[TODDXBMC]

Hello from a XBMC Newbe.

I am in the process of testing XBMC for the first time and so am just using an old Dell Small Form Factor Optiplex GX280. Assuming I decide to stay in this direction the GX280 will be replaced with something better.. but just experimenting at the moment.

Let me first say while I am pretty windows profficient, I know next to nothing about Linux, and just am vaguely familiar with Ubunutu.
So for the moment I have installed XBMC Live on a USB drive.

I've got access to shared media files from my server everythign fucntions pretty easily. However, I do not have options under the video setup for any resolution over 800 x 600 (full screen). Why is that? I know the onboard video while not the best is certainly cable of 1920 x 1080 resolution (or at least it does when XP was installed). If the card just wasn't capable wouldnt it at least give me a lower resolution widescreen option? Does the Live version not have my driver and so using a defualt vide driver? Is there a way to install the correct one in Live or will I have to go to Ubunutu or Linux?

Thanks for any advice.

[.:B:.]

Run xrandr in a terminal to see what resolutions are supported. The current resolution is marked with an asterisk. You might have to adapt

You should also check the Xorg log file for the driver it's using:

Code:

less /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Your video driver should be in there somewhere. I forgot what exactly you have to grep for, and I can't check (don't have access to a Linux box atm). I assume you have something Intel in there for graphics, I don't know if that really does 1920x1080p (a P4 is not really cutting edge), I assume you're using a Full HD monitor or TV? That is of course the first prerequisite.

[TODDXBMC]

Run xrandr in a terminal to see what resolutions are supported. The current resolution is marked with an asterisk. You might have to adapt

You should also check the Xorg log file for the driver it's using:

Code:

less /var/log/Xorg.0.log

Your video driver should be in there somewhere. I forgot what exactly you have to grep for, and I can't check (don't have access to a Linux box atm). I assume you have something Intel in there for graphics, I don't know if that really does 1920x1080p (a P4 is not really cutting edge), I assume you're using a Full HD monitor or TV? That is of course the first prerequisite.

That would be "yes" on the HD TV. Samsung DLP 1080P set.

If the graphics wont get all the way to full HD for now, thats fine. Even 720P would work. Most of the media I'm toying with at the moment is DVD quality so 1080 isn't important. The aspect is off though, so everythign is streched and/or has a strange border on it. I'm really just trying to get to a place where I can play with XBMC at the moment. Right now I'm looking at widscreen media that is being displaed in full screen like a letterbox but then stretched back to the screen limits by the TV. It looks odd. Some videos even have a black border that shoudlnt be there.

Today I installed Ubunutu 9.10 on this box to try and run XBMC through it instead of the live version. I have a seperate thread out there about the OS in general. http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=70931

I could get the 2nd of the two commands you gave me to work after running XBMC Live, but got both to work under a terminal window of UBUNUTU.

xrandr
Confirmed 800 x 600 60.3 had the '*' The only other option was 640 x 480

Xorg.0.log
(--) PCI:*(0:0:2:0) 8086:2582:1028:0179 Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL Integrated Graphics Controller Rev 4.

That was followed by a lenghty run of memory addresses.

Then it said "Using Default Built In Configuration."

I scrolled down through this very long log and at the end was a LONG list of what appeared to be attempts to use other available resolutions. They read:
(II) intel (0): Not using default mode "V x H" vrefresh out of range (some said "hsync out of range")

'V' and 'H' were obviously many different varaibles for screen resolutions ranging from 640 x 350 to 2048 x 1536.

I was pretty sure I had the 910GL chipset just from the Dell site this evening, so it looks like the right driver is loaded. Why is it not giving me the higher res or wide screen options I get under Windows?

Thanks for the help!

[.:B:.]

Have you checked my link in your other thread?