OpenELEC VM Template Support


jonp

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Hi thanks for all of the info JonP I have setup VM asper your video and enabled all the applicable settings in the BIOS but cannot seem to get Openelec to work. I have an AMD A5300 APU and I am not sure if this requires some specific settings as its an APU vs a PCI video card. Any help is appreciated as I have tried several options so far with no luck.

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First off -thanks for all the awesome work that has gone into UnRaid, especially the VM capabilities!

 

I've been waiting to try out the OpenELEC template/image for quite a while. Hoping one day it could replace my standalone OpenELEC HTPC.

I am running a relatively new HW build (see sig) and UnRaid 6.1.2 I have never had a single problem upgrading or with overall system stability & functionality. This weekend I finally did some testing with the current OpenELEC template -my results below.

 

Creating the VM with passthroughout GPU and HDMI sound was easy. I tried two different passive GPU cards in my UNRaid server, an ASUS GT720 and a ASUS GT610. The GPU's were connected to my Yamaha receiver over HDMI which is connected to my TV over HDMI. Note -Both GPU's work PERFECTLY in my dedicated OpenELEC HTPC (version 5.0.7) -also connected to the receiver...

 

Both seemed to "pass-though" OK and worked for the initial "create & start-up" using all the default settings in the OpenELEC template. I was also able to connect / add my IR receiver and wireless keyboard! Initially everything seem great!

 

The GT720 picture quality and repressiveness was good, until I tried to enable pass-though audio mode in KODI. There was no sound at all... Turned off -passthrough and audio returned. Twice while testing KODI menu sounds did come through in audio pass-though mode, but it was "stuck". Like a button press being held down and echoing over and over until I turned pass-through off. I have allot of movies & BlueRay rips with full DTS-HD and Dolby TRU-HD formats that require HD audio pass-through to my receiver. -Again my baseline is the standalone OpenELEC system that works & sounds perfect with the same GPU.

 

I tried everything again with the GT610, picture quality and repressiveness was also good. This time pass-though audio (menu sounds) worked right away! -Until I tried a movie... Mad Max Fury Road has a fantastic native DTS-HD sound track! but playing through the OpenELEC VM with pass-through audio enabled  was full of audio drop-outs. Randomly every few seconds or minutes -the sound was dropping out :-( my baseline standalone OpenELEC system plays this perfectly.

 

I tried using SEABIOS and OVMF but the audio problems were the same. I tried using a dedicated mapped video.rom via the XML template -same issue. Standard audio works great, but trying to pass through HD audio failed.

 

BUT, this is not the worst of it. After rebooting either of the VM's (from within KODI) my entire unRAID system would appear to lock up! and the OE VM would never fully boot. I think I traced the problem to the PCIe / Network stack. If I ran a continuous ping to my UR server while rebooting the OE VM, pings would fail just after the OE splash screen appeared. My UR server would be totally fubar'd and the OE VM never managed to reboot fully. My direct USB keyboard connected to the UR console would also freeze! The first time I left it for an hour, but was forced to do a hard reset on my UR box to recover!

 

I started to tinker with the OEvm network settings (br0 or vibr0) but the same result each time -my entire UR server would lockup after the OEvm rebooted for the first time -after the initial build & boot. I tried changing the "PCIe ACS Override" settings, setting static IP's in the OEvm -nothing made any difference.

 

I think something about passing through the GPU or USB to the OEvm in my specific HW mix, causes my host hardware to loose control over it's entire  PCIe / USB / on-board network  stack. Only a hard reboot can recover. Testing all this took a LONG time and forced me to hard reset my UR server more than 10 times! I will gladly send anyone my config details, but a full retest will have to wait a few days until I get some free time...

 

Cheers,

 

Bertrand.

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I tried two different passive GPU cards in my UNRaid server, an ASUS GT720 and a ASUS GT610.

 

While I can't speak for these GPUs because I don't own them, I know that SOME GPUs have had issues with safe-resets after being initialized.  I also have a personal distaste for Asus brand GPUs and motherboards due to virtualization-specific issues I've experienced with them.  So I can't say for certain that your issues wouldn't persist with a different brand GPU, but I can say that there are definitely working combinations out there, and I thought the GT720 was one of them, so maybe it is brand-specific.  We are working on building a hardware compatibility database that will be including in a future version of unRAID, so folks can buy HW with more confidence in knowing its fully supported with various use-cases.

 

The GT720 picture quality and repressiveness was good, until I tried to enable pass-though audio mode in KODI. There was no sound at all... Turned off -passthrough and audio returned.

