[K12OSN] Pixelation with MPlayer

"Terrell Prudé Jr." microman at cmosnetworks.com
Wed Mar 7 15:16:38 UTC 2007


Hmm...that is interesting.  I've used the Xv MPlayer output driver with
ATI cards, and things worked fine, even with accursed .WMV's.

Could you try out another video, say, one in MPEG4 format?  That's
supported directly by ffmpeg (no Windows codecs needed), so this'll help
us determine if you might have a codec issue.  Also, if you can get your
hands on an Ogg Theora video (here's one: 
http://mediacast.sun.com/share/tmarble/moglen.ogg -- about 2.3MB) and
try that.

--TP
_______________________________
Do you GNU!?
Microsoft Free since 2003 <http://www.gnu.org/>--the ultimate antivirus
protection!


David Hopkins wrote:
> Update:  I have now tested an Epia M which has the cle266 video
> chipset (via driver is loaded by ltsp).  I was hoping that this would
> resolve the issue but the image still pixelates severely.  Perhaps the
> issue isn't with the video card, but how I compiled mplayer?
>
> So ... output from mplayer -vo help is:
>
> [student01 at ncslts3 ~]$ mplayer -vo help
> MPlayer 1.0rc1-4.1.1 (C) 2000-2006 MPlayer Team
> CPU: Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU 2.40GHz (Family: 15, Model: 2, Stepping: 7)
> CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
> Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2
> Available video output drivers:
>         xv      X11/Xv
>         x11     X11 ( XImage/Shm )
>         xover   General X11 driver for overlay capable video output
> drivers
>         gl      X11 (OpenGL)
>         gl2     X11 (OpenGL) - multiple textures version
>         xvidix  X11 (VIDIX)
>         cvidix  console VIDIX
>         null    Null video output
>         mpegpes Mpeg-PES to DVB card
>         yuv4mpeg        yuv4mpeg output for mjpegtools
>         png     PNG file
>         tga     Targa output
>         pnm     PPM/PGM/PGMYUV file
>         md5sum  md5sum of each frame
>
> and the output from playing a video is:
>
> [student01 at ncslts3 ~]$ mplayer Desktop/Shaky_Ground.mov
> MPlayer 1.0rc1-4.1.1 (C) 2000-2006 MPlayer Team
> CPU: Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU 2.40GHz (Family: 15, Model: 2, Stepping: 7)
> CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 1 SSE2: 1
> Compiled for x86 CPU with extensions: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2
>
> Playing Desktop/Shaky_Ground.mov.
> ISO: File Type Major Brand: Original QuickTime
> Quicktime/MOV file format detected.
> VIDEO:  [SVQ3]  320x240  24bpp  15.000 fps    0.0 kbps ( 0.0 kbyte/s)
> ==========================================================================
> Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
> Selected video codec: [ffsvq3] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg Sorenson Video v3
> (SVQ3))
> ==========================================================================
> ==========================================================================
>
> Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
> AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 1 ch, s16le, 31.9 kbit/4.52% (ratio: 3984->88200)
> Selected audio codec: [ffqdm2] afm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg QDM2 audio decoder)
> ==========================================================================
>
> [AO ESD] latency: [server: 0.56s, net: 0.00s] (adjust 0.56s)
> AO: [esd] 44100Hz 1ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
> Starting playback...
> VDec: vo config request - 320 x 240 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
> VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
> Movie-Aspect is undefined - no prescaling applied.
> VO: [xv] 320x240 => 320x240 Planar YV12
> Shared memory not supported
> Reverting to normal Xv
> Shared memory not supported
> Reverting to normal Xv
> A:  14.2 V:  14.3 A-V: -0.018 ct: -0.068 195/195  3%  0%  2.1% 0 0
>
>  I did try invoking xvidix, but that gave an error about not being
> able to determine which driver to load.  If I run as root, it detects
> the server's onboard video (8Mb rage XL), but then the video displays
> a green screen and nothing else. 
>
> So ... any suggestions on how to recompile mplayer? Or try and
> download the latest rpm again? This has to work since LTSP uses the
> same mb's that I am using as part of their testing.  It must be
> something that I am doing wrong at this point.  I can try recompiling
> mplayer with any suggestions in order to get the playback cleaner.
>
> Sincerely,
> Dave Hopkins
>
>
>
>
> On 3/5/07, *David Hopkins* <dahopkins429 at gmail.com
> <mailto:dahopkins429 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>     I went over to the school today and checked my thin clients.  They
>     are Epia533 but they have the PLE133 video chipset.  This is a
>     real downer for me since I don't see where this chipset (which
>     uses the trident video driver) has any support for MPEG
