QML and Qt c++ Vsync and Tearing Problems - Summary of possible Solutions

[qtd1d1]

Hi everyone,

I started a project to use QML (UI) and QT C++(Logic) on embedded devices (right now I am using the i.MX53).

My animation is quite simple: I am moving a few images and fade them in and out.
During this animation tearing appears. OpenGL is used to benefit from hardware accerlation.

I read a few blogs and forum posts regarding similar problems.
First, I would like to summarize the problems and possible solutions I found (as far as I understood it correctly)

Short description of tearing from wikipedia:
Screen tearing is a visual artifact in video where information from two or more different frames is shown in a display device in a single screen draw.
The artifact occurs when the video feed sent to the device isn't in sync with the display's refresh, be it due to non-matching refresh rates, or simply lack of sync between the two. During video motion, screen tearing creates a torn look as edges of objects (such as a wall or a tree) fail to line up.

Example, how it looks like:
!http://tdistler.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/v_sync.jpg!

Problems:

1. QML is facing right now VSYNC problems.
   -> These problems are known by the Qt Development team and they will fix them in the Qt5.0 release.

Possible Solutions:

1. Use QMLSceneGraph
   1.1 Qt 4.8 with QML 2
   "http://ilkka.github.com/blog/2011/03/04/qtquick_2_scenegraph_glsl_fragment_shader_tutorial/"
   1.2 Qt 5.0 with QML 2
   "http://zchydem.enume.net/2010/11/01/playing-with-qt-scene-graph/"

2. Write own QGLWidget and override the paint() function
   Set autoswapbuffers to false and swapbuffers manually.
   Try to fake the algorithm of QMLSceneGraph:
   @while (animationIsRunning) {
   paintQMLScene();
   swapAndBlockForNextVSync();
   }@

Original source: "velvet and the qml scene graph":http://labs.qt.nokia.com/2010/12/02/velvet-and-the-qml-scene-graph/

3. Should work, but doesn't for me:
   @QGLFormat fmt = QGLFormat::defaultFormat();
   fmt.setSwapInterval(1);@

Questions and Problems regarding the solutions:

Did somebody face similar or the same problems I did and solved it ?

1.1 I managed to install Qt 4.8 and add QML2, but when I am executing the project then I get always the same error message:
QDeclarativeView only supports loading of root objects that derive from QGraphicsobject
1.2. I couldn't manage to install Qt 5.0 from the repository, but I am able to find some videos and blog post which proof that it should work and that I am the problem .. ;)
2. I tried to implement my own QGLWidget, but right now I can't figure it out how to do it. I do not understand how the qml elements are communicating with the Qt c++ paint() function of Opengl.
3. Easiest way but doesn't work for me. It's explained in the velvet qt labs post.

I can't imagine that I am the only one who has this problems, thats why I tried to share my small experience about this topic with the community.

Thanks.