[intrepid] KDE4: screen flickers every 10 seconds

[Martin F. Hohenberg]

Binary package hint: xserver-xorg-video-radeon

In Ubuntu 8.10, my screen flickers for a short moment every ten seconds. I am using an ATI Radeon X800SE (PCIE)

==> xorg.conf <==
Section "Device"
        Identifier "Radeon"
        Driver "radeon"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Default Screen"
        Monitor "Configured Monitor"
        Device "Configured Video Device"
    SubSection "Display"
            Depth 24
            Modes "1024x768"
    EndSubSection

EndSection

After every flickering, the following lines appear in the respective logfiles.
==> kdm.log <==
in RADEONProbeOutputModes
Dac detection success

==> Xorg.0.log <==
(II) RADEON(0): EDID vendor "ACI", prod id 1566
(II) RADEON(0): DDCModeFromDetailedTiming: 1280x1024 Warning: We only handle seperate sync.
(II) RADEON(0): Printing DDC gathered Modelines:
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1280x1024"x0.0 109.50 1280 1324 1480 1718 1024 1027 1030 1062 -hsync -vsync (63.7 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x400"x0.0 25.17 640 656 752 800 400 412 414 449 -hsync +vsync (31.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 78.75 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync (60.0 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync (37.9 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync (35.2 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 31.50 640 656 720 840 480 481 484 500 -hsync -vsync (37.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 31.50 640 664 704 832 480 489 491 520 -hsync -vsync (37.9 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 30.24 640 704 768 864 480 483 486 525 -hsync -vsync (35.0 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x480"x0.0 25.20 640 656 752 800 480 490 492 525 -hsync -vsync (31.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "720x400"x0.0 35.50 720 738 846 900 400 421 423 449 -hsync -vsync (39.4 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "720x400"x0.0 28.32 720 738 846 900 400 412 414 449 -hsync +vsync (31.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 78.80 1024 1040 1136 1312 768 769 772 800 +hsync +vsync (60.1 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 75.00 1024 1048 1184 1328 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (56.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 65.00 1024 1048 1184 1344 768 771 777 806 -hsync -vsync (48.4 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x0.0 44.90 1024 1032 1208 1264 768 768 776 817 interlace +hsync +vsync (35.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "832x624"x0.0 57.28 832 864 928 1152 624 625 628 667 -hsync -vsync (49.7 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 49.50 800 816 896 1056 600 601 604 625 +hsync +vsync (46.9 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x600"x0.0 50.00 800 856 976 1040 600 637 643 666 +hsync +vsync (48.1 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1152x864"x0.0 108.00 1152 1216 1344 1600 864 865 868 900 +hsync +vsync (67.5 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1280x960"x60.0 102.10 1280 1360 1496 1712 960 961 964 994 -hsync +vsync (59.6 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "1024x768"x75.0 81.80 1024 1080 1192 1360 768 769 772 802 -hsync +vsync (60.2 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "800x800"x90.0 82.55 800 856 944 1088 800 801 804 843 -hsync +vsync (75.9 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x640"x120.0 71.12 640 680 752 864 640 641 644 686 -hsync +vsync (82.3 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Modeline "640x640"x90.0 51.44 640 680 744 848 640 641 644 674 -hsync +vsync (60.7 kHz)
(II) RADEON(0): Output: VGA-0, Detected Monitor Type: 1
(II) RADEON(0): EDID data from the display on output: VGA-0 ----------------------
(II) RADEON(0): Manufacturer: ACI Model: 61e Serial#: 3744051620
(II) RADEON(0): Year: 1997 Week: 44
(II) RADEON(0): EDID Version: 1.0
(II) RADEON(0): Analog Display Input, Input Voltage Level: 0.700/0.300 V
(II) RADEON(0): Sync: Separate Composite SyncOnGreen
(II) RADEON(0): Max Image Size [cm]: horiz.: 26 vert.: 20
(II) RADEON(0): Gamma: 2.98
(II) RADEON(0): DPMS capabilities: StandBy Suspend Off; RGB/Color Display
(II) RADEON(0): redX: 0.618 redY: 0.350 greenX: 0.280 greenY: 0.605
(II) RADEON(0): blueX: 0.152 blueY: 0.063 whiteX: 0.281 whiteY: 0.311
(II) RADEON(0): Supported VESA Video Modes:
(II) RADEON(0): 720x400@70Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 720x400@88Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 640x480@60Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 640x480@67Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 640x480@72Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 640x480@75Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 800x600@56Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 800x600@60Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 800x600@72Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 800x600@75Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 832x624@75Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 1024x768@87Hz (interlaced)
(II) RADEON(0): 1024x768@60Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 1024x768@70Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 1024x768@75Hz
(II) RADEON(0): 1152x870@75Hz
(II) RADEON(0): Manufacturer's mask: 0
(II) RADEON(0): Supported Future Video Modes:
(II) RADEON(0): #0: hsize: 1280 vsize 960 refresh: 60 vid: 16513
(II) RADEON(0): #1: hsize: 1024 vsize 768 refresh: 75 vid: 20321
(II) RADEON(0): #2: hsize: 800 vsize 800 refresh: 90 vid: 7749
(II) RADEON(0): #3: hsize: 640 vsize 640 refresh: 120 vid: 15409
(II) RADEON(0): #4: hsize: 640 vsize 640 refresh: 90 vid: 7729
(II) RADEON(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 109.5 MHz Image Size: 244 x 195 mm
(II) RADEON(0): h_active: 1280 h_sync: 1324 h_sync_end 1480 h_blank_end 1718 h_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): v_active: 1024 v_sync: 1027 v_sync_end 1030 v_blanking: 1062 v_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 25.2 MHz Image Size: 260 x 195 mm
(II) RADEON(0): h_active: 640 h_sync: 656 h_sync_end 752 h_blank_end 800 h_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): v_active: 400 v_sync: 412 v_sync_end 414 v_blanking: 449 v_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 78.8 MHz Image Size: 260 x 195 mm
(II) RADEON(0): h_active: 1024 h_sync: 1040 h_sync_end 1136 h_blank_end 1312 h_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): v_active: 768 v_sync: 769 v_sync_end 772 v_blanking: 800 v_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): Supported additional Video Mode:
(II) RADEON(0): clock: 65.0 MHz Image Size: 3076 x 963 mm
(II) RADEON(0): h_active: 1024 h_sync: 1048 h_sync_end 1184 h_blank_end 1344 h_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): v_active: 768 v_sync: 771 v_sync_end 777 v_blanking: 806 v_border: 1
(II) RADEON(0): EDID (in hex):
(II) RADEON(0): 00ffffffffffff0004691e06a4b129df
(II) RADEON(0): 2c0701000e1a14c6e86c129e59479b27
(II) RADEON(0): 10484ffffe808140614f451e313c311e
(II) RADEON(0): 010101010101c62a00b6510026402c9c
(II) RADEON(0): 3300f4c300010100d50980a020903110
(II) RADEON(0): 1060c20004c31001011cc31e00204100
(II) RADEON(0): 20301060130004c31001011e64190040
(II) RADEON(0): 410026301888360004c3c301011800c1
in RADEONProbeOutputModes
(II) RADEON(0): EDID vendor "ACI", prod id 1566
(II) RADEON(0): DDCModeFromDetailedTiming: 1280x1024 Warning: We only handle seperate sync.
(II) RADEON(0): I2C device "DVI-0:ddc2" registered at address 0xA0.
(II) RADEON(0): I2C device "DVI-0:ddc2" removed.
(II) RADEON(0): Output: DVI-0, Detected Monitor Type: 0
Dac detection success