>     acceleration (or whatever it is called).  Apparently later
>     versions have the CLE266 (Unichrome) chipset which does but you
>     have to be careful since they are still selling ones with the
>     PLE133. We have had these clients since Spring 2003 and they run
>     flawlessly (even ordered another 30 Spring 2005), but ... I am now
>     not sure if they can handle video streams well enough.  I guess I
>     will be spending time looking for more recent drivers, maybe a
>     BIOS update or somesuch adds better support for video. Or, see if
>     they support an add-in video card and purchase them but we have 75
>     of them at this point and that could run ~2K.
>
>     If anyone knows how to get a better driver, please let me know.  I
>     can't even determine where the trident driver is loaded from: best
>     guess is it is bundled with the Xorg software?  There is a
>     tridentfb.ko, but I wasn't able to get it to load.
>
>     Hopefully, tomorrow will be better. :)
>
>     Sincerely,
>     Dave Hopkins
>
>     On 3/5/07, *"Terrell Prudé Jr." * < microman at cmosnetworks.com
>     <mailto:microman at cmosnetworks.com>> wrote:
>
>         Actually, the full-screen bit is where your video chipset
>         takes over.  Decompressing the video stream from, say,
>         MPEG1/2/4, etc., does use the server CPU, but scaling the
>         video, once decompressed, is a function of the video board. 
>         Pop in the right device driver, and your teachers should be happy.
>
>         Please, keep us updated!
>
>         --TP
>         _______________________________
>         Do you GNU!?
>         Microsoft Free since 2003 <http://www.gnu.org/>--the ultimate
>         antivirus protection!
>
>
>         David Hopkins wrote:
>>         I also just noticed from the LTSP wiki that my particular
>>         mb's don't necessarily get the correct configuration for the
>>         video chipset.  I have min-itx based systems with VIA, so I
>>         will try adding the XSERVER = via line and see what happens.
>>
>>         Of course, all the teachers want to run at full screen on the
>>         systems which is 1024x768 and I am not sure what that is
>>         going to do to the server. :(
>>
>>         Thanks for all the great info.
>>
>>         Sincerely,
>>         Dave Hopkins
>>
>>
>>         On 3/5/07, *"Terrell Prudé Jr."* <microman at cmosnetworks.com
>>         <mailto:microman at cmosnetworks.com>> wrote:
>>
>>             Yes, it sure could.  I saw that 90-client-per-server
>>             figure and went, "WHOA!!!"  I did some server CPU tests
>>             on my own server, and here's what I found:
>>
>>             640x480 MPEG4 clip:  21% CPU/session
>>             320x240 MPEG4 clip:  7% CPU/session
>>
>>             The CPU's are 1.2GHz Athlon MP's.  This is per CPU core,
>>             BTW, so if you've got four such cores, you get just under
>>             4x the capacity.
>>
>>             --TP
>>             _______________________________
>>             Do you GNU!?
>>             Microsoft Free since 2003 <http://www.gnu.org/>--the
>>             ultimate antivirus protection!
>>
>>
>>             Petre Scheie wrote:
>>>             Could this be an issue of quantity?  That is, Terrel,
>>>             how many clients have you got simultaneously watching
>>>             the videos?  If Jim's got an average of 90 clients per
>>>             server, even though they're big boxes (I've seen 'em),
>>>             might that number be more than the server can handle for
>>>             video?
>>>
>>>             Petre
>>>
>>>             Terrell Prudé Jr. wrote:
>>>>             I've watched 640x480 videos (MPEG4) without any
>>>>             problems on my thin client with MPlayer.  The key was
>>>>             to swap the video board in the thin client for
>>>>             something a bit more powerful.  In my case, it was the
>>>>             Matrox Millenium G400; doing that solved all my MPlayer
>>>>             issues.  It also, BTW, made TuxType play faster.  Heck,
>>>>             I'm able to watch Tom's Hardware videos, in MPEG4, at
>>>>             720x480, without any framedrops, pixelations,
>>>>             whatever--just nice, smooth video.  No, I don't have to
>>>>             throw the -framedrop switch, either.
>>>>
>>>>             Folks, watching videos on thin clients WORKS FINE.  I
>>>>             do it all the time.  If you can, please try swapping
>>>>             your video board and see what happens.
>>>>
>>>>             --TP
>>>>             _______________________________
>>>>             Do you GNU!?
>>>>             Microsoft Free since 2003 <http://www.gnu.org/>--the
>>>>             ultimate antivirus protection!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>             David Hopkins wrote:
>>>>>             Didn't mean for this to cause problems, so to speak,
