[Effenberg0x0]

I have a ubuntu Lucid Lynx home desktop that acts as a server for many things: cctv, Samba network, printers, webserver, ftp, firewall, bit torrent server, eclipse php development, home automation, etc. It's on 24/7.

It has a NVIDIA 9500 GT so the main LCD monitor is attached to it on DVI/VGA and a HDMI cable goes to other room (home theater) and is plugged to a 40" LCD screen. NVIDIA settings made it two separate screens on xorg.conf. Compiz is activated.

I usually watch 720p/1080p mkv and BluRay movies perfectly, no delays (since I compiled mplayer with vdpau and multithreaded ffmpeg support).

To watch my stuff, I simply run $DISPLAY=:0.1 mplayer <filename>. It has always been boring to me to have to run from one room to another to pause, switch movie, etc. As an alternative, I usually access the server from the home theater room via ssh using my notebook/droid phone, use mkfifo, etc... which is also lame.

I became aware of XBMC today. Got it through svn and compiled it according to the instructions on README.ubuntu file. Worked flawlessly. It looks amazing, so props to all the devs and contributors!

However, it is impossible to make it run on my second screen (the TV) with fullscreen, even setting env var SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD=1, using DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc -fs, etc. At most, I can get it to the second screen, but windowed.

I have browsed forums for maybe 4 or 5 hours now and I know many people have similar problems with it. But all I could found so far are some patches and workarounds. Nothing seems conclusive (IANA developer).

Qs:
1) Is there any official solution to enable xbmc to run full screen on a separate X screen, leaving the other screen working normally?
2) How to also leave the PC keyboard and mouse untouched and working as usual on the first screen? (I'll use with Lirc, Logitech Harmony IR control and a new bluetooth portable keyboard so theres no need for the current input devices on screen #2).

Kind regards,
Effenberg

[Effenberg0x0]

1) Forget it, my mistake. It does get to the second screen, and fullscreen, using $SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD=1 DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc -fs

2) But keyboard/mouse become unusable on the first screen no matter what. Even after killing xbmc, I have to restart gdm in order to have the PC usable again.

Despite external potential solutions, like Xephyr, Multiseat, etc: Is there anything that can be done, within the realms of XBMC, to avoid it from grabbing the system Keyboard/Mouse?

[ingeon]

I use the xfce desktop environment and tried adding

SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD=1 DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc -fs

and/or

DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc

under 'session and startup' but it does nothing.
I found running either from these in terminal works, however if I create a launcher it gives
me 'failed to execute I/O error even if 'run in terminal' is ticked.

How can I get it to auto launch on the 2nd monitor at startup?

I have a very similar screen&nvidia260 card setup

[kaiser423]

Second X-server setups usually requires some significant changes, including some special packages...

Basically, most applications don't really expect two X displays, even most window managers don't expect two X displays, and subtly break (as you are seeing) when you do it.

In other words, I think that you're out on a frontier by yourself

[ingeon]

In the launcher you have to use env to run the application with the environment containing DISPLAY=:0.1 :

Code:

env DISPLAY=:0.1 program

This seems to have helped.

2) How to also leave the PC keyboard and mouse untouched and working as usual on the first screen? (I'll use with Lirc, Logitech Harmony IR control and a new bluetooth portable keyboard so theres no need for the current input devices on screen #2).

This remains a pain. For now still using the | key (Shift \) which takes xbmc out of fullscreen and releases the mouse&keyboard

[AgnewFedaykin]

I'm in a similar situation but I did using the CompizConfig settings manager. In there under the windows decorations plugin there should be text box next to the word decoration windows. In there there you enter !state=maxhorz or !state=maxvert. Only downside is all windows that are maximized title bars are removed. I'm still looking for a way to control it better.

[leighdog]

could not not set this up xRandR apt-get install -y x11-xserver-utils
I think thats right

[leighdog]

sorry could you not
and think English is my first and only language

[AgnewFedaykin]

Well I got too look into how to control the compiz window manager a bit better with ccsm. If your interested the command to be placed in (Window Decorations>decoration windows) to remove the title bar from xbmc only when full screen is "(!state=maxhorz | !name=xbmc.bin)" without the quotes. the !name portion can be substituted by a couple different identifiers as well. an to move around windows without a title bar use crtl+right click.

[grekpg]

hi, there is easy way to mouse leave in desktop monitor when i start xbmc on tv with SDL_VIDEO_FULLSCREEN_HEAD=1 DISPLAY=:0.1 xbmc -fs ?
i use ubuntu 12.10 with nvidia card
dvi monitor and hdmi tv