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

Please attach the output of `lspci -vvnn`, and attach your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file from after reproducing this issue. If you've made any customizations to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf please attach that as well.

[Matthias Andree (matthias-andree)]

This doesn't seem to be radeon related, perhaps it's xrandr related:

Same thing for me on Intel i945GM with KDE running.

Platform is a FSC Lifebook T4210 convertible notebook (= tablet PC), using an Intel Centrino Duo platform, and it seems to be related to some software used in, or configuration of, a running KDE session.

The bug wasn't present in Gutsy Gibbon. It may have appeared in a somewhat milder form on Hardy Heron.

X configuration: dual-screen in clone mode with 1024x768 resolution (native of integrated panel), external display using TDMS-1 pipe (i. e. DVI-D via docking station), also 1024x768 (native would be 1600x1200).

KDM's login screen does not flicker on either display (shown on both), but gives a steady image on both.

Short after login, while KDE 4.1 is starting up, after the splash screen has disappeared, i. e. once the desktop has appeared (even if some more applications are loading into the panel), my second screen (external TDMS-1 in my case) flickers and blanks periodically, exactly every 10 seconds, until I switch to a single-monitor display with "xrandr --output LVDS --off".

I recall that "xrandr --query" flickered the screen _once_ in Hardy Heron - not sure if it's related.

Is there anything in KDE or window managers or configuration managers or something else that polls display configuration every 10 s, or calls xrandr, or uses R&R primitives, or otherwise might interfere with proper performance of the display?

[Matthias Andree (matthias-andree)]

I wonder if this is related to bug #147073 or bug #134365 - will try the "cannot ever have TV configuration tricks" workarounds later (this is a dual-boot machine).

[Matthias Andree (matthias-andree)]

Indeed ignoring the TV output fixes this on my computer - this laptop (T4210) doesn't have a TV output.

I think drivers shouldn't be disabling active outputs in order to probe something - and KDE's XRANDR display change stuff seems to do just that.

[Matthias Andree (matthias-andree)]

Given that KDE4 runs a service to periodically check for newly (dis)connected displays, I'd say it's a R&R issue.
Please someone mark this a showstopper.

[Bernhard (b.a.koenig)]

Can confirm this with an Intel video card. This problem makes Kubuntu unusable for me at the moment. I don't have any problems in Gnome (gdm) though.

[Bernhard (b.a.koenig)]

Btw, I have this problem with the current 8.10 live CD (as of Oct 15 from ubuntu.com), so it's intrepid. But as I said, only in Kubuntu and not in Ubuntu.

[Laura (clarinette411)]

Same issue for me, I really hope they get it fixed soon. I like the look of the new KDE.

[Electricroo (electricroo)]

Same issue here with the Intel 915GM chipset. Flicker every 10 seconds.
Turning off RANDR in system services stops it fro the most part, but it shows briefly at random while starting programs.

[Floyd B. (fbufkin)]

I had the same problem. Disappeared when I turned off Desktop Effects.