[necbot]

I get tearing during video playback. I'm using Arch linux and the Radeon open-source drivers. Under settings, video output, I have vsync set to always enable.

Kernel: 4.0.1-1-ARCH
Kodi 14.2
xf86-video-ati 1:7.5.0-2

Is there another setting I need to enable? Thanks

[wsnipex]

try disabling the X backing store, by launching it as X -bs

[necbot]

Hello wsnipex. Could you elaborate on your answer please? Do I run this command in a terminal? Or do I include it in an xsession file somewhere?

[wsnipex]

whereever arch linux starts your Xserver

[necbot]

I found a solution, but it is not the solution that I was expecting. I successfully disabled backing store but the problem kept occurring. I have a virtual environment that I use for testing and I opened an image that contains a very VERY basic install of arch (basically arch and kodi). The user-session in the /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf file is "kodi" so this session boots right into kodi (no desktop environment is installed). I updated this image to the latest arch packages and my videos played perfectly, absolutely no tearing.

I was hoping this solution would work outside the virtual environment. so I restarted my htpc and opened /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf file and changed the user-session from "xfce" to "kodi". Kodi booted right up but tearing still occurred Then I uninstalled xfce4 completely. After I removed xfce4 kodi had no tearing!! Hooray!! I still have no idea why this worked. I still need a desktop environment so I switched to LXDE and everything has been fine so far. Maybe there was an xfce setting/app/service that was interfering with vsync. I simply don't have the energy or patience to explore this further. I'll stick with LXDE. Frankly I only use a desktop for the window manager. I need one for when I load my roms using Rom Collection Browser. Thanks for your help.

[wsnipex]

under xfce4 you have to disable desktop compositing(at least for full screen apps).

[necbot]

Ah, good to know. Didn't realize xfce had something like that.