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SYN · Apr 27, 2002, 11:20 AM

Some of you are probably aware of VideoLAN, a project from the Ecole Centrale Paris, which aims at providing MPEG-2 streaming on LAN. It's a pretty good alternative DVD/VCD player on most platforms, and is the only choice for BeOS/first gen DVD PowerBooks.

Last week a first year student started coding ffmpeg support within the vlc. The results are amazing, in beta versions the player plays DivXen without losing frames on G3 machines, and with sound in good sync. Since it's a beta, there is a slight reverb in the sound right now, but that is an issue with the client itself, not OSX.

You can get the beta version here, I suggest you give it a try.

[APi]TheMan · Apr 27, 2002, 11:42 AM

Originally posted by SYN:
Some of you are probably aware of VideoLAN, a project from the Ecole Centrale Paris, which aims at providing MPEG-2 streaming on LAN. It's a pretty good alternative DVD/VCD player on most platforms, and is the only choice for BeOS/first gen DVD PowerBooks.

Last week a first year student started coding ffmpeg support within the vlc. The results are amazing, in beta versions the player plays DivXen without losing frames on G3 machines, and with sound in good sync. Since it's a beta, there is a slight reverb in the sound right now, but that is an issue with the client itself, not OSX.

I've tried the VideoLAN Client (vlc) on my Pismo, and it rocks. It plays some VCDs that the native VCD players for OSX cannot play. I'll check out the ffmpeg support later.

me · Apr 27, 2002, 01:57 PM

I can't get this version to play DVDs on my PowerBook, does it have the DVD components?

OwlBoy · Apr 27, 2002, 02:34 PM

It does do DVDs but not the menus, (I think).

Also I can't get it to read divx files properly the audio stuters and is at the wrong speed and video only shows if menus ar pulled up over the video window then let "close" and the it displays the frams at the point in the movie...

Its nice to see a new approch for DivX video playing on the mac (non-quicktime based) tho!

-Owl

OwlBoy · Apr 27, 2002, 02:50 PM

well, now I see that mpeg2 video does the same thing as the divx file for me, and I was able to play those files great with vlc in the past...mb this is a bad build, or 10.1.4 broke something...

what version of OS X are you useing SYN?

-Owl

OwlBoy · Apr 27, 2002, 02:53 PM

hmm, Im getting a lil post happy, it wont play mpeg1 files rproperly also...

I tryed balmers developers mpeg and it showed no video and the audio played, it slowly sped up then I heard a buzz in the right speaker and the app unexpectdly quit.

-Owl

Samanoske · Apr 27, 2002, 02:54 PM

Thiz is awesome ! - VCD and SVCD workin really nice !

On SVCD, the sound is a bit choppy, but for a 0.3.1 Version - nice !

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: Samanoske ]

OwlBoy · Apr 27, 2002, 02:59 PM

Damn, why wont it work for me?! I got a G3 iMac 500mHz but SYN seems to have one to!

-Owl

frawgz · Apr 27, 2002, 05:44 PM

!!!!!!!

Now I'd be happy if they integrate:

1. Resizable view
2. Full screen (with shortcut keys)
3. AltiVec optimization

Samanoske · Apr 27, 2002, 07:53 PM

Originally posted by frawgz:
!!!!!!!

Now I'd be happy if they integrate:

1. Resizable view
2. Full screen (with shortcut keys)
3. AltiVec optimization

Resizable Window is included and full screnn .. well hit the green button

if your mashine can handle it

Altivec optimization !? Gimma a break

... on most platforms, ...

Last week a first year student started coding ffmpeg support within the vlc

SYN · Apr 27, 2002, 09:12 PM

The client is already AltiVec optimised, though more optimisation is possible. Keep in mind this is an open-source project, so anyone can contribute.

Being based on ffmpeg, this will only work on DivX4 and under movies. To open an .avi, go to File/Open/File, and then choose a proper .avi. To play full screen, hit f.

Keep in mind this is an early build (of the ffmpeg enabled version), so there are a few issues, but it already plays sound without any of the problems QT has, only a slight reverb.

The Read Me does state that DivX playing does not work, but trust me, it does.

frawgz · Apr 27, 2002, 11:24 PM

Originally posted by Samanoske:
Resizable Window is included and full screnn .. well hit the green button if your mashine can handle it

Thanks for the tip

Altivec optimization !? Gimma a break

I don't think Altivec optimization is unreasonable because it's already been implemented in the program, though I have to add I was confused at first at the various states AltiVec optimization is in. It's listed in the commandline interface to the app, and the webpage itself also says it's implemented, but they're lacking one particular conversion.

Secondly, I'm not imposing any judgments on the people who are contributing to this project. Divx on the Mac is very annoying because of its inability to be played adequately without some middleman app to "fix" the files - I appreciate the work that's gone into vlc. Whatever improvements can be added will be greatly appreciated even more so.

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: frawgz ]

zigmeister · Apr 27, 2002, 11:41 PM

Holy fsck! It works like a charm. Playing DivX using other apps has been pretty much unpredictable. This VLC does the job without screwing audio nor doing some lame conversion-encoding-spacehogging procedure.

