Unable to play downloaded flash or mp4 files

[Lyn]

For some reason I am unable to play downloaded flash files, running Vector 7 Standard - have uninstalled xine and now reinstalled, but no joy - I don't seem to be able to play any downloaded video file, can play flash in firefox when visiting the website.  A huge ask but any idea what I may have done of what I can do to restore my ability to play downloaded files?

[sledgehammer]

Did you try Dragon Player?

[Lyn]

yes I did, I had previously been able to play almost anything, but looks like they no longer regognise anything, suggesting a codecs - dragon can do mp4 but not avi or mpg

[hata_ph]

Any error?

[MarkGrieveson]

I'm in the same boat.  I used to be able to play anything with either xine or umplayer, but recently I've had all sorts of problems.  I reinstalled Vector to be sure it wasn't an issue with my machine (I had a mixed system with some packages from testing, which I no longer have -- it's all stable now).  Anyway, still I am having issues with multimedia.

Here's an attempt to play an flv file with umplayer:

Code:

vector:/~/dwhelper
mark:$ ls
SCTV\ -\ Cronkite\ does\ _Dialing\ for\ Dollars_.flv
SCTV\ -\ Cronkite\ does\ _Dialing\ for\ Dollars_.mp4
vector:/~/dwhelper
mark:$ umplayer SCTV\ -\ Cronkite\ does\ _Dialing\ for\ Dollars_.flv
Debug: main: lock_file: /home/mark/.config/umplayer/umplayer_init.lock
Debug: global_init
Debug: global_init: config file: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer/umplayer.ini'
Debug: Preferences::load
Debug: AssStyles::load
Debug: Translator::loadCatalog: can't load qt_en_US from /usr/share/umplayer/translations
Debug: Translator::loadCatalog: can't load qt_en_US from /usr/lib/qt/translations
Debug: Translator::loadCatalog: successfully loaded umplayer_en_US from /usr/share/umplayer/translations
This is UMPlayer v. 0.97 running on Linux
Debug: This is UMPlayer v. 0.97 running on Linux
Debug: Compiled with Qt v. 4.7.0, using 4.8.2
Debug:  * application path: '/usr/bin'
Debug:  * data path: '/usr/share/umplayer'
Debug:  * translation path: '/usr/share/umplayer/translations'
Debug:  * doc path: '/usr/share/doc/packages/umplayer'
Debug:  * themes path: '/usr/share/umplayer/themes'
Debug:  * shortcuts path: '/usr/share/umplayer/shortcuts'
Debug:  * config path: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer'
Debug:  * ini path: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer'
Debug:  * file for subtitles' styles: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer/styles.ass'
Debug:  * current path: '/home/mark/dwhelper'
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: arguments: 2
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: 0 = umplayer
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: 1 = SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: files_to_play: count: 1
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: files_to_play[0]: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: MyClient::MyClient
Debug: UMPlayer::processArgs: trying to connect to port 43856
Debug: UMPlayer::gui: changed working directory to app path
Debug: UMPlayer::gui: current directory: /usr/bin
Debug: Core::changeFileSettingsMethod: hash
Debug: MplayerLayer::setRepaintBackground: 0
Debug: Preferences::monitor_aspect_double
Debug:  warning: monitor_aspect couldn't be parsed!
Debug:  monitor_aspect set to 0
Debug: Playlist::setModified: 0
Debug: Playlist::loadSettings
Debug: Playlist::addItem: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Playlist::setModified: 0
Debug: Playlist::updateView
Debug: Playlist::updateView: name: 'SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Style name: 'gtk+'
Debug: Style class name: 'QGtkStyle'
Debug: Favorites::load
Debug: TVList::parse_channels_conf
Debug: VList::parse_channels_conf: /home/mark/.mplayer/channels.conf.ter doesn't exist
Debug: TVList::parse_channels_conf: can't open /home/mark/.mplayer/channels.conf
Debug: Favorites::load
Debug: TVList::parse_channels_conf
Debug: VList::parse_channels_conf: /home/mark/.mplayer/channels.conf.ter doesn't exist
Debug: TVList::parse_channels_conf: can't open /home/mark/.mplayer/channels.conf
Debug: BaseGui::initializeMenus
Debug: BaseGui::initializeMenus
Debug: BaseGui::updateRecents
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: Core::changeSubVisilibity: 1
Debug: Core::tellmp: 'sub_visibility 1'
Warning:  tellmp: no process running: sub_visibility 1
Debug: Core::displayMessage
Debug: BaseGui::setStayOnTop: 0
Debug: BaseGui::setStayOnTop: nothing to do
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: BaseGui::updateRecents
Debug: Preferences::save
Debug: AssStyles::save
