[LINUX] Help with Intel GMA500 integrated graphics and OpenGL device driver issues?
#1
Question 
As the title says really,
Bought a dell inspiron mini 10.
Try to run xbmc (the only thing i want it to do)
and it says "ms default drivers detected contact service etc etc"

i have seen someone sucsessfully get xbmc working with a gma 500 through linux or something but it was just a youtube video without many details attached...

also google says that the gma 500 DOES support openGl 2.0 but just the drivers do not. is there any way to modify the drivers or similar?
intel tells me i have the latest (and greatest?) driver installed...

Can anyone help me or have i just WASTED £250 trying to make a "cheap" media centre...
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#2
Drivers? If this is an intel chip look at the intel site for proper drivers. Failing that look on the dell website.
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#3
Pepperisit Wrote:i have seen someone sucsessfully get xbmc working with a gma 500 through linux or something but it was just a youtube video without many details attached...

In linux I'm pretty sure it's just bundled with the standard set of open source drivers, linux is good that way.

I'd suggest that you burn a XBMC Live CD and try it on that as it should have all drivers bundled for intel, although I can't say for certain that GMA500 is working due to it being a more non-standard card than the others.

Next version of XBMC Live will also contain even more / newer drivers so if it doesn't work now it might at a later version.

Cheers,
Tobias
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#4
the drivers are the most updated official ones (from intel)

there is a software to use unofficial driveres to enable opengl but they wont run on my laptop.

i cannot use a boot cd as the dell inspiron mini has no cd drive. almost ironic

any other suggestions guysHuh?
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#5
I would suggest a lot of reading on the ubuntuforums HERE

Then I'd return it.
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#6
ok thanks,
dont really understand what installing ubuntu has to do with opengl not functioning as it should be. but i will probably have to return it and start again Angry
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#7
Sorry for that, skimming the thread had me assuming you were running linux. My 2 cents, if you're only planning on having your netbook run xbmc, trade the mini 10 in for the mini 10v. The gma500 is very limiting/underwhelming so far, seems like an odd step backwards.
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#8
i am returning it now (should have done my homework really). Do we know if the mini 10v definaterly runs xbmc?
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#9
To revive this theme, I an trying to install XBMC (Eden) on Dell inspiron mini 10 (1010), 1.6 atom dual core, 1GB ram, GMA500. XBMCBUNTU fails to boot during install.
Installed Lubuntu and solved GPU problems, but after installing XBMC it runs very laggy and CPU usage is near 100%.
- I tried installing XBMC on Win7 os (starter) on same machine, XBMC is laggy and slow.
- I tried to install XBMC on WinXP Home on that machine, and XBMC is working slow, although it shows 70% processor usage during video playback?
- I tried to install Openelec onj this machine, but it wont recognize components (HDD). I installed it on external SD but it will not boot.

For comparison, I have Openelec 2 Beta2 with XBMC Eden installed on Asus EEE PC 701 ( 1GB RAM, 900 Mhz celeron ) and it is working way, way much better than anything i succeeded with this Dell Mini 1010.

Dell Mini 10 is interesting since it have HDMI out, but I am running out of ideas.


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#10
The GMA500 is one of the worst GPUs for Linux all-time. The driver is a disaster. In fact the GMA500 marks the exact point when the Intel GPU department failed and Intel had to go to PowerVR hat in hand.

There is a VAAPI driver, but it only runs on ancient Ubuntu and it doesn't work well with XBMC:

http://linux-tipps.blogspot.com/2010/06/...rated.html

http://linux-tipps.blogspot.com/2011/01/...ma500.html

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#11
Ok, but I installed Joli OS 2.1 which is ubuntu based and it comes with support for Poulsbo (GMA500).

It plays HD 720p video in its media player without any glitches, but after installing XBMC under it (since it is Ubuntu based, you can install), XBMC plays like disaster.

