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Gorunova
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Joined: 10 Feb 2002 Posts: 318 Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2003 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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xo wrote: | I never tried the Windows version, but the Videolan client was a cool solution for MPEG2 playback on the Mac. |
Slick! That works like a charm. Thanks!
Fingers crossed that it'll actually play DVDs for me too. The ONLY program that has successfully played a DVD for me is the trial version of PowerDVD. The non-trial version doesn't work. ![Sad](images/smiles/icon_sad.gif) |
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xo Site Admin
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Joined: 09 Feb 2002 Posts: 466 Location: Los Angeles [comcast]
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Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2003 9:21 pm Post subject: |
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I just noticed my ZoomPlayer 3.00 plays the SVCD-spec mpegs I've been creating.
I'm not sure if this is the result of an update to ZoomPlayer or if I installed something that made it behave this way.
It seems to have issues with seeking in the stream depending on how I encoded it.
Just thought I'd throw that in.
-xo |
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zanson
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Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 41
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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xo wrote: | I just noticed my ZoomPlayer 3.00 plays the SVCD-spec mpegs I've been creating.
I'm not sure if this is the result of an update to ZoomPlayer or if I installed something that made it behave this way.
It seems to have issues with seeking in the stream depending on how I encoded it.
Just thought I'd throw that in.
-xo |
ZoomPlayer won't play them unless you have some mpeg2 codec installed. So you must have something else installed. videolan, mplayer, other linux/bsd ported programs for the most part use the libavcodec, and libmpeg2, etc... C libraries for decoding stuff and have it all compiled in. Those programs do not require you to install other direct show filters to play things, and even if you do they won't use them =). (Well last I looked at them anyway) |
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xo Site Admin
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Joined: 09 Feb 2002 Posts: 466 Location: Los Angeles [comcast]
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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zanson wrote: |
ZoomPlayer won't play them unless you have some mpeg2 codec installed. So you must have something else installed.
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I figured as much... I was kinda suprised to see it work. I'm not sure where it's getting the mpeg2 decoding from, though.
Which brings to me to a question that's been puzzling me - why isn't MPEG2 decoding more readily available on Win/Mac platforms?
The FAQ mentions licensing being required, and I've heard this elsewhere. But free code exists and both my Linux players handle MPEG2 streams with aplomb. Yet, in a thread discussing codecs to include in a codec pack, MPEG2 isn't mentioned so I assume there isn't one readily available. And other than VLC, it seems the only options are commercial (which raises another question - how come no one seems to know about VLC?). And what do the coders of VLC, Xine, and mplayer know that the authors of ZoomPlayer and VirtualDub don't?
Just something that makes me go "hmmmm..."
-xo |
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Gorunova
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Joined: 10 Feb 2002 Posts: 318 Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 8:28 pm Post subject: |
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It wouldn't surprise me to learn that MPEG-2 is a supposedly for-profit standard like GIF, JPEG, MP3 etc. But let's see them try to get any money for it.
I don't know for sure that that's the reason, but I also bemoan the lack of free software for it. |
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Neuralblastoma
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Joined: 19 Feb 2002 Posts: 109 Location: Ottawa Ontario Canada
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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In December of 2000 MPEG LA, the organization that owns the MPEG2 patent began demanding licensing fee's from anyone who produces MPEG2 software. As a result freeware encoders were forced to remove their MPEG2 abiliteis. |
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Gorunova
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Joined: 10 Feb 2002 Posts: 318 Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 8:45 pm Post subject: |
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Thought so. That's the favorite way of ruining a format's usefulness. RIP GIF.
This is why we need good open source standards. |
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xo Site Admin
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Joined: 09 Feb 2002 Posts: 466 Location: Los Angeles [comcast]
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Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2003 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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I thought I thought I heard there were license fees required.
So- how do the authors of Xine, mplayer, VLC, and whatever decoder library(s) they use manage to produce open source solutions for MPEG2 playback (and encoding)?
And why hasn't that library been ported to Windows? It's the one area in the video realm where the Windows side is more irritating than the Linux side.
-xo |
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zanson
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Joined: 08 Jan 2003 Posts: 41
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2003 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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xo wrote: | I thought I thought I heard there were license fees required.
So- how do the authors of Xine, mplayer, VLC, and whatever decoder library(s) they use manage to produce open source solutions for MPEG2 playback (and encoding)?
And why hasn't that library been ported to Windows? It's the one area in the video realm where the Windows side is more irritating than the Linux side.
-xo |
They ignore the mpeg la and hope nobody goes after them? =). Really, I don't know what the exact situation is with respect to mpeg2, but I think there is a free codec out there. You can grab it from doom9.org. Go to the "download" section and find "Fraunhofer video and audio codecs". No clue if its really a free codec or if someone repacked some non free codec... |
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Tarag
Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 2
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 10:57 am Post subject: |
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To get back to the original question...
Personally, I don't like codec packs. I'd rather just have a list of codecs with a link to the download site for each one. That said, here's my attempt at a (Windows-centric) list of essential codecs & filters for viewing anime:
-ffdshow 2003-04-24 for Xvid and DivX 3/4/5. Unfortunately, the latest "stable" version of ffdshow cannot play some Xvid files, but this alpha version works well for me. I also tried the 2003-05-23 build, but it caused ZoomPlayer to hang. YMMV
-Ogg Directshow Filter: needed to play .ogm (Ogg media) files. Includes the Vorbis audio codec.
-DirectVobsub for playing external subs, as well as the subs enbedded in some .ogm files.
-DivX ;-) Audio Codec for playing DivX ;-) 3.1a audio.
-For AC3 I use the codec that came with PowerDVD, but there is a free, open source AC3 DirectShow filter here.
I don't know of any free MPEG2 codecs. If you want to watch MPEG2/SVCD your best bet is probably to buy a copy of PowerDVD or WinDVD.
[Update: OK, I'm stupid. I just reread zanson's post. I think the Fraunhofer codecs he mentioned should work. Then again, the readme says "This filter package is for decoding Mpeg2/AC3-encrypted Audio and Video VOB-Streams" so I don't know if it works with SVCDs (and I don't really feel like uninstalling PowerDVD to find out). Anyway, I guess I would tentatively add this to the list for people who don't already have PowerDVD/WinDVD/etc]
(OT: Why would anyone pay $40 for PowerDVD when you can get a DVD-ROM drive with a copy of this software for under $30?)
Last edited by Tarag on Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Gorunova
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Joined: 10 Feb 2002 Posts: 318 Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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Tarag wrote: | I don't know of any free MPEG2 codecs. If you want to watch MPEG2/SVCD your best bet is probably to buy a copy of PowerDVD or WinDVD. |
While it is a player and not a codec, the VLC client that xo mentioned is working out well for me. |
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Tarag
Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 2
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Gorunova: sorry, I should have been more clear. What I meant, was that I don't know of a free MPEG2 codec or player for Windows. But the Fraunhofer codecs that zanson mentioned may work. Has anyone tried this? |
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Gorunova
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Joined: 10 Feb 2002 Posts: 318 Location: Burnaby, B.C., Canada
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Tarag wrote: | Gorunova: sorry, I should have been more clear. What I meant, was that I don't know of a free MPEG2 codec or player for Windows. |
I'm using the Windows version of VLC to play MPEG-2 files. It works fine. VLC is also available for Linux, OSX and a bunch of Unix flavors. |
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