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Thread ID: 82974 2007-09-14 20:16:00 Mplayer, anyone know of an easy to understand tutorial? Myth (110) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
591262 2007-09-14 20:16:00 Am setting up a basic media centre (poor mans media centre :p), based on Debian Linux
The setup is... I have a computer situated near the TV. Because I have a child who knows what a keyboard does, and also because I can't afford remote control stuff, I have to ssh into the computer from this computer to start any files/playlists etc). Therefore, I have to learn mplayer's command line interface

It all works (ssh, screen etc) but when I use the following command, the video file plays back severely lagged;
mplayer -vo xv /url/to/file

My specs are:
1.1 Ghz CPU
512MB SD-RAM
GeForce FX5500 PCI
and a C-Media 5 channel soundcard

If I use Geexbox (Livecd GUI media player which requires either a keyboard or remote control gear) everything plays as it should. I know Geexbox uses mplayer as well

So does anyone have any idea what switches etc I should be using. The man page is like :waughh:
Myth (110)
591263 2007-09-14 21:28:00 There are some tips on command line options for MPlayer here (www.linuxdevcenter.com).

I should add, have you checked that DMA is enabled on the hard drive under your new Debian installation?
Jen (38)
591264 2007-09-14 22:44:00 Ok, this is where I'm at atm...
mplayer -vo gl,vesa,xv /url/to/file gives me sound (unlagged) but no video

mplayer -vo cvidix /url/to/dir gives me sound and video (unlagged), but with console text in the background

Any ideas? I can't find the happy medium (as yet) to have unlagged sound and video with no console text

Incidentally, I have no X environment (by design), just console

Edit: and dma is now enabled but didnt change anything
Myth (110)
591265 2007-09-14 23:27:00 Ok, I think I've sussed it
mplayer -vo svga:cvidix /home/tazz/"Anger Management.avi" will give me unlagged picture and sound without the console background, via ssh.
Unfortunately the mplayer quick keys no longer work (such as q for quit). Would be preferable to get these working too
Myth (110)
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