Linux newbie here, although I am quickly falling in love.

When playing videos (in Totem 2.24), they constantly flicker. I find that I can fix the problem by disabling Ubuntu's visual effects, after which videos play fine. However I'd rather not have to do that. Does anyone know of a fix for this?

Thanks. I'm using Ubuntu 8.10, btw.

What kind of video card are you running? Also helpful- how much RAM is installed in your system?

You can put in a custom xorg.conf file too. Is there is anything in it?

card?
driver?

I'm on a laptop with an ATI Radeon Mobility x1400, 256mb shared graphics memory. 2GB of RAM.

I was asked if I wanted to upgrade from a generic driver to the ATI driver unsupported by Ubuntu (if I remember correctly), and went ahead with that, so I'm pretty sure I've got the latest proprietary ATI driver installed. If someone can tell me how to check the driver version I'll post it, if that would help.

Thanks guys.

I have this problem too. I am running Ubuntu Hardy on a Dell Inspiron E1505, ATI X1300, and I forget how much memory there is but I could look it up. My X.org file says it's using the fglrx driver, but I also downloaded and installed ATI's latest driver for this model video card. Except for videos, everything else works great. And if I watch vids on the net, like Youtube, they work fine. I can even run Doom 3 with no problems.

Mine's an Inspiron E1505 too, by the way.

Go with the open source 'radeon'. 3D acceleration etc should be fine with that.

Uninstall all fglrx modules using synaptic or adept
(search fglrx)

Before that post output of

#sudo glxinfo
#sudo fglrxinfo

glx output:
name of display: :0.0
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.2
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
client glx vendor string: SGI
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_allocate_memory,
GLX_MESA_swap_control, GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_OML_sync_control, GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group,
GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap
GLX version: 1.2
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_OML_swap_method,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X1300
OpenGL version string: 2.1.8201 Release
OpenGL extensions:
GL_AMD_performance_monitor, GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_draw_buffers,
GL_ARB_fragment_program, GL_ARB_fragment_shader, GL_ARB_half_float_pixel,
GL_ARB_half_float_vertex, GL_ARB_multisample, GL_ARB_multitexture,
GL_ARB_occlusion_query, GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object,
GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_ARB_point_sprite, GL_ARB_shader_objects,
GL_ARB_shader_texture_lod, GL_ARB_shading_language_100, GL_ARB_shadow,
GL_ARB_shadow_ambient, GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp,
GL_ARB_texture_compression, GL_ARB_texture_cube_map,
GL_ARB_texture_env_add, GL_ARB_texture_env_combine,
GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar, GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3,
GL_ARB_texture_float, GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat,
GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two, GL_ARB_texture_rectangle,
GL_ARB_transpose_matrix, GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object,
GL_ARB_vertex_program, GL_ARB_vertex_shader, GL_ARB_window_pos,
GL_ATI_draw_buffers, GL_ATI_envmap_bumpmap, GL_ATI_fragment_shader,
GL_ATI_meminfo, GL_ATI_separate_stencil, GL_ATI_texture_compression_3dc,
GL_ATI_texture_env_combine3, GL_ATI_texture_float, GL_EXT_abgr,
GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color, GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate,
GL_EXT_blend_func_separate, GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract,
GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array, GL_EXT_copy_texture,
GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit,
GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample, GL_EXT_framebuffer_object,
GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil, GL_EXT_packed_pixels,
GL_EXT_point_parameters, GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap,
GL_EXT_subtexture, GL_EXT_texgen_reflection, GL_EXT_texture3D,
GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_cube_map,
GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp, GL_EXT_texture_env_add,
GL_EXT_texture_env_combine, GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3,
GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic, GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias,
GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp, GL_EXT_texture_object,
GL_EXT_texture_rectangle, GL_EXT_texture_sRGB, GL_EXT_vertex_array,
GL_KTX_buffer_region, GL_NV_blend_square, GL_NV_texgen_reflection,
GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp, GL_SGIS_texture_lod,
GL_WIN_swap_hint, WGL_EXT_swap_control

