[mythtv-users] I don't want to use the frontend program (I don't think?)

[jack snodgrass]

On 9/1/07, Craig Van Tassle <craig at codestorm.org> wrote:
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> On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:47:25 -1000
> Nick Gray <nagray at hawaii.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > All,
> >
> > I want to record programs on my workstation and watch them using just
> > vlc or mplayer. Is there a way to keep the front end from taking over
> > my entire screen when I start it up or a good way of using just a
> > player in sync with the backend
> >
> > Nick
>
> mythfrontend --geometry WxH
>
> That will start up the front end with out takeing over your entire
> screen.
>
> Why do you want to use vlc or mplayer to watch the video? I prefer the
> abilities of the front end over mplyer or vlc.

couple of things on VLC that keep me using it over the internal player:

( first of all... I let MythTV do the tuner recording / scheduling...
use MythWEB
to see whats going to be scheduled and to schedule new recordings, and I
use the .mpg files on disk to watch anything that was recorded )

1) Support for ALSA:surround51. I like to use my 5.1, analog speakers to hear
the 5.1 surround sound stream. VLC lets me... MythTV does not.

2) mouse driven interface. I timeshift all of my watching. I just
point VLC at the
.mpg recorded file and I can use the mouse to control the position of
the file that
is playing. I can slide to the middle of the recording if I want to
get to the middle,
I can slide back a bit if I want to re-watch something, I can click
the play-faster
button 4 times if I want to play it 4x faster... and then 4x on the
play slower to
get back to normal speed. I like the visual, mouse controls.  When I'm
done with
the controls, I double click the mouse and I have full screen on my
16:9 display.

as far as skipping commercials... they are removed from the .mpg file
that I watch
so I don't see them with VLC if I don't want to see them.

If the #1 issue above wasn't there.. I'd probably look at using the
MythTV interface
more, but it's a show stopper for me.  If I'm watching something on my
50" Plasma..
I want to sound to work with my 5.1 speaker setup... voices from the
center channel
where the display is.... explosions coming in from the sides... back
ground voices from
the rear.... etc.


jack