What I ment to say is, XBMCBUNTU developers could use GMA500 drivet from JoliOS project since it is also opensource and get XBMCBUNTU running on wide range of GMA500 devices which can serve as ideal media center
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#12
(2012-06-11, 11:25)porga Wrote: To revive this theme, I an trying to install XBMC (Eden) on Dell inspiron mini 10 (1010), 1.6 atom dual core, 1GB ram, GMA500. XBMCBUNTU fails to boot during install.
Installed Lubuntu and solved GPU problems, but after installing XBMC it runs very laggy and CPU usage is near 100%.
- I tried installing XBMC on Win7 os (starter) on same machine, XBMC is laggy and slow.
- I tried to install XBMC on WinXP Home on that machine, and XBMC is working slow, although it shows 70% processor usage during video playback?
- I tried to install Openelec onj this machine, but it wont recognize components (HDD). I installed it on external SD but it will not boot.

For comparison, I have Openelec 2 Beta2 with XBMC Eden installed on Asus EEE PC 701 ( 1GB RAM, 900 Mhz celeron ) and it is working way, way much better than anything i succeeded with this Dell Mini 1010.

Dell Mini 10 is interesting since it have HDMI out, but I am running out of ideas.
I think you have your answer, unfortunately. The Dell Mini fails to install XBMCBuntu and works horribly running XBMC under Lubuntu, Win7, WinXP and OpenElec. I think you're fighting an unwinnable battle here.

(2012-06-14, 18:55)porga Wrote: Ok, but I installed Joli OS 2.1 which is ubuntu based and it comes with support for Poulsbo (GMA500).

It plays HD 720p video in its media player without any glitches, but after installing XBMC under it (since it is Ubuntu based, you can install), XBMC plays like disaster.

What I ment to say is, XBMCBUNTU developers could use GMA500 drivet from JoliOS project since it is also opensource and get XBMCBUNTU running on wide range of GMA500 devices which can serve as ideal media center
Add JoliOS to the list of operating systems on which XBMC runs poorly on the Dell Mini 10.
This is not a matter of JoliOS having a magic driver that works with the GMA500, and if only XBMC would use it then your problem is solved. First, XBMC is an application and not an operating system. XBMC therefore doesn't have drivers. Second, Linux drivers don't work the way you think they do. They are generally baked into the kernel, and therefore JoliOS/Ubuntu/Lubuntu/XBMCbuntu/etc. all have the same drivers. This is further evidenced by the fact that you got the same results on all of them.
You could file a bug against XBMCBuntu for it's failure to install on your system, which would be helpful. However, if that problem got fixed you'd end up right back where you are - running XBMCBuntu with XBMC not working well.
My advice:
1. make sure you've turned on hardware rendering in XBMC
2. possibly play with the "dirty rectangle" setting in the advancedsettings.xml
3. ditch the GMA500
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#13
(2012-06-14, 18:55)porga Wrote: Ok, but I installed Joli OS 2.1 which is ubuntu based and it comes with support for Poulsbo (GMA500).

It plays HD 720p video in its media player without any glitches, but after installing XBMC under it (since it is Ubuntu based, you can install), XBMC plays like disaster.

What I ment to say is, XBMCBUNTU developers could use GMA500 drivet from JoliOS project since it is also opensource and get XBMCBUNTU running on wide range of GMA500 devices which can serve as ideal media center

The problem IS the driver- it doesn't work with XBMC. Never has. That was my point- even if you get the drivers to technically work (and you did) they are not compatible with XBMC. XBMC goes by standards so the problem is the driver is nonstandard, and since it hasn't gotten updates in years there is no hope for improvement.

If you look at the second link I provided it shows how to use a compatible external player to get XBMC to partially work. That is good as it will get unfortunately in Linux.

In the big picture for the XBMC project the GMA 500 is not a huge concern. It was short-lived and nowadays most of the Intel GPUs available play nicer that the 500. It marked a low point in Linux history.

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#14
I solved it by installing Windows 7 starter, custom OpenGL enabled driver and XBMC (autostart after win boot). Now it works fantastic, no glitches at all.

Not embedded solution, but it really works well. There are some hacks to change windows "shell" to XBMC, but I am satisfied wit this because I can "kill" XBMC process if it hangs on opening some online stream, which is sometimes the case, even on my Openelec machine.
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#15
Hi Porga,

Thanks for sharing the solution.
I'm exactly in the same boat.
Can you please elaborate more on the Custom OpenGL enabled driver? What did you exactly do?
Also, do you know what's the significance of Windows 7 starter as oppose to the WinXP the Mini10 comes under.

Thanks
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[LINUX] Help with Intel GMA500 integrated graphics and OpenGL device driver issues?0