video playback doesn't work on Gutsy Beta and nvidia drivers

[sancheztavo]

I've made a clean install of Ubuntu 7.10 beta, and installed the nvidia drivers from restricted-manager (I have a GeForce 6600, 128MB)

The problem is that when I try to play any file in any video player I've tested (vlc, mplayer, xine) it gives the same result, horizontal colored lines, while the audio can be heard. It's not a codec problem because I've tried several kinds of files, but seems to be an Xv problem, because if I set, for example, VLC, to use the X11 output module, It works (but it's not a solution because it looks pixelated).

The bug doesn't always happen, when you restart the X server and log in, it seems to work, but after some time (I don't know yet what causes it) videos just don't play any longer.

This occurs either with visual effects turned on or off, it makes no difference

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

Screenshot of Xine

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

Screenshot of VLC

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Could you please add your '/etc/X11/xorg.conf' file, your '/var/log/Xorg.0.log' file and the full output of 'sudo lspci -vvnn' as attachments to your bug report? Thanks in advance.

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

sudo lspci -vnn output:

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

I didn't make any manual change to this file.

[Kristoffer Bergström (kabtoffe)]

I get this too. I've got a two screen setup with separate X-servers with mythtv running on the second one. The problem isn't constant for me. It only comes up in the fourth video I watch. Mythtv uses xvmc and mythvideo(mplayer) is set for xv. Once the problem starts it doesn't go away until I restart X.

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

It seems that what causes this problem is related to the amount of free video memory (and perhaps is related to bug 96473, that I thought gone after the new nvidia drivers
( https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-restricted-modules-2.6.22/+bug/96473 )).

While searching for its cause I found a bigger problem, that only seems to occur when visual effects are enabled:

I opened a big amount of fullscreen windows (nothing in particular, I just opened about 15 firefox windows) and I tried to reproduce a video, the result was a black background instead of the video, the sound came every 5 seconds or so, played for a second and stopped again. The mouse is as responsive as the sound, I could move it every 5 seconds (there was some kind of "lag") and 2 of the three times I tried, I managed to close the video window and the system's speed came back to normal, but now, even if I closed every open window, the "colored lines" bug that I reported is there, and won't go away until the X server is restarted.
One of the three times that I tried to reproduce the bug, I just couldn't regain control of the desktop as mouse clicks nor keyboard (like Alt+F4, Ctrl+Alt+Backspace or Ctrl+Alt+F1) commands were working, I waited a few minutes but ending up doing a hard reboot.

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

It seems that some people at nvnews forums are experiencing this bug, with other distros:

 http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=98852

[Alberto Torres (kungfoobar)]

I have the same problem in kubuntu gutsy with an nvidia go 7900 gs. I used compiz-fusion but I don't have enabled it by default. However, it seems kde-window-decorator is started with the session.

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

From the nvnews forum:

"The cause of this problem has been identified and it should be fixed in a future driver release."

[yochaigal (yochaigal)]

I would just like to say I also have the same problem, but only after a recent kernel update. I restart X and it works... until it comes back.

[VF (vfiend)]

I've never had problem with the nvidia drivers and lack of video memory before, but now I have this problem. It appears as a purple screen when running Metacity instead of Compiz.

Workaround for fellow Totem users - Hit alt-f2, type "gstreamer-properties", then select the video tab and select the "No XV" plugin. Probably won't be properly accelerated but hey, it works!

[guyvdb (guyvdb-gmail)]

I have the same problem on a brand new install of Gutsy.

[spartan777 (spartan2600)]

this occurs whether compiz fusion is on or not.

[Travus T. Elm (travus)]

Same Issue fresh install of gusty 7.10 and all updates.. installed nvidia driver and i can play back in vlc fine .. but in mythtv .. live tv and rec programes i get the same issue that you all are taking about .. colors all over the screen ...
is there a fix yet ?? thanks
Travus

[Kristoffer Bergström (kabtoffe)]

Here is how I deal with the problem:
When you start a new X-session, the first video you play must be played with xv. Or everything will be "colorful". After that xv works all the time. xvmc in mythtv doesn't quite work though. What I do is to start a new video in mythvideo, let it play for a fraction of a second and then go back to recordings. Then it works. I think the video previews somehow screw things up cause I have to repeat this quite often.
I'm not at all happy with this. We watch all our tv through mythtv.

[GregerSernemar (greger-sernemar)]

My workarond is as follows:
When the color lines shows up I end mythtv, start vlc and opens and play a dvd directory.
Vlc shows the dvd ok, I stop the dvd but leaves vlc active.
When I start mythtv I can whatch tv again!

[SK (stephantom)]

Once this fix is released by nvidia it should go into Hardy by all means.
We just can't have broken video drivers in a LTS release by my reckoning.

[John B. (jbuncher)]

I'm also suffering from this bug, in myth/totem/xine on a gutsy upgrade using the nvidia drivers on a 6800 GT.