 

Keep in mind, we are using OpenELEC 6 Beta 2/3 here, which is based on a new version of Kodi as well.  Have you tried running the Beta OE versions on your HTPC?  Did those specific versions work with audio pass through ok?

 

Twice while testing KODI menu sounds did come through in audio pass-though mode, but it was "stuck".

 

Which version did you try on unRAID (Beta 2 or 3)?  There was a fix included in Beta 3 for audio issues, but some folks have still reported having to manually edit a file on their build to make this work right.  Trying to track that down for inclusion in our plans for unRAID 6.2.

 

my baseline standalone OpenELEC system plays this perfectly.

 

Need to know what version of OE you are using for your baseline.

 

After rebooting either of the VM's (from within KODI) my entire unRAID system would appear to lock up!

 

Ok, this is very important:  did you toggle the machine type under advanced view to i440fx at any point during your testing?  If so, please try, on a fresh reboot of the host, starting a VM using Q35 (only) and rebooting the VM.  Let me know if the lockup still occurs. There was an issue with i440fx and Linus-based guests with GPU pass through at one point in time.  It was supposedly patched/resolved, but want to see if there has been a regression somewhere along the way.  This is the exact same symptom of that.

 

and the OE VM would never fully boot. I think I traced the problem to the PCIe / Network stack. If I ran a continuous ping to my UR server while rebooting the OE VM, pings would fail just after the OE splash screen appeared.

 

I don't think this has anything to do with networking at all.  I think it has to do with your VM not safely resetting.

 

I think something about passing through the GPU or USB to the OEvm in my specific HW mix, causes my host hardware to loose control over it's entire  PCIe / USB / on-board network  stack.

 

I see why you are coming to that theory, but can guarantee that isn't the case.  It's very likely an issue with either your motherboard, your GPUs, or possibly both.  What make/model mobo / CPU do you have?

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I was running into the same issues with my Asus gt720 when I first started playing with the OpenElec VM template.  I did get it all working in the end though, and its great now.  What I did was in OpenElec I had to make sure that I had selected my amp in 2 spots.

 

The first being in System->system->audio output - here in the audio output device I had the option of just my graphics card, or my graphics card and amp.  I selected the 2nd option.

The second place being in System->system->audio output - here in the passthrough output device I again had the same 2 options and again I selected the one that included my amp.  I should note that I also have enable pass through enabled. 

 

With those two settings I was able to overcome both no sound, and what sounded like one button being pressed relatedly.

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I tried two different passive GPU cards in my UNRaid server, an ASUS GT720 and a ASUS GT610.

While I can't speak for these GPUs because I don't own them, I know that SOME GPUs have had issues with safe-resets after being initialized.  I also have a personal distaste for Asus brand GPUs and motherboards due to virtualization-specific issues I've experienced with them.  So I can't say for certain that your issues wouldn't persist with a different brand GPU, but I can say that there are definitely working combinations out there, and I thought the GT720 was one of them, so maybe it is brand-specific.  We are working on building a hardware compatibility database that will be including in a future version of unRAID, so folks can buy HW with more confidence in knowing its fully supported with various use-cases.

 

-I agree & totally understand. A verified HCL would be great, one of the reasons for my long post ;-)

 

 

The GT720 picture quality and repressiveness was good, until I tried to enable pass-though audio mode in KODI. There was no sound at all... Turned off -passthrough and audio returned.

Keep in mind, we are using OpenELEC 6 Beta 2/3 here, which is based on a new version of Kodi as well.  Have you tried running the Beta OE versions on your HTPC?  Did those specific versions work with audio pass through ok?

 

Yes -passthrough audio on my standalone (OE Stable 5.0.7) system works perfect with either the GT610 or GT720 -audio is rock solid!

I have not tried the OE beta's yet since I was happy with the current V5.

 

Twice while testing KODI menu sounds did come through in audio pass-though mode, but it was "stuck".

Which version did you try on unRAID (Beta 2 or 3)?  There was a fix included in Beta 3 for audio issues, but some folks have still reported having to manually edit a file on their build to make this work right.  Trying to track that down for inclusion in our plans for unRAID 6.2.

 

The Latest, Beta 3

 

my baseline standalone OpenELEC system plays this perfectly.

Need to know what version of OE you are using for your baseline.

 

OE Stable 5.0.7

 

After rebooting either of the VM's (from within KODI) my entire unRAID system would appear to lock up!