And I hava a beige G3 300. Wonderful Job!

grey · Apr 28, 2002, 01:08 AM

I tried playing a vcd with a different copy of vlc and the audio was totally out of synch. It sort of stayed with the picture until I did as much as moused over the dock or clicked an icon on the desktop while the vcd was playing... then it'd go all different speeds, wierdness. Maybe it was just a stupid build though, I'll try this copy instead...

booboo · Apr 28, 2002, 11:39 AM

Wow!

I'm impressed. It really works.

[APi]TheMan · Apr 28, 2002, 11:55 AM

Originally posted by grey:
I tried playing a vcd with a different copy of vlc and the audio was totally out of synch. It sort of stayed with the picture until I did as much as moused over the dock or clicked an icon on the desktop while the vcd was playing... then it'd go all different speeds, wierdness. Maybe it was just a stupid build though, I'll try this copy instead...

That's to be expected, dude... If you had a CPU monitor running when you moused over the dock, you'd see that CPU usage jumps up to 70-80%... all to make the dock billow effect. I don't know about you, but when I watch a movie, I watch a movie. Quit whining, or get a PC.

OwlBoy · Apr 28, 2002, 12:00 PM

::Squints:: this is prolly why it wont work for me, I have a beta copy of QT 6 in...

**** Iv been meaning to remove it anyway...

-Owl

Samanoske · Apr 28, 2002, 01:13 PM

Originally posted by SYN:
The Read Me does state that DivX playing does not work, but trust me, it does.

not on all divx formats. And some of them got a really, really shoppy audio..

and btw: downgrading from �6.o to 5.o.2 screwed up my OS really hard. So good luck Owlboy

OwlBoy · Apr 28, 2002, 01:15 PM

well my downgrade seems to have works, and VLC works again! woooha! it does play divx files

.

Hoo Hoo, Hoo Hoo.

oh btw after 5 posts in this thread, thanks for being the first to reply to me Samanoske.

-Owl

Groovy · Apr 28, 2002, 06:42 PM

no wma support and that is the #1 audio problem.

DivX tool handles all other problems very well.

ffmpeg CLI lastest CVS is just amazing and it does read DX50
and does b-frames etc.... and has a frist crack at wma audio reading.
(Buggy but getting there)

kennethmac2000 · Apr 28, 2002, 10:02 PM

Originally posted by Samanoske:
not on all divx formats. And some of them got a really, really shoppy audio..

I would tend to agree with this.

The audio is always there, but on some DivXs it is way out of sync while on others it is still an obvious x hundred ms out.

The DJ · Apr 29, 2002, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by Groovy:
no wma support and that is the #1 audio problem.

DivX tool handles all other problems very well.

ffmpeg CLI lastest CVS is just amazing and it does read DX50
and does b-frames etc.... and has a frist crack at wma audio reading.
(Buggy but getting there)

Well, i suggest that since Videolan uses ffmpeg, you just shut the f#*k up and wait till Videolan gets time to incorperate the latest ffmpeg changes into their code. Jeesh, the new ffmpeg has only been released like 2 weeks, get a life.

DivXTool takes time to convert video. I watch a lot of DivX and it gets annoying. I just wanna watch. If Videolan keeps making the progress they are making, then Videolan will shortly be the best Videoplayer on the Mac.

DJ

The DJ · Apr 29, 2002, 10:43 AM

Originally posted by grey:
I tried playing a vcd with a different copy of vlc and the audio was totally out of synch. It sort of stayed with the picture until I did as much as moused over the dock or clicked an icon on the desktop while the vcd was playing... then it'd go all different speeds, wierdness. Maybe it was just a stupid build though, I'll try this copy instead...

This is a known issue. It is first on the ToDo list of the mac developers working on the project. In the meantime, you will just need to live with not doing anything else when you watch video.

DJ

The DJ · Apr 29, 2002, 10:47 AM

Originally posted by kennethmac2000:
while on others it is still an obvious x hundred ms out.

This is also a known issue. Depending on the speed of your machine it is more noticeble. You can start Videolan from the commandline with the --desync <# of msecs> to compensate for this. I use a value of 250 on my G4/400

It is also expected to be fixed in the next official release.

DJ

grey · Apr 29, 2002, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by [APi]TheMan:


That's to be expected, dude... If you had a CPU monitor running when you moused over the dock, you'd see that CPU usage jumps up to 70-80%... all to make the dock billow effect. I don't know about you, but when I watch a movie, I watch a movie. Quit whining, or get a PC.

erm, chill out... dude

Aside from the dock or merely clicking icons, the audio starts running off on its own.

This is the copy I'm working with ›› http://homepage.mac.com/dark3lf/.cv/...tgz-binhex.hqx

I believe it has a different UI than the build mentioned in this thread.

zigmeister · May 1, 2002, 10:55 AM

Say, there is a "new" 0.3.1 which has a DVD button and UI improvements. But... it won't play DivX anymore!

Hope you read this SYN.

Cheers.