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authorDaniel Caujolle-Bert <f1rmb@users.sourceforge.net>2001-04-18 22:33:39 +0000
committerDaniel Caujolle-Bert <f1rmb@users.sourceforge.net>2001-04-18 22:33:39 +0000
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treefdaf7537abca3d4875ad21322c54888914ed15a2 /doc/README.syncfb
downloadxine-lib-db6b7c2e1c52c536a7f9690a410bf69817e0b2c5.tar.gz
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Initial revision
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+
+ ===== =====
+ XINE video output plugin for MATROX G400 / G200 cards *only*
+ ===== =====
+
+
+
+* WHAT IS THIS PLUGIN ABOUT and WHY SHOULD I EVEN CONSIDER TO USE IT? :)
+
+ This XINE video output plugin uses the so called Teletux driver which
+ provides special hardware features of the Matrox G400 and G200 cards
+ like deinterlacing, scaling and YUV data to RGB conversion --- just to
+ name a few. The plugin makes all those features available to XINE and
+ because all this tasks are done by the graphics card there is no need
+ for XINE to do them in software -- so you save precious CPU time which
+ you may gonna need for other things. :-)
+
+ Another feature of this plugin is the synchronisation of the video
+ picture with the refresh of your screen. Before you ask why you would
+ need that - here the explanation... :)
+
+ In order to have an optimal DVD playback the update of the image needs
+ to be syncronized with the refresh of the screen. Otherwise you will
+ sometimes see part of frame n and part of frame n+1 during an refresh.
+ This results in tearing artefacts on moving objects.
+
+ When using this plugin the update of the screen is done in the V-SYNC
+ phase of your screen - and the tearing artefacts are gone forever.
+
+
+* AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
+
+ The Teletux driver is a module you will have to load that makes a
+ special device (/dev/syncfb) available which is opened by the plugin
+ and controlled with certain ioctl calls. Quite easy, isn't it? ;)
+
+ That module is based on the mga_vid driver from Aaron Holzmann and was
+ advanced (and reworked) by Matthias Oelmann.
+
+
+* OK I HEARD ENOUGH - HOW DO I INSTALL and USE IT? :)
+
+ First of all you will need to get the Teletux driver itself. It's
+ available at http://teletux.sourceforge.net. Once you downloaded it,
+ unpack it to some directory of your choice, please read the README and
+ compile it (a normal "make" should work out-of-the-box). Now there are
+ only a few things left for you to do...
+
+ 1) Become root. Hey now you can take over the world *evil laugh* :-)))
+ 2) Create a device called /dev/syncfb ===> mknod /dev/syncfb c 178 0
+ 3) Copy the file "syncfb.o" to your modules directory (usually this is
+ /lib/modules/YOUR_KERNEL_VERSION/) and do a "depmod -a".
+
+ This should be it. In order to use the Teletux driver you will have to
+ load it with the command "insmod syncfb.o" - please note that you will
+ have to load it every time you reboot if you wanna use the driver.
+
+ XINE autodetects the driver and automaticly uses this plugin.
+
+ It is possible now that the image during video playback is jerking.
+ This could be caused by the syncronisiation of the video image with
+ your screen refresh. You can easily fix that by switching your monitor
+ to the appropriate refresh rates (50 Hz for PAL, 60 Hz for NTSC). You
+ will need to add so called modelines to your XFree86 config to make
+ those 50 Hz/60 Hz modes available.
+
+ Here is is a short listing of some sample modelines. Please add only
+ those two lines (for NTSC and PAL) which exactly fit the screensize
+ you are running your X Server with. You need to add those lines to the
+ monitor section of your XF86Config file as well as include their names
+ in the screen section (subsection display of the color depth your are
+ using).
+
+ USE THE FOLLOWING MODELINES AT YOUR OWN RISK. THEY COULD DAMAGE YOUR
+ MONITOR PERMANTELY - PLEASE TAKE CAUTION AND DON'T BLAME US. YOU HAVE
+ BEEN WARNED.
+
+ So much for the standard disclaimer. :)
+
+ Note: If you want to be on the safe side, generate your very own
+ modelines with an application like kvideogen or use a service
+ like http://zaph.com/Modeline/ on the web.
+
+ Also the modelines may need some fine tuning for your setup. You
+ can use xvidtune (comes with XFree86) to do that.
+
+ # 1024x768
+
+ Modeline "1024x768pal" 64.94 1024 1040 1216 1328 768 768 775 802
+ Modeline "1024x768ntsc" 54.32 1024 1040 1216 1328 768 768 774 802
+
+ # 1152x864
+
+ Modeline "1152x864pal" 68.82 1152 1168 1384 1496 864 864 871 902
+ Modeline "1152x864ntsc" 80.93 1152 1168 1384 1496 864 864 872 902
+
+ # 1280x1024
+
+ none yet - will be added soon
+
+ So before you run XINE please turn to the appropriate refresh rate and
+ the jerking should be gone.
+
+
+* WHAT SCREENSIZE SHOULD I PREFER?
+
+ Well. It is important that the screensize you choose for DVD playback
+ is exactly the same screensize you're starting up your X Server with.
+ So you shouldn't switch down to 1024x768 if you are running 1280x1024
+ because that gives you a virtual screensize of 1280x1024 in a
+ resolution of 1024x768 - and the plugin cannot handle that yet.
+
+ Now back to the question. A screensize of 1024x768 should be it. A DVD
+ is always 720x576 for pal and 720x480 for ntsc. If you've an anamorphe
+ DVD the image only has to be horizontally scaled to get back to the
+ original geometry of 16:9 which is easier to be done.
+
+
+* WHERE IS THE WINDOW A VIDEO IS USUALLY DISPLAYED IN?
+
+ The Teletux driver is writing directly to the video memory of the G400
+ or G200 card and bypasses your X server. Getting that overlay into a
+ real window isn't as easy as you might think.
+
+ For now a borderless window is being used which lays under the overlay
+ so you can click on the overlay (for the panel to appear) or issue any
+ command XINE supports by keyboard while you're over the overlay with
+ your mouse cursor.
+
+
+* WHAT IS ON THE TODO LIST?
+
+ The plugin does not yet activate the hardware deinterlacing.
+ The mouse cursor doesn't disappear yet when it should be disappearing.
+ Prevent the panel from hidding behind the overlay by moving it out of range.
+ Bug fixes, new features and optimizations. :-)
+
+
+* CONTACTS and FEEDBACK
+
+ Joachim Koening <joachim.koenig@gmx.net>
+ Matthias Dahl <matthew2k@web.de>
+
+ or use the XINE User Mailinglist. (more infos see the general README)