Linux + AMD + XBMC/Boxee = fail?

[whrswoldo]

Is anyone successfully playing back video (XVID/x264) in Linux through Boxee/XBMC using an AMD video card?

I am using Linux Mint 9 with standard installs of Boxee and XBMC, and neither is currently playing back video files correctly. I can hear audio, but instead of video I see flashing solid colors. I have tried divx, xvid, and x264 files in both .avi and .mkv containers. My vid card is an AMD HD3850, CPU is Core2 duo 1.8ghz. I have done some digging and found that AMD does not support hardware acceleration in Linux, but I would think I would still be able to play back at least SD video files using software. If anyone is currently running this setup I would appreciate the insight before I waste any more time fiddling with settings and uninstalling/installing packages.

Thanks

 

[ssbsts]

Linux + AMD typically does not end well. You are better off getting a cheap Nvidia card.

 

[munkle]

Linux + AMD typically does not end well. You are better off getting a cheap Nvidia card.

This is true, it's gotten better though, before I couldn't even install linux with my ati x800xl, but now I can install linux on my pc. Still though I would go with an nvidia card.

 

[Cheetoz]

what driver are you using?

 

[whrswoldo]

what driver are you using?

I'm using the AMD official (closed source) driver "ATI Catalyst™ 10.6 Proprietary Linux x86 Display Driver"

I did some more digging and supposedly there is a config setting that should allow the video. I'll give that a try tonight. I might see if I can find anyone with an Nvidia card willing to trade. Bah, stupid AMD.

From the Boxee forums:

Marcel,

Setting the <rendermethod> to 1 in guisettings.xml (/home/username/.boxee/UserData/) fixed the problem! Thank you!

 

[whrswoldo]

OMG, that one setting magically fixed all of my problems. Why isn't this the default in Boxee, or at least a setting accessible from within the program? Oh well, done with this problem and on to Netflix. Might give Playon a try

*EDIT*

Playon sucks me sideways. Not worth the download and certainly not worth $40. I will stick to my 360 for Netflix