I can get mplayer to work by setting "-vo gl", and xine works a bit better when using that, but myth is still a gamble (works for a while, then doesn't).

Any progress? What are the chances of a fixed driver being put into gutsy?

[SK (stephantom)]

According to Nvidia (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=1454985&postcount=49) this bug should be fixed in version 169.04 (http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_display_ia32_169.04.html). The driver is still declared beta, though.
I don't know what the driver policy for Hardy is (whether beta drivers are packaged), but you can be sure that it won't hit the Gutsy repos before it is officially released (and declared 'stable'). If it won't be provided in the standard repos, you'll probably find a backported package somewhere.

[Brett Alton (brett-alton-deactivatedaccount)]

I have the sample problem originally reported here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=633218

I have Ubuntu Gutsy (fresh install), nVidia GeForce 6800 and Compiz (desktop effects) running.

[Henrik Nilsen Omma (henrik)]

Could someone try reproducing this with the Hardy kernel (2.6.24)?

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

I could, but can I do it with without upgrading all the system to Hardy? Because I can't risk breaking my system till next weekend. If so, how can I just install that kernel only?

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Hardy Heron Alpha2 release will be coming out soon (around Dec 20). It will have an updated version of the kernel. You should be able to test with the Alpha2 LiveCD and report back if this issue still exists. I'll be sure to update this report when Alpha2 is available. Thanks!

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Also, linux-restricted-modules-2.6.22 was for Gutsy, not Hardy. Closing invalid task.

[SK (stephantom)]

Yes, this defect is still present with linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24, package version 2.6.24.2-2.8
I guess updating the nvidia-glx-new package with the (now stable) driver version 169.07. nVidia claims that the bug in question has been fixed in this version. See http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=104706 for the release announcement.

[sancheztavo (sancheztavo)]

I tried the latest nvidia drivers (169.07) on Ubuntu Gutsy and this bug is not present anymore. I mean, this bug has evolved (as the black window bug did?). Now if there are many windows open (so the video memory is full), videos won't start playing at all, I've tested vlc, mplayer, xine and its derivates.

for example mplayer gives this error:

X11 error: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)?,?% 1 0
MPlayer interrupted by signal 6 in module: vo_check_events

xine gives this error:

X Error of failed request: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request: 141 (XVideo)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 19 ()
  Serial number of failed request: 2504
  Current serial number in output stream: 2505

vlc gives this error (the same as xine):

X Error of failed request: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request: 141 (XVideo)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 19 ()
  Serial number of failed request: 82
  Current serial number in output stream: 83

But the difference (and improvement! thanks to nvidia) is that when you free up some video memory (closing some of the open windows) the error does not appear, and videos play nicely.

I will keep testing it

[damianos (damian-linux)]

Is there a plan to roll out the new nvidia driver on gutsy?

Thanks,

D.

[SK (stephantom)]

Damianos: No, this has been declined for Gusty.
Anyways, this bug seems fixed as nvidia-glx-new 169 was pushed into the Hardy repos today. I am marking this as 'fix released'. If this bug persists for anyone, please reopen this report.

[SK (stephantom)]

linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24 (2.6.24.3-2.9) hardy; urgency=low

  * nvidia-glx-new: Update to 169.07 (LP: #177826).
  * Move fwlanusb to the tarball, was previously in the diff.
  * fix nvidia-glx-new-dev description (LP: #158530).
  * debian/rules: Clean up ati:Revision and ati:XFree86Version tags,
    which were not used.
  * fglrx: Added signature and control files to remove watermark
    (LP: #176638).
  * lrm-manager: Add --list parameter to show disabled modules
    (LP: #121590).

 -- Timo Aaltonen < <email address hidden>> Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:09:29 +0200

[Spectre (spectre-vfemail)]

I have the same problem with an ati radeon xpress 1100 on a laptop computer.

Best regards

Quoting Stephan Klein <email address hidden>:

> linux-restricted-modules-2.6.24 (2.6.24.3-2.9) hardy; urgency=low
>
> * nvidia-glx-new: Update to 169.07 (LP: #177826).
> * Move fwlanusb to the tarball, was previously in the diff.
> * fix nvidia-glx-new-dev description (LP: #158530).
> * debian/rules: Clean up ati:Revision and ati:XFree86Version tags,
> which were not used.
> * fglrx: Added signature and control files to remove watermark
> (LP: #176638).
> * lrm-manager: Add --list parameter to show disabled modules
> (LP: #121590).
>
> -- Timo Aaltonen < <email address hidden>> Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:09:29
> +0200
>
> --
> video playback doesn't work on Gutsy Beta and nvidia drivers
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/146455
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of a duplicate bug.
>

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[SK (stephantom)]

Thanks for your comment, Spectre.
But you should open a separate bug report against the ATI drivers. This report deals (dealt) with nvidia drivers. Since the codebase/development teams are not the same this is most likely not related.
The bug described above has been solved by the new nvidia driver.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.