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ph77 · (This post was last modified: 2010-05-06, 00:33 by ph77.)

In order to use the on-board bluetooth (0cf3:3002 Atheros Communications, Inc.), you need the latest driver and firmware from Atheros.
In Linux it's the ath3k kernel module which has not yet hit the stable kernels. In the meantime you can get the source code from a git repository:

Code:
git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/mcgrof/ath3k.git

cd ath3k

make

sudo make install

sudo modprobe -v ath3k

echo ath3k | sudo tee -a /etc/modules

MarblesZA · 2010-05-06, 17:01

Birch97,

I'm running a similar setup (but without an SSD) and also found some stuttering with HD content.

What I found to be the problem is that XMBC was not using DXVA hardware acceloration. Without the DXVA acceloration the Atom 330 is just not powerful enough to do perfect 720P or 1080P playback.

I've installed a nightly build a couple days ago and forced DXVA rendering. Unfortunately DXVA support is pretty poor at the moment in XBMC. Sometimes I find that using DXVA renders the lower part of the screen with a black bar. I'm still trying to figure out if there is a work-around. Hopefully a new nightly build will rectify this, but I'm not counting on it to happen soon.

If anybody has any suggestions and/or work-arounds it would be greatly appreciated.

birch97 · 2010-05-07, 04:21

MarblesZA Wrote:Birch97,

I'm running a similar setup (but without an SSD) and also found some stuttering with HD content.

What I found to be the problem is that XBMC was not using DXVA hardware acceloration. Without the DXVA acceloration the Atom 330 is just not powerful enough to do perfect 720P or 1080P playback.

I've installed a nightly build a couple days ago and forced DXVA rendering. Unfortunately DXVA support is pretty poor at the moment in XBMC. Sometimes I find that using DXVA renders the lower part of the screen with a black bar. I'm still trying to figure out if there is a work-around. Hopefully a new nightly build will rectify this, but I'm not counting on it to happen soon.

If anybody has any suggestions and/or work-arounds it would be greatly appreciated.

Yea, i think you are correct, I am going to hope that some future builds improve the acceleration under windows.... though that said, I installed XMBC for windows first on my laptop just to mess around with it, and it plays everything perfectly (then again, it was like $1200 vs 3-400 for these ion builds), so i hope its not just a hardware limitation.

For the record, its only the larger BR rips that have been stuttering for me too, and further, I can play everything without a hiccup on XMBC Live with my setup, so it's something specifically with windows causing the problem.
Like I said, I'm just hoping that future builds of xbmc for windows will solve things and its not the windows framework itself putting limitation on the hardware that would prevent improvements in the future.

Hulu playback is pretty bad (though watchable) for me as well.

Though if someone is running this, or similiar setup under windows without flaw, i'm all ears for any tweaks or setups I could be missing, Thanks

birch97 · 2010-05-07, 04:32

MarblesZA Wrote:I've installed a nightly build a couple days ago and forced DXVA rendering. Unfortunately DXVA support is pretty poor at the moment in XBMC.

Would you happen to have copy of say WinDVD, or another program that is known to play HD files without a hiccup to try on your setup (I don't have any, & I could be wrong about WinDvd, but I believe it is), because I am thinking if the files played fine on one of those then you would at least know that a. the problem currently lies in xmbc; and b. that your system is capable of playing that content under windows if this is improved on.

If I am wrong in these thoughts someone please correct me. Thanks Big Grin

MarblesZA · 2010-05-09, 13:32

birch97 Wrote:Would you happen to have copy of say WinDVD, or another program that is known to play HD files without a hiccup to try on your setup (I don't have any, & I could be wrong about WinDvd, but I believe it is), because I am thinking if the files played fine on one of those then you would at least know that a. the problem currently lies in XBMC; and b. that your system is capable of playing that content under windows if this is improved on.

If I am wrong in these thoughts someone please correct me. Thanks

Birch97,

I got a Blu-ray Writer in the system and all the Blu-rays I have played using Cyberlink PowerDVD 10 seem to be stutter free.

