[Edgy] Have mplayer / Have w32codecs / No travel

tcv · 04-13-2007, 12:13 PM

Hey folks,

I installed mplayer32 some time ago and have been using it okay, but I ran across an AVI that I could not play. I Googled around and found that I may need the w32codecs. I installed it along with libdvdcss2 through apt-get. (I don't know that libdvdcss2 was necessary, but it was part of the how-to.)

I still can't play the AVI file, so I am wondering:

Is there anything I can do or need to do to find out whether mplayer knows about the new codecs?

I'd also like to know if I can do something with the avi to determine what codec it needs...?

Thanks!!

Cheers,

Mike Whalen

mlalkaka · 04-13-2007, 01:08 PM

Try running the command:

Code:

file <file>

Where <file> is the path to the video. The 'file' command determines the file type of files. It doesn't depend on file extensions to determine this information; instead it actually analyzes the contents of the file.

What is the output of that command?

tcv · 04-13-2007, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlalkaka

Try running the command:
What is the output of that command?

Thanks for taking a look at this. :-)

Code:

hero.avi: RIFF (little-endian) data, AVI, 320 x 200, 29.97 fps, video:

mlalkaka · 04-13-2007, 03:04 PM

Ok so it looks like your avi file is an actual avi file.
Try running mplayer from the command line. This will provide you with valuable information on what is failing.
To do this, run the following command:

Code:

mplayer <file>

MPlayer usually outputs quite a bit of information about what's happening. If it can't find the proper codecs to play the file, it should say so. Post the output when you get a chance.

tcv · 04-13-2007, 03:50 PM

Oh, is there a log file somewhere? ... I had been doing it through the GUI, but I'll try at the prompt....

tcv · 04-13-2007, 03:54 PM

You asked for it! ;-)

Code:

Playing hero.avi.
AVI file format detected.
AVI_NI: No audio stream found -> no sound.
AVI: No audio stream found -> no sound.
VIDEO:  []  320x200  8bpp  60.000 fps  1406.6 kbps (171.7 kbyte/s)
open: No such file or directory
Couldn't open: /dev/mga_vid
open: No such file or directory
Couldn't open: /dev/mga_vid
[VO_TDFXFB] Can't open /dev/fb0: Permission denied.
[VO_3DFX] Unable to open /dev/3dfx.
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
Opening video filter: [palette]
VDec: using BGR 8-bit as output csp (no 0)
Opening video filter: [flip]
Movie-Aspect is undefined - no prescaling applied.

SwScaler: BICUBIC scaler, from BGRA to Planar YV12 using MMX2
VO: [xv] 320x200 => 320x200 Planar YV12 
Selected video codec: [rawbgr8flip] vfm: raw (RAW BGR8)
==========================================================================
Audio: no sound
Starting playback...
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
No bind found for key 'c'.                         
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?

Etc...

Cheers,

Mike...

mlalkaka · 04-13-2007, 03:58 PM

I don't think there is a log file. It just outputs the information to standard ouput. That means if you run it from a command prompt or terminal, it will be outputted to that command prompt window or terminal. You could output it a file by redirecting standard output to a file like so:

Code:

mplayer <file>  >mplayer.log

This would redirect standard output to the file 'mplayer.log'.

You could also do...

Code:

mplayer <file>  &>mplayer.log

This would redirect standard output and standard error to the file 'mplayer.log'.

For more information, on redirection, search the bash manual page.
But the simplest thing to do is just open a command prompt, run the program, and copy and paste the output into the forum.

mlalkaka · 04-13-2007, 04:16 PM

It says

Quote:

The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.

So run the following command:

Code:

mplayer -vo help | grep sdl

If a line like

Quote:

sdl SDL YUV/RGB/BGR renderer (SDL v1.1.7+ only!)

is outputted, then try running mplayer as...

Code:

mplayer -vo sdl <file>

This will use SDL to play the video as opposed to xv, which it is using by default.

tcv · 04-18-2007, 12:08 PM

Hey there,

I was out of town for a few days and didn't bring the laptop. I tried what you asked. No joy! :-( Output is below.

Code:

MPlayer 2:0.99+1.0pre8-0ubuntu8 (C) 2000-2006 MPlayer Team
CPU:         Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1700MHz (Family: 6, Model: 9, Stepping: 5)
CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
Compiled with runtime CPU detection.


Linux RTC init error in ioctl (rtc_irqp_set 1024): Permission denied
Try adding "echo 1024 > /proc/sys/dev/rtc/max-user-freq" to your system startup scripts.
Opening joystick device /dev/input/js0
Can't open joystick device /dev/input/js0: No such file or directory
Can't init input joystick
Setting up LIRC support...
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support.
You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing hero.avi.
AVI file format detected.
AVI_NI: No audio stream found -> no sound.
AVI: No audio stream found -> no sound.
VIDEO:  []  320x200  8bpp  60.000 fps  1406.6 kbps (171.7 kbyte/s)
[VO_SDL] Using driver: x11.
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [raw] RAW Uncompressed Video
VDec: vo config request - 320 x 200 (preferred colorspace: BGR 8-bit)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
Opening video filter: [palette]
VDec: using BGR 8-bit as output csp (no 0)
Opening video filter: [flip]
Movie-Aspect is undefined - no prescaling applied.

SwScaler: BICUBIC scaler, from BGRA to Planar YV12 using MMX2
VO: [sdl] 320x200 => 320x200 Planar YV12 
Selected video codec: [rawbgr8flip] vfm: raw (RAW BGR8)
==========================================================================
Audio: no sound
Starting playback...
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?
Frame too small! (3236<64000) Wrong format?

mlalkaka · 04-18-2007, 12:45 PM

How large is this file? Would it be possible to send it to me? I could see if it works or if I can get it working.

