Linux Video Playback: Difference between revisions
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This article explains the best video playback options for Linux and provides installation instructions. | This article explains the best video playback options for Linux and provides installation instructions. | ||
== | ==List of recommended players== | ||
;* [http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/news.html MPlayer] | |||
;* [http://smplayer.sourceforge.net/ SMPlayer] | ;* [http://smplayer.sourceforge.net/ SMPlayer] | ||
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MPlayer by itself is fine but SMPlayer | If providing installation instructions perhaps do something like this, but it seems a bit overkill. | ||
Perhaps just add a generic section referring users to their package manager? | |||
==MPlayer== | |||
===Installing MPlayer=== | |||
====Gentoo==== | |||
emerge -ptva mplayer | |||
====OpenSuse==== | |||
opensuse-package-manager-name --install-command mplayer | |||
====Ubuntu==== | |||
apt-get install mplayer | |||
===MPlayer tweaks=== | |||
tweak tweak tweak | |||
Example configuration file (<tt>~/.mplayer/config</tt>): | |||
vo=xv | |||
ao=alsa | |||
channels=4 | |||
alang=en,es | |||
--> | |||
==SMPlayer== | |||
MPlayer by itself is fine but SMPlayer provides an easy to use interface to MPlayer so it is a better choice for most. It contains a couple of nice features, including autosaving the playback position so you can continue watching your movie the next time you start it (this feature can be disabled of course). | |||
===Installing SMPlayer=== | ===Installing SMPlayer=== | ||
*For OpenSUSE users you can grab the .rpm from SMPlayer's website, for Ubuntu users you can use the .deb from SMPlayer's website or you can install it with the following command:<br> | *For OpenSUSE users you can grab the .rpm from SMPlayer's website, for Ubuntu users you can use the .deb from SMPlayer's website or you can install it with the following command:<br> | ||
sudo apt-get install smplayer | sudo apt-get install smplayer | ||
*If you don't use OpenSUSE or Ubuntu then you can compile from source, the source code along with installation instructions are available on SMPlayer's website. | *If you don't use OpenSUSE or Ubuntu then you can compile from source, the source code along with installation instructions are available on SMPlayer's website. | ||
*After installation you'll need to configure it a little: | *After installation you'll need to configure it a little: | ||
Start SMPlayer, open the options (Ctrl + P), go to the subtitles section, within the section go to the SSA/ASS library tab and check the check box for using SSA/ASS library. With this you can see the subtitle's colors and fonts (Note: the used fonts must be installed on the system for this). | Start SMPlayer, open the options (Ctrl + P), go to the subtitles section, within the section go to the SSA/ASS library tab and check the check box for using SSA/ASS library. With this you can see the subtitle's colors and fonts (Note: the used fonts must be installed on the system for this). | ||
=== | ===SMPlayer tweaks=== | ||
If you see a black screen at playing, or the colors doesn't seems to be right, or the playing is too slow or wrong you may need to change the video rendering mode. To do this go to the options, general section, general tab, output drivers, Video, and set it to | If you see a black screen at playing, or the colors doesn't seems to be right, or the playing is too slow or wrong you may need to change the video rendering mode. To do this go to the options, general section, general tab, output drivers, Video, and set it to <tt>x11</tt> - this will use software rendering. Alternatively you can use <tt>xv</tt> for XVideo rendering or either <tt>gl</tt> or <tt>gl2</tt> for OpenGL rendering. In general you should try these options in the following order for best quality and performance: <tt>xv</tt>, <tt>gl2</tt>, <tt>gl</tt> and finally <tt>x11</tt>. | ||
Revision as of 18:07, 26 August 2008
This article explains the best video playback options for Linux and provides installation instructions.
List of recommended players
SMPlayer
MPlayer by itself is fine but SMPlayer provides an easy to use interface to MPlayer so it is a better choice for most. It contains a couple of nice features, including autosaving the playback position so you can continue watching your movie the next time you start it (this feature can be disabled of course).
Installing SMPlayer
- For OpenSUSE users you can grab the .rpm from SMPlayer's website, for Ubuntu users you can use the .deb from SMPlayer's website or you can install it with the following command:
sudo apt-get install smplayer
- If you don't use OpenSUSE or Ubuntu then you can compile from source, the source code along with installation instructions are available on SMPlayer's website.
- After installation you'll need to configure it a little:
Start SMPlayer, open the options (Ctrl + P), go to the subtitles section, within the section go to the SSA/ASS library tab and check the check box for using SSA/ASS library. With this you can see the subtitle's colors and fonts (Note: the used fonts must be installed on the system for this).
SMPlayer tweaks
If you see a black screen at playing, or the colors doesn't seems to be right, or the playing is too slow or wrong you may need to change the video rendering mode. To do this go to the options, general section, general tab, output drivers, Video, and set it to x11 - this will use software rendering. Alternatively you can use xv for XVideo rendering or either gl or gl2 for OpenGL rendering. In general you should try these options in the following order for best quality and performance: xv, gl2, gl and finally x11.