I have installed mplayer, ans im having a few problems.

a): no sound error message is;

Checking audio filter chain for 32000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 32000Hz/2ch/16bit...
AF_pre: af format: 2 bps, 2 ch, 32000 hz, little endian signed int
AF_pre: 32000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.
Audio: no sound
Starting playback...
VDec: vo config request - 352 x 240 (preferred csp: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.33:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
VO: [xv] 352x240 => 352x264 Planar YV12
X11 error: BadAccess during XSelectInput Call
X11 error: The 'ButtonPressMask' mask of specified window has probably already used by another appication (see man XSelectInput)
X11 error: MPlayer discards mouse control (reconfiguring)
Successfully enabled DPMS

b): When the dvd is playing, evry other second or so it sort of delays for half a second or so.

I think that this could be due to the fact that i cannot install, the nVidia drivers, the error reports that it cant find the kernal source header files. maybe im wrong dunno ?
all mpeg files dont have this delay/hang. No sound on the mpeg and avi files as well.

I also didnt have sound when playing mp3's using, xmms, but i chose a different output plugin from the preferences menu in xmms and they work now .

tia.

gazza

what switches do you use to start mplayer?

(By that I mean, do you use the default or specify something like -ao oss or something?)

As for the skipping, what kind of machine do you have?

I dont specify any switches i just choose "open dvd" from the menu
I think mplayer reads the ~/mplayer.config file firsts heres mine
##
## MPlayer config file
##
## This file can be copied to /usr/local/etc/mplayer.conf and/or ~/.mplayer/config .
## If both exist, the ~/.mplayer/config's settings override the
## /usr/local/etc/mplayer.conf ones. And, of course command line overrides all.
## The options are the same as in the command line, but they can be specified
## more flexibly here. See below.
##

# vo=xv # To specify default video driver (see -vo help for
# list)
vo=xv,x11

ao=pcm # To specify default audio driver (see -ao help for
# list)

#fs=yes # Enlarges movie window to your desktop's size.
# Used by drivers: all

# vm=no # Tries to change to a different videomode
# Used by drivers: dga2, x11, sdl

# bpp=0 # Force changing display depth.
# Valid settings are: 0, 15, 16, 24, 32
# may need 'vm=yes' too.
# Used by drivers: fbdev, dga2, svga, vesa

# zoom=no # Enable software scaling (powerful CPU needed)
# Used by drivers: svga, x11, vesa

# double=yes # use double-buffering (recommended for xv with
# SUB/OSD usage)

# monitoraspect=4:3 # standard monitor size, with square pixels
# monitoraspect=16:9 # use this for widescreen monitor! non-square pixels

##
## Use GUI mode by default
##

# gui = yes

##
## Specify your preferred default skin here
## (skins are searched in /usr/local/share/mplayer/Skin/yourskin
## and ~/.mplayer/Skin/yourskin)
##

# skin = default

##
## Multiple languages are available
##
## Hungarian igen nem
## English yes no
## German ja nein
## Spanish si no
## Binary 1 0
##
## You can also use spaces and/or tabs.
##

sound = 1
# nosound = nein
# mixer = /dev/mixer

##
## resample the fonts' alphamap
## 0 plain white fonts
## 0.75 very narrow black outline (default)
## 1 narrow black outline
## 10 bold black outline
##

# ffactor = 0.75

##
## FBdev driver:

# fb = /dev/fb0 # framebuffer device to use
# fbmode = 640x480-120 # use this mode (read from fb.modes!)
# fbmodeconfig = /etc/fb.modes # the fb.modes file

## VESA and FBdev driver: specify your monitor's timings
##
## (see for example /etc/X11/XF86Config for timings!)
## ** CAUTION! IF YOUR DISPLAY DOESN'T SUPPORT AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF WHEN
## OVERDRIVED (AND EVEN IF IT DOES), THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR DISPLAY!
## WE AREN'T RESPONSIBLE, IT'S YOUR DECISION! **
##
## k, K : means multiply by 1000
## m, M : means multiply by 1.000.000
##
# monitor_hfreq = 31.5k-50k,70k # horizontal frequency range
# monitor_vfreq = 50-90 # vertical frequency range
# monitor_dotclock = 30M-300M # dotclock (or pixelclock) range

##
## SDL driver
##

# vo = sdl:aalib # use SDL video driver by default
# use "vo = sdl:aalib" or "vo sdl:dga" and so on,
# for specifying SDL subdrivers
ao = sndcm # use SDL audio driver by default
# use "ao = sdl:esd" to use SDL's ESD driver
# noxv = no # whether to use XVideo hardware acceleration or not
# forcexv = yes # force XVideo even if not detected


##
## Other (preferred to be default from configfile) switches
##

#framedrop = yes # drop frames, when not in sync (slow CPU, videocard,
# etc)

#cache = 8192 # use 8Mb input cache by default

# slang = en # DVD : display english subtitles if available
# alang = en # DVD : play english audio tracks if available


## This is the correct way to use "subconfig" type options in the
## configuration file. In the command line you use :
## -aop list=resample:fout=44100 , but here it is :
# aop=list=resample:fout=44100


I set the driver to -ao=pcm dunno if this is correct

My machine is a Compaq presario 2800+ AMD Athlon XP 512mb ram 128mb ge-force 4 graphics and sound according to Yast2 is nForce2 AC97 audio controler (MCP)

Hope that helps

try tinkering around with the ao=pcm line. You don't mention what sound drivers you use (oss, alsa etc...) or what WM you use (which could affect the choice...ie: if you use KDE and arts is on...)

Although, another good idea, is that you play around from the command line instead that way you can test out the different options before changing the config file.

EDIT: going back to look, you seem to set the -ao settings twice in your config file:

ao=pcm (at the beginning)

ao = sndcm # use SDL audio driver by default
(further down under SDL)

maybe that's causing problems.

I have now commented out the first ao=pcm line in the config file, but sound still doesnt work.

As for the sound drivers i dont know, how could i found out which driver im using ?

im running enlightenment as my windows manager.

Also one of the times i tried playing the dvd a file appeared in my home directory call "audiodump.wav" i played it with xmms and im sure its the sound from the dvd, but how and why it got there i have no idea.

That IS weird.

Well, as I said, try it from the command line....

Open up a terminal and try:

mplayer -vo X11 -ao oss -dvd 1 -dvd-device /dev/hdc

(note: your mileage may vary, these settings work on my machine but may be different on yours)

Anyway...tinker with that...(try turning off esound if its running...just to check)

you can also try:

mplayer -ao help which will list all the available drivers (try to find one that works with esound...which is the gnome sound server which I suspect is running...)