@VES, I was too short in the description given in my sentence
Here is the description of the AM screen saver issue.
First, some clarifications. This issue is related to screensaver.nut layout in either screen saving mode or as a layout/theme mode. I have not been able to reproduce it with other layouts playing videos (like grid, ...). It does not occur in screensaver mode picture mosaic, only simplemovie, RGB or tile. From now on I am anly speaking about the screensaver.nut behavior.
When the screen saver script starts the system behaves normally and respond correctly to all commands. The video is played fine and can be interrupted normally with keyboard key press. After XX seconds ( 10-30s depending on video length) the video playback freeze and the system does not accept keypress anymore (strace shows that AM does not process ticks anymore, which is link to an internal dead lock somewhere preventing timer to run). Despite the still picture on the screen, the sound continues to play for few more seconds and stop (muted, no loop, no annoying noise). AM is from that point totally unresponsive to any command/key whatsoever (I mean clicks, keys, with focus :-) ). The only way to get rid of this is to kill AM. Now when AM restart, the video playback is ALWAYS black with no sound and no command.
Nevertheless I found 2 different behaviours which could be linked to some bad initialisation state (which translate to either a library issue or a driver issue)
Case 1
- X start
- start AM
- Screen saver kicks in
- Video playback OK for few secs
- Video playback freezes
- Kill AM
- start AM <-- immediate video playback issue
- stop AM
- stop X
- restart X
- start AM
- Screen saver kicks in
- Video playback OK for few secs <-- restarting X can restore proper state
- Video playback freezes
- Kill AM
- start AM <-- video issue
Case 2
- X start
- start AM
- Screen saver kicks in
- Video playback OK
- Stop AM before freeze occurs
- start AM
- Screen saver kicks in
- Video playback OK
- Video playback freezes but later comparer to a first start <--
The regression shows that changes introduced in kernel DRM from 4.14 onwards are linked to the issue. Kernel 4.9.X is the latest with working playback. As soon as I found the reason behind this (I need to be lucky) or if lib/kernel updates will solved it I will revert and provide feedback.
Now, it is better to continue in another thread to not interfere with your groovyarcade topic as this is not related to it. If someone has some fresh idea on how this could be solved....