As the subject line mentioned, I am having a problem with my screensaver popping up over my currently playing video, no matter if I am in windowed mode or fullscreen mode. This is only happening on KODI Helix, not XBMC Gotham.
In XBMC Gotham, the screensaver always popped up over Gotham whenever I happened to have the program in windowed mode, something it is supposed to do, but not while Gotham was in fullscreen.
In KODI Helix, the screensaver is also popping up even while in fullscreen mode in Helix. I know I can always further delay my screensaver in my settings, but I shouldn't have to for just one program. In all versions of XBMC I have used in the past I never had this issue, so it definitely relates to the newest KODI version.
NOTE: I am running Linux Mint 17.1. Haven't not had a chance to test this further yet on Windows to see if I am getting similar.
I think this relates to the fact that my Linux Mint system does not recognise KODI as being in full-screen even when it is.
In XBMC Gotham and earlier, whenever XBMC was in windowed mode, screensaver would kick in, as well as when adjusting volume, I would be adjusting system volume, not XBMC volume. But when in fullscreen mode in XBMC Gotham, the screensaver would not kick in, and I could only adjust XBMC volume.
In KODI Helix, however, whether it be in windowed mode or fullscreen mode, I could only adjust system volume, and screensaver would kick in on both. Fullscreen mode should be acting the same as in XBMC Gotham, but it isn't.
WORKAROUND:
This script, if run at startup (ie, adding it to 'startup applications'), does work in inhibiting the scrensaver from activating when KODI is open. But it is just a workaround:
Code:
#!/bin/bash
# Prevent-XScreenSaver-In-KODI
# Emulate the mplayer hearbeat-cmd to keep xscreensaver from coming on while the kodi gui is active.
# Inspiration from this post: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1931074&p=11716198#post11716198
# Dependencies: Arch Linux packages and the name of the dependency program in parentheses for users of other distros
# * sysvinit-tools (/bin/pidof)
# * coreutils (/usr/bin/sleep)
# Usage: Run the script at startup or at login.
# Ex: link a Prevent-XScreenSaver-In-KODI.deskop to ~/.config/autostart or do so via whatever GUI-based start-up manager you use
# ln -s /usr/share/applications/Prevent-XScreenSaver-In-KODI.desktop ~/.config/autostart
# Nothing to do if user does not have requisite binaries.
[[ -z $(which xscreensaver-command) ]] && exit 1
while true; do
if [[ -n $(pidof kodi.bin) ]]; then
while [[ -n $(pidof kodi.bin) ]]; do
xscreensaver-command -deactivate &>/dev/null
sleep 49s
done
else
sleep 49s
fi
done
+1. Script works but shouldn't need it. Tried caffeine first but couldn't get it to work.
Glad there's already a thread on this.
I can confirm the above is mostly true in my case.
At first I thought it was an issue with my xfce4-power-manager but actually that works OK. My issue appears only to be with xscreensaver daemon.
xfce4-power-manager does
not blank the screen with Kodi is full screen.
xscreensaver does blank the screen when Kodi is full screen.
Screensavers are important for me as I am a mobile user and not HTPC.
VLC media player on occasion as this prevents both XFCE PM and xscreensaver from applying during playback.
I appreciate the workaround (script) xbmcwayist but let's hope there's a fix in the near future
System:
Fedora 21
Openbox
I think this was happening to me on ubuntu precise when I test updated it to helix. About every 20 minutes the screen went black, audio continued and a flick on any remote button brought the video back.
The first time it happened on a scene transition and I thought for a while it was one of those scenes where the protagonist woke up in the dark or something...
Same issue here
helix and lubuntu 14.4
Was working good in Gotham
script does not do the same as it doesn't tell the difference between fullscreen and windowed
caffeine sucks as is resource hungry
we need a solution !