5. FAQ section
5.1. Compilation
Q: What's the problem with gcc 2.96 ?
A: gcc 2.96 is RedHat's UNOFFICIAL (it can be found only on RedHat sites, or
RedHat distributions) and BUGGY gcc release. gcc 2.96 is TOTALLY
unsupported by MPlayer, because it simply SKIPS MMX codes, it just does
not compile it. Important: this is NOT an MPlayer-specific problem,
numerous other projects (DRI, avifile, etc..) have problems with this shit
too.
** DO NOT USE gcc 2.96 !!! **
Q: Great, I have gcc 3.0.1 from RedHat/Mandrake, then I'm fine--!
A: No :) Their gcc 3.0.1 was compiled with gcc 2.96, so they are
buggy shit too.
Q: Now then. What should I use?
A: Any of gcc 2.95 series.
Q: SDL output doesn't work or compile. Problem is ....
A: It is tested with newest SDL (probably runs on 1.1.7+).
It does NOT work with 1.1.6, 1.1.5 1.1.4 1.1.3 1.0.4 etc, don't ask.
Q: I am still having trouble compiling with SDL support. gcc says something
about "undefined reference to `SDL_EnableKeyRepeat'" What's now?
A: Where did you install the SDL library? If you installed in /usr/local
(the default) then edit the top level config.mak and add
"-L/usr/local/lib " after "X_LIBS=" Now type make. You're done!
Q: It doesn't compile, and it misses uint64_t inttypes.h and similar things...
A: copy etc/inttypes.h to MPlayer directory (cp etc/inttypes.h .)
try again... if fail, contact us
Q: I have Pentium III but ./configure doesn't detect SSE
A: Only kernel versions 2.4.x supports SSE (or try latest 2.2.19 or newer, but
be prepared for problems)
Q: I have G200/G400, how to compile/use mga_vid driver?
A: Read all this documentation.
Q: Are there rpm/deb/... packages of MPlayer?
A: You can make a .deb package for yourself, check section 6.1 .
It's _STRONGLY_ discouraged to use precompiled packages
of MPlayer, since it (currently) _highly_ depends on compile-time
options and optimizations!
Precompiled packages are COMPLETELY unsupported by the MPlayer team!
Q: During 'make', MPlayer complains about X11 libraries. I don't understand,
I DO have X installed!?
A: ...but you don't have the X development package installed. Or not
correctly. It's called XFree86-devel* under RedHat, and xlib6g-dev* under
Debian. Also check if the /usr/X11 symlink exists (this can be a problem on
Mandrake systems). It can be created with the
$ ln -sf /usr/X11R6 /usr/X11
command. Also check the /usr/include/X11 link :
$ ln -sf /usr/X11R6/include/X11 /usr/include/X11
Your distribution may differ from the Linux Filesystem Standard.
Q: What about DGA driver? I can't find it!!!
A: ./configure autodetects your DGA driver. If -vo help doesn't show
DGA, then there's a problem with your X installation.
Try ./configure --enable-dga (and RTFM)
Alternatively, try SDL's DGA driver with '-vo sdl:dga' options.
Q: I can't compile SVGAlib.. I'm using 2.3/2.4 kernel.
A: You have to edit SVGAlib's Makefile.cfg and comment "BACKGROUND = y" out.
Q: I compiled MPlayer with libcss/libdivxdecore support, but when
I try to start it, it says :
> error while loading shared libraries: libcss.so.0: cannot load
> shared object file: No such file or directory
I checked up on the file and it IS there in /usr/local/lib.
A: What are you doing on Linux? Can't you install a library? Why do
we get these questions? It's not MPlayer specific at all! Add
/usr/local/lib to /etc/ld.so.conf and run ldconfig .
Or install it to /usr/lib , because if you can't solve the /usr/local
problem, you are careless enough to do such things.
5.2. General questions
Q: What about DVD playing ?
A: Read the CD/DVD section .
Q: -xy option doesn't work with x11 driver (-vo x11)
A: x11 driver doesn't support scaling, but XF86VidMode support is now
used: you must specify the -vm and the -fs switch, and you're done.
Make sure you have the right Modelines in your XF86Config file, and
try if the DGA driver (and SDL's DGA driver, see RTFM) works for you.
It's much faster. If SDL's DGA works too, use that, it'll be EVEN
faster!
Q: what is the meaning of numbers in the status line?
