install, configuring, eventually get to where I test the connection to the Backend: "No JSON object could be detected".  Eventually another error telling me to update the database (which is on the Backend) as I'm 45 versions behind.  ...Yup: guess with the new system I'd better keep things current!!

12.04 doesn't support mythtv 0.23. That's why I suggested 10.04. I think you can configure 10.10 to use an old-releases repo so you can get to missing packages. Follow the instructions on changing /etc/apt/sources.list here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EOLUpgrades
Then try installing your favorite editor.

If I were you, I would first focus on an OS that supports the HDMI audio. You can install a standalone mythbuntu system without any tuners, copy a recording from your current backend and get it to play back on the standalone system.

>  > Since you're not ready to upgrade your backend, and since the new frontend really isn't new, I would recommend you install mythbuntu 10.04 on the M58 which is an LTS release and which should get security updates until April 2015. I managed to find some CD images here:
>  > http://psg.mtu.edu/pub/mythbuntu/lucid/release/
>  > Once installed, enable the mythbuntu PPA and get the latest 0.23 version. I think you should be able to get version 25362, which should be able to talk to your 26437 backend without any trouble.
>  > Thanks for the link -- I'll have to give it a try and report back.
>  >
>  >
>  > As for playback profile, if the CPU++ works well, fine. But if not, you might want to try OpenGL, although I don't know how well it worked in 0.23.
>  > I had tried the OpenGL option (Qt is default) first and in my case there was no change: 1080 recordings still did not have overlays (OSD) while the 720 and lower resolution programmes did.  (No change.)  I did notice some fading (slower transitioning) when switching from menu to menu.  While interesting it did not fix the problem so had switched it back.  As for the CPU+, CPU++, and other options [Utilities/Setup > Setup > TV Setting > Playback. At screen "Playback Profiles (3/8)" for those trying to follow along!], no idea why this works; in my notes from years back have a chart from either Mythbuntu or MythTV listing these options but it doesn't explain.  At the time someone suggested I try the option and it fixed whatever problem I was having at the time; was the reason I had tried it this time (and it worked again!).
> 
>> I'm not talking about the "Paint Engine" which can be Qt or OpenGL. But there's also an OpenGL playback profile as well as Slim, CPU+, CPU++ ... playback profiles. At least the OpenGL playback profile exists in 0.27, although I'm not 100% sure if it was available on 0.23. I only used VDPAU and Slim profiles wen I was using 0.23, but I'm using OpenGL on one of my 0.27 boxes now.
> Found out from my 'web wanderings' "the use of VDPAU moves decompression and de-interlacing to the GPU from the CPU of the Frontend".  Did see 'VDPAU' on that "Playback Profiles (3/8)" Frontend configuration page -- if I happen to get the audio working I'll check to see if the audio supports.

I was under the impression that you were using the Intel graphics built into the mother board. If so, VDPAU is not an option for you. VDPAU is primarily used with NVidia graphics.