visual x bf lv rg d st colorbuffer ax dp st accumbuffer ms cav
id dep cl sp sz l ci b ro r g b a bf th cl r g b a ns b eat
----------------------------------------------------------------------
0x23 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x24 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x25 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x26 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x27 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x28 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x29 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x2a 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x2b 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x2c 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x2d 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x2e 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x2f 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x30 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x31 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x32 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x33 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x34 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x35 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x36 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x37 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x38 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x39 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x3a 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x3b 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x3c 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x3d 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x3e 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x3f 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x40 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x41 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x42 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x43 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x44 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x45 24 tc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x46 24 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x47 24 tc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x48 24 tc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x49 24 tc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x4a 24 tc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x4b 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x4c 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x4d 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x4e 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x4f 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x50 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x51 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x52 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x53 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x54 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x55 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x56 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x57 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x58 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x59 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x5a 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 None
0x5b 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x5c 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x5d 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x5e 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x5f 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x60 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x61 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x62 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 None
0x63 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x64 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x65 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x66 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x67 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x68 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x69 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x6a 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 0 0 0 0 6 1 None
0x6b 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x6c 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x6d 24 dc 0 32 0 r y . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x6e 24 dc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 24 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 None
0x6f 24 dc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x70 24 dc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x71 24 dc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x72 24 dc 1 0 0 c . . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 None
0x89 32 tc 0 32 0 r . . 8 8 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 Ncon

fglrx output:
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X1300
OpenGL version string: 2.1.8201 Release

Thanks for your help!

I second amani's answer, although I haven't seen ATI cards running with open-source 3D drivers yet. I run Ubuntu Hardy 64-bit on my desktop PC. It's got a Radeon HD 4850, and I have the same problem - videos flicker when the desktop effects are enabled - so the problem may be related to AMD/ATI's 'fglrx' driver.

[Edit] Some people already know this, but on second thought I found it better to state it here - I have tried the open-source drivers on my machine. For the HD 3xxx/4xxx series they are currently 2D-only (3D is in the works though) so the proposed 'fix' unfortunately doesn't apply to my case so I just disable desktop effects and live with it. It appears though that the latest Catalyst driver package (8.12) from AMD may fix the problem - look here. The "improved video playback on a composited environment" bit is interesting for this issue. I'll try it ASAP.

[Edit #2] Update: Catalyst 8.12 didn't solve the problem for me. So, it seems that for the earlier ATI models the open-source driver might do it, but HD 3xxx/4xxx owners will just have to wait.

open source radeon supports 3d etc on radeon 1xxx cards.
The main thing is that X must be new enough as in Ubuntu-8.10 or Fedora-10


FIGator81, fglrx install is ok, but if it is causing problems then it it is

The flicker problem is known in *buntu-8.10 only (Xorg-server 1.5.2) and not in Fedora-10.

So, should I uninstall fglrx? How do I do that? I looked in the package manager and found fglrx-control, but that doesn't seem to be working; I can't get the Graphics configuration gui to come up. Should I re-install the open source driver?

click Search in synaptic, type fglrx in the popup
remove those packages

Well, unfortunately that didn't work. Now I have only low graphics, everything generic, 800 x 600 resolution, and now ATI/fglrx drivers or hardware are not even recognized (much less used). I re-installed all the fglrx stuff and had a copy of my good X.org file, so I re-loaded all of that, and still everything is in the most basic graphics mode. I did sudo fglrxinfo and got the following:

display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect
OpenGL version string: 1.4 (2.1 Mesa 7.0.3-rc2)

Is there any way I can get back to where I was? I don't care how much the videos flicker, I just want my graphics back...

More info: The ATI driver now says it is enabled and in use, and in the xorg file the fglrx/glx drivers are listed as being the drivers used, but I still have the most basic graphics.

Also, my system has had problems booting since this all began. At first it looks like it will boot normally, but then says "kinit: No resume image, doing normal boot...", and then it flickers for a minute or two, and then a little box comes up that says "Ubuntu is operating in low graphics mode. Your hardware could not be detected correctly, so to use any higher graphics, you will have to configure the system yourself." Then it needs me to tell it what kinds of hardware and drivers I have, etc. I have tried using this to configure it, after which it needs to reboot, but every single time I reboot, it starts all over again, as if it had reset everything. It's like no matter what I try, I can't get the system to recognize and/or remember things. This is very disturbing... I had an excellent set-up before and took it for granted...