Ok, this is very important:  did you toggle the machine type under advanced view to i440fx at any point during your testing?  If so, please try, on a fresh reboot of the host, starting a VM using Q35 (only) and rebooting the VM.  Let me know if the lockup still occurs. There was an issue with i440fx and Linus-based guests with GPU pass through at one point in time.  It was supposedly patched/resolved, but want to see if there has been a regression somewhere along the way.  This is the exact same symptom of that.

 

I would agree! & no I left everything for machine type at the template defaults = Q35 2.3

You want me to try a different version of Q35 ?

 

and the OE VM would never fully boot. I think I traced the problem to the PCIe / Network stack. If I ran a continuous ping to my UR server while rebooting the OE VM, pings would fail just after the OE splash screen appeared.

I don't think this has anything to do with networking at all.  I think it has to do with your VM not safely resetting.

 

Sounds reasonable, what is the best way to override the VM resetting behaviour? -if any...

 

 

I think something about passing through the GPU or USB to the OEvm in my specific HW mix, causes my host hardware to loose control over it's entire  PCIe / USB / on-board network  stack.

I see why you are coming to that theory, but can guarantee that isn't the case.  It's very likely an issue with either your motherboard, your GPUs, or possibly both.  What make/model mobo / CPU do you have?

 

 

If by "issue" you mean compatibility I would agree. I am very confident that there are no HW errors/issues with my server. Every component was thoroughly tested before I installed UR.

 

MoBo: AsRock E3C226D2I, CPU: Xeon 1220v3 (4 Core)

 

 

Cheers,

 

BR

 

 

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I was running into the same issues with my Asus gt720 when I first started playing with the OpenElec VM template.  I did get it all working in the end though, and its great now.  What I did was in OpenElec I had to make sure that I had selected my amp in 2 spots.

 

The first being in System->system->audio output - here in the audio output device I had the option of just my graphics card, or my graphics card and amp.  I selected the 2nd option.

The second place being in System->system->audio output - here in the passthrough output device I again had the same 2 options and again I selected the one that included my amp.  I should note that I also have enable pass through enabled. 

 

With those two settings I was able to overcome both no sound, and what sounded like one button being pressed relatedly.

 

Yep! -You need to enable the passthrough mode and select the correct audio device. In my case it is the second selection in the drop-down audio option -the name of my pass-through card + "Samsung" (my TV) -this is what my receiver is reporting back through the HDMI EDID handshake to KODI.

 

KODI via the VM OpenELEC can "see" the same downstream components & GPU as my standalone OE system, but for some reason not send the "pass through" bit-streamed HD audio through the GPU card in my UR server...

 

What MoBo are you using? Have you tried playback of  DTS-HD or Dolby TrueHD on your virtual OE -assuming your receiver supports it...

 

BR

 

 

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I'm running a tyan motherboard.  I believe my receiver does support DTS-HD, but to be honest, I've never bothered to check what audio my movies are encoded in.  I haven't run into any issues yet with though, except for a few files that later turned out to be corrupt (I assume, because I could not get them to play properly on my laptop either.

 

One other thing I ended up doing was switching back and forth several times between having my amp selected in the audio devices and not and rebooting the template.  Not very scientific, I know, but I wonder if doing that somehow made the setting save it's self properly in the end.

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The GT720 in OE needs to have MSI interrupts enabled in order to fix the "stuck" symptom with audio output.

I have tested with 2 models that I have, and both needed this.

You do need to enable the pass-through in 2 places, and choose the Wasapi (is that what it's called?...sorry, not at machine) one, not the direct sound.

I have passed 7.1 in various formats, all worked fine.

I believe this is what Jon is talking about for the addition to beta 3, but checking for this or adding the needed file to enable doesn't take much effort.

Info here:

The beta Openelec within 6.1 works, however I am witnessing audio issues where it will click..click...click.. continuously until reboot... I think this may just be an OE thing, as even on my 2 Pi's I have witnessed this (but not this bad) on the beta versions at times.

 

I have this same problem :( (but this is not issue of OE, because without KVM works fine)

im still try to resolve this, im tried switch OFF MSI, map EDID, setup alsa etc. - for now nothing help :(

 

UPDATE: resolved !!!

create file in config folder of OE

 

.config/modprobe.d/sound.conf

and put line

options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1

 

(This is a bit off topic, but in the same realm). I also needed to enable this for my Windows VM that I run, as I was getting a glitch every so often where "demonic" audio would happen. I haven't had this happen afterwards. I have 2 GT720's actively being used (both in Windows environments) and they are solid, no host related issues regardless of what I do in the VM.