Debug: BaseGui::initializeGui: server running on port 51684
Debug: BaseGui::initializeMenus
Debug: BaseGui::updateRecents
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: BaseGuiPlus::loadConfig
Debug: TimeSlider::setDragDelay: 100
Debug: BaseGui::initializeMenus
Debug: BaseGui::updateRecents
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: DesktopInfo::isInsideScreen: geometry of screen: x:0 y:0 w:1024 h:768
Debug: Helper::qtVersion: 4802
Debug: BaseGui::showEvent
Debug: BaseGui::openFiles
Debug: Playlist::setModified: 0
Debug: Playlist::addFiles
Debug: Playlist::addItem: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Playlist::updateView
Debug: Playlist::updateView: name: 'SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Playlist::addFiles: latest_dir: '/home/mark/dwhelper'
Debug: BaseGui::open: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Core::open: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Core::open: * identified as local file
Debug: Core::openFile: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Core::playNewFile: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: Core::saveMediaInfo
Debug: FileSettingsHash::existSettingsFor: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: FileSettingsHash::existSettingsFor: config_file: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer/file_settings/8/8e405c82ec912bdb.ini'
Debug: Core::playNewFile: We have settings for this file!!!
Debug: FileSettings::loadSettingsFor: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv'
Debug: FileSettingsHash::loadSettingsFor: config_file: '/home/mark/.config/umplayer/file_settings/8/8e405c82ec912bdb.ini'
Debug: MediaSettings::load
Debug: Core::playNewFile: Media settings read
Debug: Core::playNewFile: volume: 40, old_volume: 40
Debug: Core::initPlaying
Debug: Core::startMplayer
Debug: Core::startMplayer: setting working directory to '/home/mark/.config/umplayer/screenshots'
Debug: MplayerVersion::isMplayerAtLeast: comparing 29058 with 32634
Debug: Core::startMplayer: * not using -colorkey for xv
Debug: Core::startMplayer: * report if you can't see the video
Debug: MplayerVersion::isMplayerAtLeast: comparing 27872 with 32634
Debug: MplayerVersion::isMplayerAtLeast: comparing 24924 with 32634
Debug: Core::startMplayer: file basename: '/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_'
Debug: Core::startMplayer: edl file: ''
Debug: MplayerLayer::playingStarted
Debug: Core::startMplayer: command: '/usr/bin/mplayer -noquiet -nofs -nomouseinput -sub-fuzziness 1 -identify -slave -vo xv -ao alsa -nokeepaspect -nodr -double -input nodefault-bindings:conf=/dev/null -stop-xscreensaver -wid 58720294 -monitorpixelaspect 1 -noass -subfont-autoscale 3 -subfont-text-scale 2.5 -subcp UTF-8 -subpos 100 -volume 50 -cache 8192 -osdlevel 0 -vf-add screenshot -noslices -channels 2 -af scaletempo -softvol -softvol-max 110 "/home/mark/dwhelper/SCTV - Cronkite does _Dialing for Dollars_.flv" '
Debug: main: remove_lock: /home/mark/.config/umplayer/umplayer_init.lock
Debug: BaseGui::loadActions
Debug: ActionsEditor::loadFromConfig
Debug: BaseGui::initializeMenus
Debug: BaseGui::updateRecents
Debug: BaseGui::updateWidgets
Debug: MplayerProcess::parseLine: '/usr/bin/mplayer: error while loading shared libraries: libvpx.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory'
Debug: MyProcess::procFinished
Debug: MyProcess::procFinished: Bytes available: 0
Debug: MplayerProcess::processFinished: exitCode: 127, status: 0
Debug: MplayerLayer::playingStopped
Debug: Core::processFinished
Debug: Core::processFinished: we_are_restarting: 0
Debug: Core::processFinished: play has finished!
Debug: Core::processFinished: exit_code: 127
Debug: BaseGui::showExitCodeFromMplayer: 127
Debug: BaseGui::hideEvent

It finds the file, identifies it as a local file, but then gives an error.  The main error that I can see from above is:  

Code:

Debug: MplayerProcess::parseLine: '/usr/bin/mplayer: error while loading shared libraries: libvpx.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory'

I've pointed out this error ad nauseam in a previous post.  The result is a dark blank screen from UMPlayer (see attachment).  Xine was unable to play the flv video (see xine_error.png and xine_error2.png).  Xine begins to play the mp4 video, but then freezes two seconds into it (see screenshot "xine_error3.png).  I could not close xine.  It stayed open even after I closed the terminal that was running it and simply became a black screen.  The terminal, before closing it, simply read:

Code:

vector:/~/dwhelper
mark:$ xine SCTV\ -\ Cronkite\ does\ _Dialing\ for\ Dollars_.mp4
This is xine (X11 gui) - a free video player v0.99.7.
(c) 2000-2010 The xine Team.