>>>>>             but ... what I have observed is that the video clip is
>>>>>             mostly watchable at the 320x240 resolution that seems
>>>>>             to be the 'native' resolution of the clip.  However,
>>>>>             it pixelates which is where the teachers start chiming
>>>>>             in about the inferior quality.  It does get worse as
>>>>>             the clips get larger:  A 5Mb clip and an 'extended'
>>>>>             version of the clip that is 13Mb do not have the same
>>>>>             playback characteristics, with the larger and longer
>>>>>             clip looking worse.
>>>>>
>>>>>             My clients consist of Epia 533-based systems and
>>>>>             donated Compaq EN SFF systems.  Either can play back
>>>>>             without issues as long as they are fat clients. I have
>>>>>             Gb from the server to the switch and 100Mb to the
>>>>>             clients.
>>>>>
>>>>>              If I specify using X11-only, then MPlayer says that
>>>>>             the Compaq does not have the resources to play back
>>>>>             the video.  Using Xv, it does but is pixelated on fast
>>>>>             motion scenes. :(
>>>>>
>>>>>             MPlayer has alot of options for framedropping, lower
>>>>>             fps playback, etc, and I will try and play with these
>>>>>             to see if there is some magic combination that
>>>>>             provides overall better quality.
>>>>>
>>>>>             I really hope that the Atlanta work goes well since it
>>>>>             will help me when I periodically try to the the State
>>>>>             of Delaware DOE interested in the thin client
>>>>>             approach.  I have a few Reps and Senators that know
>>>>>             about the option, but getting them to commit time to
>>>>>             really looking at it has been tough and little
>>>>>             glitches like lower quality movie playback seems to
>>>>>             'impress' them more than the phenomenal uptime of the
>>>>>             systems, ease of use, ease of management, etc.
>>>>>
>>>>>             Slightly off-topic, but the same instuctor that is
>>>>>             really vocal about the playback also was vocal about
>>>>>             not getting sound on a video clip a few weeks back. 
>>>>>             After playing it back in a pure Windows environment,
>>>>>             it was finally possible to convince him that the clip
>>>>>             in question didn't, in fact, have any sound and was
>>>>>             only video.
>>>>>
>>>>>             Sincerely,
>>>>>             Dave Hopkins
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             _______________________________________________
>>>>>             K12OSN mailing list
>>>>>             K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>>>>>             https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>>>>>             For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>>>>
>>>>             ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>             _______________________________________________
>>>>             K12OSN mailing list
>>>>             K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>>>>             https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>>>>             For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>>>
>>>             _______________________________________________
>>>             K12OSN mailing list
>>>             K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>>>             https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>>>             For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>>
>>             _______________________________________________
>>             K12OSN mailing list
>>             K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>>             https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>>             For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>>
>>
>>         ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>         _______________________________________________
>>         K12OSN mailing list
>>         K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>>         https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>>         For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>
>         _______________________________________________
>         K12OSN mailing list
>         K12OSN at redhat.com <mailto:K12OSN at redhat.com>
>         https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
>         For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> K12OSN mailing list
> K12OSN at redhat.com
> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/k12osn
> For more info see <http://www.k12os.org>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listman.redhat.com/archives/k12osn/attachments/20070307/488c0611/attachment.htm>


More information about the K12OSN mailing list