I noticed in the output of mplayer it says

Quote:

Try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.

Maybe try running mplayer as

Code:

mplayer -vf spp,scale <file>

Do you know how the avi file was encoded (e.g. DivX, Windows Media Video, etc.)? Knowing that could be quite useful in determining the problem. You may be able to determine this information by going to the source where you obtained the file. For example, if it is from a website, try going back to the website and see what it says about the file.

Usually, this information can be obtained from running the 'file' command I told you about earlier. Running the 'file' command on a a particular AVI file on my computer gives me the following:

Code:

file.avi: RIFF (little-endian) data, AVI, 688 x 512, 25.00 fps, video: DivX 4, audio: MPEG-1 Layer 3 (stereo, 48000 Hz)

This tells me that it uses the DivX 4 codec.

Your output from the file command seems to end abruptly after "video: ". I'm beginning to think the file itself is corrupt. If you have access to a MS Windows computer, try playing the file on it.

tcv · 04-19-2007, 07:36 AM

The file is not terribly large. It's 11.4 MB, though, so too large to send via email.

Here's a YouSendIt link.

http://download.yousendit.com/DE05E9526DF5683C

If the file is corrupt, you can find the original here...

http://www.atariage.com/forums/index...=post&id=46136

I had high hopes it would not play in Windows, but it does. Now, I haven't tried playing the EXACT file that I had been trying to play in mplayer. I had to redownload it in Windows.

mlalkaka · 04-19-2007, 01:12 PM

Ok now I'm fresh out of ideas. But there are still a couple of other things you can try:

Ubuntu 7.04 was just released today. The problem may not occur in Ubuntu 7.04.
The version of mplayer that we are using is old. Using the latest version of mplayer (possibly from CVS) could solve the problem.
The MPlayer developers have set up the mplayer-users mailing list. I think posting your problem, with all the output from mplayer that we have been looking at, on the mailing list will get you a solution to the problem.

Of the above solutions, I think the mplayer-users mailing list is the best option to try first. I've already searched the mailing list archives to find a similar problem; I tried what was suggested in those messages, but they didn't solve the problem. Feel free to try searching the archives as well; you might find something that I didn't.

Another thing I found interesting is that this avi file seems to have no audio (or at least mplayer thinks it has no audio). That's what it says in the output of mplayer. Did it have audio when it was played on MS Windows? That info may be useful when you post to the mailing list.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

tcv · 04-20-2007, 02:28 PM

Don't be sorry. I am not looking at this as a must-have, because it ain't! I'm looking at it as a learning exercise. There is a way to play this file. We just have to find out what that way is!

As for Ubuntu 7, I am interested in trying that, but I'd like to exhaust other options first. For instance, the new mplayer would be interesting to try. Have you any pointers on how to get the newest version?

While you're here, I wonder if I've really answered one of my original questions. When one adds codecs after players are already on the system, do the players inherently know how to use those newly installed codecs? Or must something be done in the player itself?

Cheers,

Mike...

mlalkaka · 04-20-2007, 06:43 PM

Quote:

I am not looking at this as a must-have, because it ain't! I'm looking at it as a learning exercise.

That's good to know since this may take some fiddling around.

Quote:

As for Ubuntu 7, I am interested in trying that, but I'd like to exhaust other options first.

Okay. But I couldn't wait to get Ubuntu 7.04, so I already upgraded. (I don't know why, but when it comes to software, I'm a kid in a toy factory.)

Quote:

For instance, the new mplayer would be interesting to try. Have you any pointers on how to get the newest version?

The newest version can be downloaded from http://www.mplayerhq.hu. Specifically, the download page is http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html.

Download the following:

MPlayer v1.0rc1 source. That should be new enough I think.
Binary Codecs Linux x86 20061022, assuming you are using an Intel or AMD processor.
A skin of your choice. I like Industrial, personally.

Compilation and installation instructions are at http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/README.

Quote:

When one adds codecs after players are already on the system, do the players inherently know how to use those newly installed codecs? Or must something be done in the player itself?

I think this depends on what package was installed and what media player is being used.

For example, Totem uses the GStreamer multimedia framework by default. (It can also use Xine instead.) There are a set of codec packages called gstreamer0.10-plugins-* and gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg in the software repositories. If these packages are installed and totem-gstreamer is installed, Totem recognizes the codecs automatically.

Similarly, if totem-xine is installed, Totem recognizes codecs installed through the packages libxine1-ffmpeg, libdvdread3, and libdvdcss2.

You said earlier that you installed w32codecs using apt. Where did you get the .deb file? (I don't have w32codecs in my repositories.) And were there any instructions that you followed? MPlayer knows where to find the binary codecs based on a compile-time setting. (See http://www.mplayerhq.hu/DOCS/README again, Step 1.)

Unfortunately, audio and video codecs are much more confusing than they need to be. This is due to many of these codecs being proprietary and non-free. Ubuntu can't install them by default because it would be illegal to do so in some countries.

I found some good websites that may be useful while writing this.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats gives instructions on installing codecs and media players for those codecs.
http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com is the homepage of Medibuntu. Medibuntu simplifies installation of codecs further.

tcv · 04-21-2007, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlalkaka

Okay. But I couldn't wait to get Ubuntu 7.04, so I already upgraded. (I don't know why, but when it comes to software, I'm a kid in a toy factory.)

Yeah, I am afraid I am, too.

I am upgrading as I type...

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlalkaka

You said earlier that you installed w32codecs using apt. Where did you get the .deb file? (I don't have w32codecs in my repositories.) And were there any instructions that you followed?

Well, I don't recall quite exactly where. It was a third-party server I had to manually add to the repositories. Those seem to have been removed during the update procedure...

It was something like this

Thanks! I don't suppose you tried the file in Feisty?

Cheers, Mike...