I can also play 1080P H.264 MKVs without any issues using Media Player Classic Home Cinema and Windows Media Center/Player with the latest DivX codecs installed. Both the DivX codec and MPC-HC offer DXVA acceloration options, which may not be automatically enabled.

I can definately assure you that this motherboard/cpu and Windows solution will be able to playback stutter free HD content. I just wish I was able to assist in getting XBMC to support DXVA better sooner.

MarblesZA · 2010-05-09, 21:32

birch97 Wrote:Would you happen to have copy of say WinDVD, or another program that is known to play HD files without a hiccup to try on your setup (I don't have any, & I could be wrong about WinDvd, but I believe it is), because I am thinking if the files played fine on one of those then you would at least know that a. the problem currently lies in XBMC; and b. that your system is capable of playing that content under windows if this is improved on.

If I am wrong in these thoughts someone please correct me. Thanks

I have done some more research and you should try using the Directshow based version of XBMC. You can find out more at http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=61355 and http://wiki.xbmc.org/?title=HOW-TO:_Using_DSPlayer. Smile

ph77 · 2010-05-13, 17:34

Finally I have all the remote buttons work perfectly under Linux. Big Grin

I ended up writing a kernel driver myself and it was far more easier than I thought. If only ASUS and other major hardware manufacturer had a couple of programmers dedicated to Linux development...

See the details and download the installation package from here (post #12):
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1458300

birch97 · 2010-05-13, 18:08

[quote=MarblesZA]I have done some more research and you should try using the Directshow based version of XBMC. You can find out more at QUOTE]

Thanks!

Qbano · 2010-05-14, 03:24

I've been following this thread for a while and i'am sold. I am going to buy this board day after tomorrow. Can someone please reply as to what memory they are using with this board? I have had problems in the past with Asus and QVL memory. I plan to run XBMC live from HDD, streaming from a server. Is the supplied remote control good enough for navigation, volume and turning off PC? Or should i consider another? Any ideas or recommendations we'll be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for replies and suggestions!!

ph77 · 2010-05-14, 10:21

Qbano Wrote:I've been following this thread for a while and i'am sold. I am going to buy this board day after tomorrow. Can someone please reply as to what memory they are using with this board? I have had problems in the past with Asus and QVL memory. I plan to run XBMC live from HDD, streaming from a server. Is the supplied remote control good enough for navigation, volume and turning off PC? Or should i consider another? Any ideas or recommendations we'll be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for replies and suggestions!!

I have 2gb of Kingston KVR1066D3N7/2G ram. No problems. Go to Asus site and look at the manual for the supported memory.
The remote now works fine, all buttons accessible. You can suspend/resume or shutdown of course, with its power button. I find it quite adequate.

mlmc · 2010-05-15, 12:14

Very interesting.. Smile

Qbano · 2010-05-16, 20:39

Thanks ph77! Just ordered.

sqbox · 2010-05-16, 20:50

Cocophone Wrote:Has anybody purchased this motherboard?
AT3IONT-I DELUXE
http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=iHWm73RqE6MCmCtw

ASUS site says this has "RGB", do they mean RGB analog TV-out? If yes is it through one of the graphics ports, or a break-out cable, or Huh

I have 1080p at home but only standard old TVs at my parent's place when I'm over on most weekends. So would I be able to use this board to play my movies on SD TV? (yes I know its overkill, but would be very useful for me Nod

)

Sq.

ion_man · 2010-05-16, 20:52

The plain Asus AT3IONT-I has now become available in the US too and it's quite a bit cheaper than the Deluxe, so it might be a good alternative for those that don't need the extra features of the Deluxe version.
See the here for differences.

ion_man · 2010-05-16, 20:55

sqbox Wrote:ASUS site says this has "RGB", do they mean RGB analog TV-out? If yes is it through one of the graphics ports, or a break-out cable, or

I have 1080p at home but only standard old TVs at my parent's place when I'm over on most weekends. So would I be able to use this board to play my movies on SD TV? (yes I know its overkill, but would be very useful for me )

Sq.

I don't see RGB mentioned anywhere, only RCA (audio out).

In any case you get RGB output in the form of analog VGA, that could work with your TV (directly or with an adapter).