6.7.192 movie output only on the primary screen

[Nicolò Chieffo]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-ati

xserver-xorg-video-ati_6.7.192

The output of movie players (totem, vlc, kaffeine) is displayed only in the
primary screen. Instead 3d apps are displayed in all attached screens. Is this
a known issue?

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-ati

xserver-xorg-video-ati_6.7.192

The output of movie players (totem, vlc, kaffeine) is displayed only in the
primary screen. Instead 3d apps are displayed in all attached screens. Is this
a known issue?

[agd5f (agd5f)]

The overlay can only be sourced to one crtc at a time (it does not draw directly to the framebuffer like 3D does). To switch which crtc the overlay is displayed on in clone mode, use an app like xvattr to change the value of the XV_CRTC attribute. For dualhead modes, the overlay will automatically follow the video window from head to head.

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

Don't you think this is a limitation?

[Daniel Stone (daniels)]

Yes, it's a limitation, but the hardware literally can't do it. It's not a driver issue.

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

Ok, so to which package should I file this bug?

[Daniel Stone (daniels)]

Your video player should be able to force software colourspace conversion, instead of using the overlay.

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

I am using totem-gstreamer. Can it do this?
And is colourspace conversion more "heavy" for the CPU, than overlay?

[Daniel Stone (daniels)]

Yes, Totem can do it, but it's very slow.

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

All right. does it mean that I should file a bug to totem? and could you please tell me how to enable colourspace conversion in totem? thanks!

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

I think the xv overlay can only run on one crtc at the time, and will therefore be available on only one output. I am sorry I can not give a reference here and now. But it should be possible to configure which output gets the overlay.

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

At the bottom of this page: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Additional_options_for_the_radeon_driver

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Man, I could have read through the upstream bug first :)

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

the Overlay option in xorg.conf can only added in the screen section,
so only 1 screen section is available!

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

Maybe you can try the xvattr command (package in universe).

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

upstream told that xvattr can only change the video between external
and internal. I want both! Anyway they told that it is possible to
change totem from overlay to colour inversion. Do you know how to do
it?

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

"Both" is not possible due to hardware limitations (for xv). Totem should fall back to non-overlay if it's playing on a non-overlay display - this should be reported in totem I would think. Does it just give you a black window? You can try out mplayer and vlc which have much more (exposed) options to play with.

[Nicolò Chieffo (yelo3)]

Yes, it gives me a black window. I will open a bug in totem. But
upstream told me that non overlay video is ver CPU intensive!

[Tormod Volden (tormodvolden)]

I'll close this bug since you have reported it in totem instead.