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(This is a bit off topic, but in the same realm). I also needed to enable this for my Windows VM that I run, as I was getting a glitch every so often where "demonic" audio would happen. I haven't had this happen afterwards. I have 2 GT720's actively being used (both in Windows environments) and they are solid, no host related issues regardless of what I do in the VM.

 

With Windows you sometimes need to force a new HDMI handshake by unplugging and replugging the HDMI, or making sure the display is powered on before the PC. It could also be driver related, I've had numerous issues with AMD cards and HDMI audio (latest drivers flat do not work in Win 7 or 8... looolz); it's possible that you may have a similar issue.

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Hey guys,

 

I'm getting the following errors now with my openelec, which is grabbing my media files through emby.  Both of these are running from my Unraid 6.1.2 box.

 

11:30:30 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: Thread LanguageInvoker start, auto delete: false
11:30:30 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
11:30:31 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: plugin.video.emby started
11:30:31 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: Parameter string: ?filename=Gotham - 2x01 - Rise of the Villains  Damned If You Do,….mp4&id=7dd46eef0538bd4efbae6c3cfaf3b5a6&mode=play
11:30:31 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: PLAY Called
11:30:31 T:140530457507584  NOTICE: plugin.video.emby stopped
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: Opening: /mnt/tv_shows/Gotham/Gotham - 2x01 - Rise of the Villains  Damned If You Do,….mp4
11:30:31 T:140531265513344 WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(player)::Put MSGQ_NOT_INITIALIZED
11:30:31 T:140530331617024  NOTICE: Thread DVDPlayer start, auto delete: false
11:30:31 T:140530331617024  NOTICE: Creating InputStream
11:30:31 T:140530331617024   ERROR: CDVDPlayer::OpenInputStream - error opening [/mnt/tv_shows/Gotham/Gotham - 2x01 - Rise of the Villains  Damned If You Do,….mp4]
11:30:31 T:140530331617024  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::OnExit()
11:30:31 T:140530650441472  NOTICE: EMBY Player -> onPlayBackStopped
11:30:31 T:140531265513344   ERROR: PlayMedia could not play media: plugin://plugin.video.emby/tvshows/3c0eeb3e1f99c3a24225e2b186876d61/?filename=Gotham - 2x01 - Rise of the Villains  Damned If You Do,….mp4&id=7dd46eef0538bd4efbae6c3cfaf3b5a6&mode=play
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::CloseFile()
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: waiting for threads to exit
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: finished waiting
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: CDVDPlayer::CloseFile()
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: waiting for threads to exit
11:30:31 T:140531265513344  NOTICE: DVDPlayer: finished waiting

 

I've tried playing the media file on another computer, and I've also tried playing it through the emby web interface.  Both of these are working properly.  This seems to be happening with all of my media files, both TV shows and movies.  Nothing has changed in Emby or on openelec that I am aware of.

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With Windows you sometimes need to force a new HDMI handshake by unplugging and replugging the HDMI, or making sure the display is powered on before the PC. It could also be driver related, I've had numerous issues with AMD cards and HDMI audio (latest drivers flat do not work in Win 7 or 8... looolz); it's possible that you may have a similar issue.

 

Understand, and have experienced this with other setups (read: not now, not with this card), however I don't have this issue.

It always outputs video, regardless of state of link, receiver on or off, VM status, etc...

I noticed this more previously with AMD cards years prior, lead me to have to buy a "DVI Doctor" (kept EDID to make it look like display was always present). Fortunately those days are behind me!

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Its a fork of OpenELEC (3.2.x I believe)...

 

Explain again why this would NOT be an issue?  I'm not being critical, but just don't understand using such an old platform.  There has to be a lot of newer technology being excluded.

 

That being said, you can always perform a manual install in a VM as described here:  http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/Manual_Installation  This is what I did for all 3 of my OE VMs.  Only thing you need to do is modify your XML and disk controller and NIC model type from virtio to sata and e1000 respectively since OE does not have virtio drivers included.

 

John

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That being said, you can always perform a manual install in a VM as described here:  http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/Manual_Installation  This is what I did for all 3 of my OE VMs.  Only thing you need to do is modify your XML and disk controller and NIC model type from virtio to sata and e1000 respectively since OE does not have virtio drivers included.

 

 

UPDATE:  I just did this as POC and had PlexOE up and running in a matter of 15 mins.

 

John

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Its a fork of OpenELEC (3.2.x I believe)...

