[mythtv-users] Internal player has problems in myth

[Kevin Ross]

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.