[niccei]

Hello,

XBMC seems to toggle the resolution continuously, which results in a screen that randomly goes black and on again, sometimes announcing an unsupported resolution. This only happens if XBMC is running. If I just start an X session (without a window manager, because I do not need one) everything works fine.

I made a short video with my mobile which may be watched here

http://rapidshare.com/files/266102281/xbmcsample.avi

Sorry for the quality, but the effect is good to see.

I am running XBMC_9.04_Babylon-linux-osx-win32 installed via portage on a Gentoo System running Kernel 2.6.30-gentoo-r4, Architecture is i686.
Nvidia Drivers x11-drivers/nvidia-drivers-185.18.31 and xorg-server 1.5.3-r6

Hardware:
Mainboard MSI G31M3-F
Intel E5300 2x2.6GHz
VGA Geforce 9400GT (also tried Geforce 9500GT same effect)
Philips PFL9703 used as DFP-0 connected via HDMI.

One week before I used a MSI P7NGM-Digital with integrated GeForce 9300 nForce 930i and xbmc was running fine with the same DFP and HDMI-cable. I had to change the system due to a defect on the old board.

In xorg.conf I tried to toggle a lot of settings to solve the problem but I had no luck.

• Toggle TripleBuffer
  
• Toggled UseEdidFreq
  
• Enabling only a single modeline
  
• Using EDID Modes only
  
• Tried several refresh rates
  
• Toggled ExactModeTimingsDVI
  

In XBMC Settings I tried Auto, 1080i, fixed size & refresh rate, toggling VSYNC to all possible values.

xbmc is started without windowmanager

Code:

exec /usr/bin/xinit /usr/bin/xbmc --standalone -- X

I dumped xorg.conf, X log and xbmc debug log on pastebin.

xbmc.log
Xorg.0.log
xorg.conf

This evening I will try to use a Radeon 4850 to see if this is a nvidia problem. But I would like to use my 9400GT to benefit from VDPAU.

Any ideas, why I have this flickering screen?

[niccei]

After one week of writing configs, aquiring edids, swapping hardware, slamming my head on the desk I found the solution for the screen randomly going black.

It is an issue of the interaction of a Philips LCD and a Nvidia card connected via HDMI.

When I set my system up, I decided not to connect the SPDIF of the mainboard to the Geforce but to connect it directly to my amplifier for a good sound. That was the Problem.

It seems as if the Philips looses sync to the signal from the Geforce when the SPDIF connector of the card is left empty. XBMC does not toggle the modes but tries to find a valid resolution after loosing sync.

The problem occured with Geforce 9400, 9500 and 9600. The 9300 worked, because it was an integrated card with a correct audio signal provided by the internal 730i chipset.

Fortunately I had a PCI audio card left with SPDIF-Out and additional connectors on the card itself. So I disabled the audio of the motherboard and now I am able to use my amplifier and in addtition the LCD itself, without loosing sync.

Hope that helps others with the same combination of hardware.

[Maxim]

Wow. Thanks for posting your results. It seems that many have issues with the screen blanking after a period of time and everything they do doesn't fix the issue. I hadn't though that it would be related to audio in anyway. This might be priceless for some of the users around here.