Mplayer Frustrations - Getting Closer

[Amadeus W. M.]

> ==========================================================================
> vo: X11 running at 1280x1024 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => local
> display)
> Xv: could not grab port 69

Right here. 

> Could not find free Xvideo port - maybe another process is already using
> it. Close all video applications, and try again. If that does not help,
> see 'mplayer -vo help' for other (non-xv) video out drivers.
> ==========================================================================
> Opening video decoder: [dmo] DMO video codecs Win32 LoadLibrary failed
> to load: wmv9dmod.dll, /usr/lib/win32/wmv9dmod.dll,
> /usr/local/lib/win32/wmv9dmod.dll IMediaObject ERROR: 0x84ec5c9  could
               ^^^^^^^^^
Right here!       

> In response to your final question, /usr/lib/win32 contains the sym link
> as follows:
> 
> codecs -> /usr/local/lib/codecs
> 

No!! 
As you can see, mplayer is not looking inside /usr/local/lib/win32/codecs/
as you have it right now, but rather directly in /usr/local/lib/win32.
That is, all dlls must be in /usr/local/lib/win32. Forget about symbolic
links and all, just put the ..../codecs/* in .../win32 and it'll work.