A: see:
A: 2.1 V: 2.2 A-V: -0.167 ct: 0.042 57 41% 0% 2.6% 0
- A: audio position in seconds
- V: video position in seconds
- A-V: audio-video difference in seconds (delay)
- ct: total A-V sync correction done
- frames played (counting from last seek)
- video codec cpu usage in percent (for mpeg it includes video_out too!)
- video_out cpu usage for avi, 0 for mpg (see above)
- audio codec cpu usage in percent
- frames needed to drop to maintain A-V sync
Most of them are for debug purposes, and will be removed soon.
Q: Why is video_out cpu usage zero (0%) for mpeg files?
A: It's not zero, but it's built in into codec, so can't be measured separated.
You should try to play the file using -vo null and then -vo ... and check
the difference to see video_out speed...
Q: What's XMMP? (is it XMMS or XMPS but mispelled?)
A: It's a new project, see http://frozenproductions.com for details
Q: There are error messages about file not found /usr/lib/win32/....
A: Download & install w32codec.zip from *our* FTP
(avifile's codec package has different DLL set)
Q: Are there any mailing lists on MPlayer?
A: Yes! See RTFM on how to subscribe them!
Q: I've found a nasty bug when I tried to play my favourite video!!
Who should I inform?
A: See Appendix C .
Q: I have problems playing files with ... codec. Can I use'em?
A: Check http://mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/DOCS/codecs.html,
if it doesn't contain your codec, read
http://mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/DOCS/CODECS, and contact us.
Q: Umm, what is "IdegCounter" ?
A: A mixture of a hungarian and an english word. In english, "Ideg" means
"nerve", and is pronounced as something like "ydaegh" . It was first used
to measure the nervousness of A'rpi, after some (umm) "mystic" disappearance
of CVS code ;)
Q: LIRC doesn't work, because ...
A: Are you sure you use "mplayer_lirc" instead of "mplayer" ?
Q: Subtitles are very nice, the most beautiful I've ever seen, but they slow
down the playing! I know it's unlikely...
A: After running ./configure , edit config.h and replace #undef FAST_OSD with
#define FAST_OSD . Then recompile.
Q: The OSD is flickering!
A: You use a vo driver with single buffering (x11,xv). With xv,
use -double option.
Q: What exactly is this libavcodec?
A: It's from Gerard Lantau's ffmpeg package (http://ffmpeg.sourceforge.net).
It has C language DivX ;-) and OpenDivX alpha 47 codec. Some benchmarks
showed that its DivX seems to be even faster than DirectShow codec without
preprocessing, and only a few percent slower than ProjectMayo's DivX4
decoder. It uses YV12 pixel format, so old Voodoo users can use it for YUV.
Also, open the possibility to play DivX on virtually every computer that
has a C compiler. Kinda great stuff, isn't it?
Q: But configure tells me "Checking for libavcodec ... no"!
A: You need to get libavcodec from FFmpeg's CVS. Read the instructions in
the ffmpeg section .
5.3. File playing problems
Q: ...... works with avifile/aviplay while doesn't with MPlayer
A: MPlayer != avifile
The only common thing between these players is the Win32 DLL loader.
The codecs (dll) sets, syncronization, demultiplexing etc is totaly
different and shouldn't be compared.
If something works with aviplay it doesn't mean that MPlayer should do
it and vice versa.
Q: audio goes out of sync playing .avi file
A: try with -bps or -nobps option
if still bad, send me (upload to ftp) that file, I'll check.
Q: Indeo 3.x/4.x movies are viewed upside-down!!!?
A: It's a known bug (really it's a bug/limitation of the DLL codec)
Try if your vo driver supports the -flip switch.
Q: Indeo 3.x,4.x video doesn't work at 32bpp resolutions (16,24 bpp are ok)
A: It's a known bug (really it's a bug/limitation of the DLL codec)
Q: I've got 'MPlayer interrupted by signal 11' in module audio_setup or
decode_audio.
A: This is highly unlikely, since the mp3lib rewrite. Contact us, it may be
a bug. Possibly it's a damaged file, try with -afm 4 .
Q: MPlayer exits with something error when using l3codeca.acm
A: Check 'ldd /usr/local/bin/mplayer' output. If it contains
libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x4???????)
where "?" is any number then it's ok, the error is not here. If it is:
libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x00??????)
then there is problem with your kernel/libc. Maybe you are using some
security patches (for example Solar Designer's OpenWall patch) which
forces loading libraries to very low addresses.
Because l3codeca.acm is a non-relocatable DLL, it must be loaded to
0x00400000, we can't change this. You should use non-patched kernel,
or use MPlayer's -afm 1 option to disable using l3codeca.acm.
