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DXR3/H+ video/audio output plugins manual by David Holm
=======================================================
2001-12-04: Thanks to Inaki Garci'a Etxebarria of
zapping.sourceforge.net we have now
abandoned rte since it caused problems for
users who didn't rtfm and compiled it with
ffmpeg support. Instead we are now using
libmp1e which is a modified version of mp1e.
2001-11-29: Thanks to Felix Buenemann I managed to
optimize the odivx playback as well as add
support for the rest of the codecs!
2001-11-28: ffmpeg replaced with mp1e, divx playback
won't get much faster than this, huge thanks
goes out to Ivan Kalvachev for helping me
fix the final mp1e bugs (and contributing
to the libvo2 development)
1. Introduction
The DXR3 and Hollywood+ are two not too different mpeg-(1/2) and ac3
hardware playback cards that came at about the same time as the first
dvd-rom drives hit the market. At that time most computers weren't
powerful enough for synced software dvd playback. And even the faster
(intel-based) computers had troubles with artifacts.
Sigma Designs came up with the great idea to create a hardware
mpeg-(1/2), ac3 decoder. Sigma Designs are known for their realmagic
hardware (or they bought the company who came up with the first
realmagic boards, I don't know which).
Later Creative Labs thought, hey, we also wan't this product, and to
distribute it with our dvd-drives (the DVD Encore packages if I recall
correctly). So they bought the designs for the Hollywood plus and
replaced the circuit used to produce a proper video feed for tv's
called adv7170 or adv7175a depending on which h+ board you own with
a bt865. The reason for this is beyond my understanding as this seems
complete illogical to me, but I have had great experiences with
bt(brooktree) circuits in the past, so I don't mind.
Well, nowadays most people have no use for a mpeg-(1/2) or ac3
hardware decoder since most computers these days have no problem doing
this in software and have cycles left for posprocessing (removing of
artefacts and other garbage produced by compression).
These days, you have two uses for this card:
1. You have a slow computer which you use for vcd/dvd playback
2. You discover what I have done with the implementation of this as
an audio/video output device for mplayer (read on and you'll find
out).
2. Requirements
* First of all you will need the DXR3/H+ drivers properly installed.
Version 0.9.0 or later
* Run <mplayerdir>/configure and make sure that DXR3/H+ support = yes
From here on compilation (of at least my code ;) should go without any
problems.
3. Usage
After installation you will have two new outdevices in mplayer:
-vo dxr3 For video output
-ao dxr3 For audio output
MPEG-1, MPEG-2, VCD and DVD Notes
There are some notes to take into account here for optimum playback.
When playing any mpeg-(1/2) file, this including usage of the "-dvd"
and "-vcd" options you must either add the "-vc mpegpes" or edit
codecs.conf and make sure videocodec mpegpes is listed above mpeg12.
If you fail to do this you will only get software playback which kinda
spoils most of the useful features of this card except for tv-out ;).
Remember that if you edit the codecs.conf file and move the mpegpes
section will have to specify "-vc mpeg12" if you want to playback
any of these video types _without_ "-vo dxr3"!
DIVX Notes
When playing divx's add "-vc odivx" for maximum performance.
I've switched to mp1e from ffmpeg so it should be lightning fast now.
Other codecs:
No "-vc <codec>" switches should be required as mplayer will autodetect.
If you find an unsupported codec please contact me!
* Avoid running mplayer as root or setuid root as rtc timing seems to
slow down playback on the dxr3 for some users. I will look into this
at a later point as this hardly qualifies as a severe bug *
4. Contacting me
You can contact me either by e-mailing me, <dholm@iname.com> or by using
icq: 798427
Feedback, bugreports and general suggestions are appreciated (preferably
by e-mail). My name is David Holm for those of you who are incapable of
reading a heading. ;)
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