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Full Version: Video dies, or sets weird mode
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Hi, everyone. I'm loving XBMC on Linux.

However, I'm having a strange and frustrating problem. I'm running XBMC on Gutsy on a Mac Mini, connected via DVI to a Toshiba 62HM196 TV. Getting the modelines right for that was a real pain, but I finally have it working at 720p. XBMC starts fine and I can watch videos fine.

However, after 5-10 mintues or so, the video goes away. It seems like the TV is losing sync. Audio keeps running, I can SSH into the system, and I can even Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get a text mode terminal at 640x480. However, Ctrl-Alt-Backspace doesn't get X back at 720p, even if I kill the XboxMediaCenter process from a shell.

I have XBMC's video settings at 1280x720 (Desktop), and "Best available" under video player. It does start and work fine for a while, but then it seems like it sets a mode that my TV can't handle.

I can leave the Ubuntu desktop or the XBMC menu up for hours at 720p and it's fine; it only happens when video is playing.

Any ideas? Is there any scenario where XBMC should be changing the video mode after a video starts playing?
Yes, there is an option under the video settings that allows you to specify what resolution to play videos at, play around with that and see what happens.
The same thing happens if I use "Best possible" or "1280x720 (Desktop)". The thing is, it works for a while. Wouldn't that setting take effect right when video starts?
Then I can almost guarantee it has to do with your xorg config and the mode lines you are using. Your TV is probably going into a sleep mode because it doesn't recognize that you are using a valid timing mode. I have seen this before on a friends LCD TV, we played around trying to get 1:1 pixel mapping over HDMI and finally achieved it, but the TV refused to stay locked onto it, piece of crap it was. I would suggest trying different mode lines, and device options in your xorg.conf, check out the ubuntu/mythtv forums and wikis, there are loads of things you could try.
Thanks, I will continue to muck with it. The odd thing, if it's a modeline problem, is that the gnome desktop and VLC in fullscreen mode can run for hours just fine. So can XBMC's menu. It's just when video is playing that the TV presumably loses sync.
You are right, that is strange. Do you notice your TV change modes (flicker, display info, anything) when you start playing a video or when you go into XBMC?