I downloaded the newest mplayer thing, compliled installed it but im not using the gui. ill load up a video. just a standard mpg nothing fancy, and it plays the sounds but theres no video window. Im using a geforce4 4200 and i think i have to choose it somehow, but im not sure how. detailed instructions would be appreciated thanks!

How did you do the install? Did you download and install the codecs? if so, which ones did you leave out?

i downloaded the "essential" codecs and put them into the /usr/lib/codec folder i made for them. i downloaded the source and compliled it with the make install etc etc stuff. thanks!

Hmmm - I am leaning towards you missing out a codec, but I would count mpg as pretty essential! Problem for me is that I grabbed all codecs and installed them.

When you run mplayer, what commands do you input? Can you post the output mplayer gives in the console?

[root@ip209-2 mplayer]# mplayer /home/henry/Shared/Soundgarden\ -\ The\ Day\ I\
Tried\ To\ Live.mpg
MPlayer 1.0pre2-3.2.2 (C) 2000-2003 MPlayer Team

CPU: Advanced Micro Devices Athlon 4 /Athlon MP/XP Palomino 1670 MHz (Family: 6, Stepping: 2)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 1 3DNow2: 1 SSE: 1 SSE2: 0
Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 3DNow 3DNowEx SSE

Reading config file /usr/local/etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf: No such file or directory
Reading config file /root/.mplayer/config
Reading /root/.mplayer/codecs.conf: Can't open '/root/.mplayer/codecs.conf': No
such file or directory
Reading /usr/local/etc/mplayer/codecs.conf: Can't open '/usr/local/etc/mplayer/codecs.conf': No such file or directory
Using built-in default codecs.conf
font: can't open file: /root/.mplayer/font/font.desc
font: can't open file: /usr/local/share/mplayer/font/font.desc
Using Linux hardware RTC timing (1024Hz).
Can't open input config file /root/.mplayer/input.conf: No such file or directory
Can't open input config file /usr/local/etc/mplayer/input.conf: No such file or
directory
Falling back on default (hardcoded) input config

Playing /home/henry/Shared/Soundgarden - The Day I Tried To Live.mpg
MPEG-PS file format detected.
VIDEO: MPEG1 352x240 (aspect 12) 29.970 fps 1150.0 kbps (143.8 kbyte/s)
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [mp3lib] MPEG layer-2, layer-3
MP3lib: init layer2&3 finished, tables done
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, 16 bit (0x10), ratio: 28000->176400 (224.0 kbit)
Selected audio codec: [mp3] afm:mp3lib (mp3lib MPEG layer-2, layer-3)
==========================================================================
Can't open /dev/fb0: No such device
[fbdev2] Can't open /dev/fb0: No such device
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 352 x 240 (preferred csp: Mpeg PES)
VDec: using Mpeg PES as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.33:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
VO: [null] 352x240 => 352x264 Mpeg PES
Selected video codec: [mpegpes] vfm:mpegpes (Mpeg PES output (.mpg or Dxr3/DVB card))
==========================================================================
Checking audio filter chain for 44100Hz/2ch/16bit -> 44100Hz/2ch/16bit...
AF_pre: af format: 2 bps, 2 ch, 44100 hz, little endian signed int
AF_pre: 44100Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
AO: [oss] 44100Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian) (2 bps)
Building audio filter chain for 44100Hz/2ch/16bit -> 44100Hz/2ch/16bit...
Starting playback...
A: 15.3 V: 15.3 A-V: 0.008 ct: 0.075 438/438 0% 0% 1.8% 10 0 0%

MPlayer interrupted by signal 2 in module: sleep_rtc
[root@ip209-2 mplayer]#

You will need to download and install fonts - in one of the above messages, MPlayer is looking for fonts.

What happens if you run it as a normal user?

Do you have the Nvidia drivers loaded or are you using the inbuilt ones?

At the moment those are the only things which spring to mind. In fact, font message and video drivers aside, you are getting the same messages I get - and mine works with mpgs.