This bug is fixed by this commit in FernetMenta's xbmc branch at least: vdpau: map/unmap surfaces on every cycle, requested by AMD https://github.com/FernetMenta/xbmc/commit/5ef43abeab315c8b7b96da7e8d67899c1c6a02e1 After building xbmc again from git, VDPAU playback works well on my A8-6500 (r600g) with the "Prefer VDPAU mixer" option enabled. I have compiled everything from git: kernel, mesa, xf86-ati, glamor, drm.