[mythtv-users] Internal player has problems in myth

[Kevin Ross]

Allen Edwards wrote:
> On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:51 PM, Kevin Ross <kevin at familyross.net> wrote:
>   
>> Allen Edwards wrote:
>>     
>>> On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 1:18 PM, Kevin Ross <kevin at familyross.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>       
>>>> Allen Edwards wrote:
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> On Sat, Dec 12, 2009 at 12:58 PM, Kevin Ross <kevin at familyross.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>>>> Allen Edwards wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
>>>>>>> Is this the right string to play videos?
>>>>>>> mplayer -fs -zoom -quiet -vo xv %s
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I have a few problems.
>>>>>>> 1) On some videos, I get to a still, like the parental warning, and
>>>>>>> everything hangs there.  Have to restart X to get out.
>>>>>>> 2) On some videos, the menu shows only cursor positions, no text or
>>>>>>> background image so you can't tell what to do.
>>>>>>> 3) There are skips on the audio.  This I can live with and think it is
>>>>>>> probably in the video itself but thought I would list it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The only one I trouble shot is the first and mplayer can play past the
>>>>>>> parental warning when started outside myth.  In cases 1 and 2 using
>>>>>>> VLC
>>>>>>> plays the video fine but the WAF is non-existent for this mode so I
>>>>>>> have to
>>>>>>> do it.  If myth won't play the video when I am not there, the video
>>>>>>> doesn't
>>>>>>> get watched.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I updated mplayer to 1.0rc2-4.2.4 which I think is the latest one.  No
>>>>>>> change.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Allen
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>               
>>>>>> 1 and 2 make it sound as if you're trying to play DVDs (.iso images or
>>>>>> VIDEO_TS folders), as opposed to, say, .avi or .mkv files.  I've never
>>>>>> had
>>>>>> good results playing DVDs with mplayer.  I always use Internal for
>>>>>> DVDs.
>>>>>>  Internal player also has much higher WAF than mplayer.
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
>>>>> OK, I am stupid.  The mplayer command is the "default" player but
>>>>> "mythdvd.DVDPlayerCommand" is set to "Internal" so I guess I am not
>>>>> using mplayer.  So, I just changed the subject (causing the thread to
>>>>> break sorry).
>>>>>
>>>>> You are correct that I am playing .iso images.
>>>>>
>>>>> Same problems, but with the internal player.
>>>>>
>>>>> Allen
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> Actually, playing .iso files uses whatever you have configured under
>>>> Media
>>>> Settings->Videos Settings->File Types.  Go to "iso" and see what it is
>>>> configured to use.  If set to "use default player", then it will use the
>>>> default video player command, NOT the DVD player command.  So, in this
>>>> case,
>>>> if "iso" was set to "use default player", it would in fact be using
>>>> mplayer,
>>>> not Internal.
>>>>
>>>> Also, what version of MythTV?  The internal player in 0.22 works much
>>>> better
>>>> for DVDs than the one in 0.21.  There were many DVDs that the menu
>>>> wouldn't
>>>> work, or would cause the player to freeze, in 0.21, that now work fine in
>>>> 0.22.
>>>>
>>>> Hope this helps!
>>>> -- Kevin
>>>>
>>>> ____
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Thanks for the reply.  It is set to internal. I am using 0.21.  I
>>> guess that is the problem.  I am afraid to upgrade because it seems
>>> like there are significant differences and some of them don't seem
>>> like they are helpful for my use.  Plus, I have been of the opinion if
>>> it isn't broke, don't fix it but perhaps what you are saying is that
>>> it is broke.  Every significant upgrade I have done has crashed the
>>> system so that is also an issue.  What to do?  I have an old CRT TV
>>> that we use most of the time. For movies we use a 10 ft screen and a
>>> projector but my understanding is that 0.22 has smaller fonts that are
>>> difficult to see with an old TV.  That in and of itself is a killer.
>>> Not sure what to do.
>>>
>>> Allen
>>>
>>>       
>> It IS a fairly significant change.  I understand why you wouldn't want to
>> touch a working production system.
>>
>> Have you tried other media players for .iso's?  How about xine?  I've heard
>> it's a good DVD player, but I haven't tried it myself.
>>
>> As for fonts, I found they are bigger in .22, not smaller.  I had to tweak
>> the xml files for my favorite theme to make the fonts smaller.  Also, the
>> themes are different in .22 than in .21.  For example, there is a theme
>> called MythCenter in both .21 and .22, but the one in .22 isn't like the one
>> in .21 at all.
>>
>>     
>
> I think when I upgrade it will be with a new HD and a fresh install.
> Not now though.
>
> I can play with videos with VLC just fine and I have considered
> switching to that to try and improve the WAF of video watching.
>
> This http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VLC seems to give a pretty good
> overview but also seems to leave a few things out.  For example, it
> says what the command is but it doesn't say where to put it.  Should
> be obvious right.  Like the internal default issue I had at first
> nothing is obvious imho.  I try to be very clear in my digital audio
> wiki but I am sure many people find it cryptic.
>
> VLC seems to have some other nice features so I might spend time
> trying to use it rather than upgrading right now.  I just wanted to
> give the internal player a chance by asking this list before going
> away from it.  That was a suggestion from one of the wikis I read
> before posting.
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Allen
>   

Okay since you are familiar with VLC and you know it works, use that.  
As for where to put the command, it's really up to you.  Do you want to 
use it for all videos, or just .iso files?  If you want it for all 
videos, go to Media Settings->Videos Settings->Player Settings, and make 
it your default video player.  If you want it for only .iso's, go to 
Media Settings->Videos Settings->File Types, go to "iso" and put the 
player command there.

Follow the advice of the wiki.  Make it fullscreen.  Disable the OSD.  
Map the key bindings so they match what MythTV uses.  Add commands to 
the .lircrc file if you're using LIRC.  These last two items should 
drastically improve the WAF.

-- Kevin