>  > Another option, why not use this machine as a new backend? You can partition the hard drive so it can dual boot. One boot option would let you run it as a frontend that talks to your current backend, with mythbuntu 10.04, as I outlined above. The other boot option would be a more current mythbuntu running mythtv 0.27 and with the backend packages installed. Personally, I would recommend mythbuntu 12.04 for older hardware. I have found it to be more stable than mythbuntu 14.04. But 14.04 is the way to go with new hardware. This machine could be the perfect learning platform for things like multiboot, upgrading mythtv via clean install, etc. Plus, it will help you figure out if the blinking problem, or any other problem, are due to bugs in older software, including drivers.
>  > <chuckle>  More learning experiences! Smile emoticon   The Lenovo M58 I have seems to make a great Frontend but IMO is too small, mostly physically, for a Backend.  It's a Small Form Factor, so compact.  One PCIe x16 and one PCI slot available -- USB tuners could be an option; current backend has two HVR-1600's and an HVR-2250.
> 
>> Even though it may not be suitable as a full backend replacement, there are advantages to setting up a multiboot system. All of my myth boxes have at least 2 operating systems, some have 3. Being able to boot into an alternative OS lets me do a full backup of the primary OS, something I try to do monthly before doing any upgrades. The third OS is some flavor of Windows, which I use for streaming content that can't be streamed via Linux, for example. And you don't have to install and configure a real tuner to set up a standalone mythtv box for testing purposes.
> Agree -- there are some Frontends here with dual booting (Windows and Mythbuntu) to allow use for email, etc., until we learn (which can be read as I learn and teach them!).
> 
> 
>  > Regarding the flickering at 1920x1080, I would try a different hdmi cable and/or displayport->hdmi adapter. It could be your cable or adapter are marginal, good enough for lower resolutions but not for the highest.
>  > Possibly a little bit of confusion: there was random blinking (black screen) when the Desktop was at 1920x1080 but no flickering.  This seemed to be resolved by lowering the resolution a smidgen -- probably would have lowered the resolution slightly when attached the TV anyway due to distance and it seems a TV's display isn't as clear as a monitor's at the same resolution.   I had originally installed 14.04.1 and did not have the random blinking problem.  What was different? Probably the video driver.  (And I have experienced 'cheap cable syndrome'.)
>  > Thanks for your assistance!
> 
>> Flicker/blink whatever. If there is no blinking under a newer OS, that does suggest a driver bug in the older OS. This is another example where being able to boot into a newer OS running a standalone mythtv install would be useful. In this case, it can help you determine the root cause of an issue, whether it's software or hardware. You can copy recordings from your current backend to this box, put then in a video storage group and see how well they play under the newer OS/mythtv. You can also set up samba or nfs on the current backend and then mount the recording storage group on the standalone box as a video storage group and play any recording you wish. Just a couple of examples from personal experience.
> I agree it appears there is a driver issue with the hardware on this new Frontend and 10.10, especially as I did not have a blink problem with 14.04.1, and I don't think with 12..04.4 (didn't experiment all that much as wouldn't connect to my 10.10 Backend).
> 
> 
>> Regarding clarity on a TV, I find it is best to make sure the OS is configured to use the TV's native resolution. Unfortunately, some TVs lie and you have to do extra work to configure the graphics properly. I've got some 720p TVs that the OS thinks are best at 1920x1080, but that just puts the TV into an interlaced mode that makes it impossible to read any text. Things look much better when the OS is configured to use 1280x720 resolution.
> 
> I'm thinking native resolution would be best also -- as long as can read across the table!  Did find where 720p is 1280x720, and I think 1920x1080 is 1080 -- have a note where that's 16:9 (and 1920x1200 is 16:10).  (There are disadvantages in self-taught schooling where one learns by delving into the Black Boxes as one has problems!)
> Anyway, did want to thank you for your reply and guidance, even though I am being reluctant to fix the real problem: the antiquated Backend.  ...What the new plan is is to create a second Backend.  Hopefully it will communicate with the original Backend and the Frontends will be updated one at a time.  Plan B is the two Backends don't play nice together and at least one room will have two Frontends attached, one a 10.10 FE for the older shows and the other a 14.04 FE for the newly recorded shows.   Do you need Aspirin or Tylenol? <gg>

You can't upgrade one at a time when it comes to upgrading mythtv. You have to upgrade them all at the same time. But multibooting can give you breathing room. If you can repartition your boot drive, or add a second boot drive, you can take your time installing and configuring a new OS and version of mythtv on each machine. When you aren't working on the new version, you just reboot into the old version. Of course, you will need a new backend when it comes time to get each frontend talking to the new backend. The new backend could be your old backend that's been booted into a new OS and mythtv, or it could be a physically new backend. So you either need to schedule upgrade time for when you aren't recording and no one is watching recordings, or you need a physically new backend.

HTH,
Helen


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