Q: My computer plays M$ DivX AVIs with resolutions ~ 640x300 and stereo mp3
sound too slow. When I use -nosound switch, everything is ok (but quiet).
A: Those files probably have 48Khz audio, and your soundcard/driver can't play
it correctly. Audio downsampling isn't implemented in MPlayer (yet).
Maybe use the SDL driver, with -ao:sdl
Q: MPlayer dies with "MPlayer interrupted by signal 4 in module: decode_video".
A: Try running MPlayer on the machine you compiled on. Or recompile. Don't
use MPlayer on different CPU than it was compiled on.
Q: I have problems with [your window manager] and fullscreen xv/xmga/sdl/x11
modes..
A1: Use the -fsmode switch. See example.conf or manpage.
Q: But it works with avifile !
A: So what?
Q: Then avifile is better !
A: Then use avifile, it has nice GUI and nice C++ code :)
Q: I got this playing mpeg files: Can't find codec for video format 0x10000001 !
A: You have old version of codecs.conf at ~/.mplayer/. Upgrade it from etc/
Q: After starting mplayer under KDE(1/2) I just get a black screen and nothing
happens, after about one minute the video starts playing.
A: The KDE arts sound daemon is blocking the sound device, either wait the time
until video starts or you disable the arts-daemon in kontrollcenter.
If you want to use arts sound, specify audio output via SDL (ao=sdl), and
make sure your SDL can handle arts sound. Yet another option is to start
mplayer with artsdsp.
Q: I have an AVI that plays with grey screen with -vc odivx, and green
with -vc divx4 .
A: It's not a DivX file, but an M$ MPEG4v3 . Update your codecs.conf.
5.4. Video/audio driver problems (vo/ao)
Q: Ok, -vo help shows DGA driver, but it is babbling about permissions!
Help me!
A: It works only if running as root! It's a DGA limitation.
You should become to root (su -), and try again.
Another solution is making mplayer SUID root, but its NOT RECOMMENDED!
chown root /usr/local/bin/mplayer
chmod 750 /usr/local/bin/mplayer
chmod +s /usr/local/bin/mplayer
!!!! BUT STAY TUNED !!!!
This is a *BIG* security risk! *NEVER* do this on a server or on a computer
can be accessed by more people than only you because they can gain root
privilegies through suid root mplayer!!!
!!!! SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ... !!!!
Q: When using Xvideo, my Voodoo 3/Banshee says:
X Error of failed request: BadAccess (attempt to access private resource
denied)
Major opcode of failed request: 147 (MIT-SHM)
Minor opcode of failed request: 1 (X_ShmAttach)
Serial number of failed request: 26
Current serial number in output stream:27
A: Your driver is old, update it. Either download (at least) DRI version 0.6
from http://dri.sourceforge.net , or use the DRI cvs.
Q: When using Xvideo, I can't play DivX avis with my Voodoo 3/Banshee !
It says:
...
Xvideo image format: 0x32315659 (YV12) planar
Xvideo image format: 0x30323449 (I420) planar
...
A1: See the previous answer.
A2: Since 0.18pre4 we support libavcodec from the ffmpeg package. It contains
a C language DivX and OpenDivX decoder. The DivX decoder uses YV12 format
for output, thus it should work for you. Compile in libavcodec support.
Q: OpenGL (-vo gl) output doesn't work (hangup/black window/X11 errors/...)
A: your opengl driver doesn't support dynamic texture changes (glTexSubImage)
it's known not to work with nVidia's binary shit.
it's known to work with Utah-GLX/DRI and Matrox G400 card. Also with
DRI and Radeon card. It won't work with DRI others than these.
it will not work with 3DFX cards because the 256x256 texture size limit.
Q: I have an nVidia TNT/TNT2 card, and I have a band with strange colours,
right under the movie! Whose fault is this?
A: It's the nVidia X driver's. These bugs are ONLY with the TNT/TNT2 cards,
and we can't do anything about it, it's not our bug.
5.5. Feature requests
Q: Is there a hint on how to watch QuickTime and RealMedia movies in MPlayer?
A: There's no way to do it. Therefore these formats deserve to die in flames.
Theoretically you can reverse engineer Real codecs built for Linux (they
are available as .so files), but in practice that's really difficult, even
if you know how the compiler used by Real is making assembler code.
As for QuickTime, it's possible to play some old movies and this
capability will be added to mplayer soon, but newer clips are all Sorenson
encoded, and that codec is built-in deep in the QT executable, there's
no way to use it.