 

Explain again why this would NOT be an issue?  I'm not being critical, but just don't understand using such an old platform.  There has to be a lot of newer technology being excluded.

 

That being said, you can always perform a manual install in a VM as described here:  http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/Manual_Installation  This is what I did for all 3 of my OE VMs.  Only thing you need to do is modify your XML and disk controller and NIC model type from virtio to sata and e1000 respectively since OE does not have virtio drivers included.

 

John

 

It only uses the OpenELEC as a base. The PHT install is current stable. Sort of like unRAID used to be (or still is?) on an older linux kernel btu the unRAID stuff was current and stable.

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That being said, you can always perform a manual install in a VM as described here:  http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/Manual_Installation  This is what I did for all 3 of my OE VMs.  Only thing you need to do is modify your XML and disk controller and NIC model type from virtio to sata and e1000 respectively since OE does not have virtio drivers included.

 

 

UPDATE:  I just did this as POC and had PlexOE up and running in a matter of 15 mins.

 

John

 

If this is the Plex Plugin on an current OE install, i tried this and hated it.

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That being said, you can always perform a manual install in a VM as described here:  http://wiki.openelec.tv/index.php/Manual_Installation  This is what I did for all 3 of my OE VMs.  Only thing you need to do is modify your XML and disk controller and NIC model type from virtio to sata and e1000 respectively since OE does not have virtio drivers included.

 

 

UPDATE:  I just did this as POC and had PlexOE up and running in a matter of 15 mins.

 

John

 

If this is the Plex Plugin on an current OE install, i tried this and hated it.

 

Nope.  It is exactly what you linked:  http://plexrpms.markwalker.dk/OpenELEC/3.2/

 

The process is the same since it is still just KERNEL and SYSTEM files (just like OE)...

 

- create a VM the way you normally would

    - I created an 8GB vdisk (or whatever size you want)

    - use an Ubuntu Desktop ISO as the install media ("Try Ubuntu" for a Live session)

    - before you start the VM the first time, you will need to edit the XML

        - change the disk type from virtio to sata

        - change the nic type from virtio to e1000

- follow the process I linked above for manually installing OE (it will work the exact same with with the OE w/ Plex that Mark developed)

    - in a nutshell, you are doing the following in the VM...

        - fdisk'ing the vdisk

        - formatting the partitions

        - labeling the partitions

        - mounting the System partition

        - copying the SYSTEM and KERNEL file to it (make sure these are somewhere that the VM can reach them)

        - installing extlinux, write MBR and edit the /media/System/extlinux.conf file

        - unmounting the SYSTEM partition

- shutdown the vm

- remove the ubuntu ISO and make the vdisk the primary boot device (*** if you do this by Editing the VM, you will need to edit the XML again to make the Disk and NIC changes (change virtio to sata and e1000)

- Start the VM and enjoy

 

Be aware that there are some gaps in the manual install instructions...

 

- it does not tell you to write (W) the changes you made via fdisk

- in order to install extlinux, you need to enable the Universe repo

 

I think that is it.

 

John

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I've been thinking about using this VM and replacing my HTPC so I could put it to other uses. I had envisioned setting up the VM with a gpu passed thru to it and running HDMI to my A/V receiver. Hadn't really anticipated any problems until I read a comment in an unrelated thread that VNC is not possible if a VM has a gpu. Is that true? Since the tv is in my Living Room and is the primary one used by everyone it's almost impossible to tie it up for maintenance issues with Kodi (updates and setup and such). All of this I do via VNC from another computer or iPhone. I'm hoping I either misread or misunderstood the comment.

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I've been thinking about using this VM and replacing my HTPC so I could put it to other uses. I had envisioned setting up the VM with a gpu passed thru to it and running HDMI to my A/V receiver. Hadn't really anticipated any problems until I read a comment in an unrelated thread that VNC is not possible if a VM has a gpu. Is that true? Since the tv is in my Living Room and is the primary one used by everyone it's almost impossible to tie it up for maintenance issues with Kodi (updates and setup and such). All of this I do via VNC from another computer or iPhone. I'm hoping I either misread or misunderstood the comment.

You cannot use VNC at all with the OE VM. It requires a GPU. There are, however, no updates that you would perform inside the VM.  Updates are issued in the form of new VM template images, which you can download through the unRAID web interface. Once a new version is downloaded, you simply stop the VM, edit the VM, and change the template version, then start the VM.

 

That said, even if the VM needed to be updated using GPU assignment, I don't think any HTPC solutions offer a workaround to this either.

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