I'll have to use xkill, and/or htop to find the process and kill it.

Dragon Player also gives no result from trying to play the mp4 file (see dragon.png):

Code:

vector:/~/dwhelper
mark:$ dragon SCTV\ -\ Cronkite\ does\ _Dialing\ for\ Dollars_.mp4
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: Phonon::createPath: Cannot connect  Phonon::MediaObject ( no objectName ) to  Phonon::VideoWidget ( no objectName ).
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: Phonon::createPath: Cannot connect  Phonon::MediaObject ( no objectName ) to  Phonon::AudioOutput ( no objectName ).
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: Phonon::createPath: Cannot connect  Phonon::MediaObject ( no objectName ) to  Phonon::AudioDataOutput ( no objectName ).
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
WARNING: bool Phonon::FactoryPrivate::createBackend() phonon backend plugin could not be loaded
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 2

PS, I do have w32codecs installed.

[sledgehammer]

  {In the same boat}, in the same situation or predicament.
      [Colloq.] --F. W. Newman.
      [1913 Webster]

Perhaps its your tie. 

[Lyn]

Same error messages here....

[uelsk8s]

it looks like the updated libvpx pkg may be broken.
I have:
/var/log/packages/libvpx-0.9.1-i586-1vl70
and:
/usr/lib/libvpx.so -> libvpx.so.0.9.1
/usr/lib/libvpx.so.0 -> libvpx.so.0.9.1
/usr/lib/libvpx.so.0.9 -> libvpx.so.0.9.1
/usr/lib/libvpx.so.0.9.1

[uelsk8s]

here is a new MPlayer pkg: http://vlcore.vectorlinux.com/pkg/untested/veclinux-7.0/x86/MPlayer-1.1-i586-1vl70.txz

It was built against the libvpx in the extra repo.
If you can test it and let me know if it works it would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Uelsk8s

[MarkGrieveson]

Hi uelsk8s,

I tried mplayer, but it didn't work.  I got the following read out when I first installed it:

Code:

.-----.-----------------------------------------------------------------------.
| 1/1 | Upgrading MPlayer-20101119-i586-1vl70 using MPlayer-1.1-i586-1vl70.tx |
'-----'-----------------------------------------------------------------------'

.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| MPlayer ()                                                                  |
|                                                                             |
|                                                                             |
|                                                                             |
| License: GPL                                                                |
| Authors:                                                                    |
| Website:                                                                    |
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'

Executing install script for MPlayer-1.1-i586-1vl70...
Removing package MPlayer-20101119-i586-1vl70-upgraded-2012-08-13,14:54:22...
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/es/encoding-guide.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/it/ports.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/it/skin.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/encoding-guide.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/faq.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/install.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/ports.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/skin.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /usr/doc/mplayer-20101119/DOCS/xml/zh_CN/video.xml (symlink) no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /etc/mplayer/codecs.conf.new no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /etc/mplayer/dvb-menu.conf.new no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /etc/mplayer/input.conf.new no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /etc/mplayer/menu.conf.new no longer exists. Skipping.
  --> /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf.new no longer exists. Skipping.

I tried using umplayer to play an mp4 and then an flv file.  Neither worked.  I then tried running mplayer alone and got the following feedback:

Code:

vector:/~/dwhelper
mark:$ mplayer
MPlayer 1.1-4.5.2 (C) 2000-2012 MPlayer Team
This codecs.conf is too old and incompatible with this MPlayer release! at line 6
Usage:   mplayer [options] [url|path/]filename

Basic options: (complete list in the man page)
 -vo <drv>        select video output driver ('-vo help' for a list)
 -ao <drv>        select audio output driver ('-ao help' for a list)
 vcd://<trackno>  play (S)VCD (Super Video CD) track (raw device, no mount)
 dvd://<titleno>  play DVD title from device instead of plain file
 -alang/-slang    select DVD audio/subtitle language (by 2-char country code)
 -ss <position>   seek to given (seconds or hh:mm:ss) position
 -nosound         do not play sound
 -fs              fullscreen playback (or -vm, -zoom, details in the man page)
 -x <x> -y <y>    set display resolution (for use with -vm or -zoom)
 -sub <file>      specify subtitle file to use (also see -subfps, -subdelay)
 -playlist <file> specify playlist file
 -vid x -aid y    select video (x) and audio (y) stream to play
 -fps x -srate y  change video (x fps) and audio (y Hz) rate
 -pp <quality>    enable postprocessing filter (details in the man page)
 -framedrop       enable frame dropping (for slow machines)

Basic keys: (complete list in the man page, also check input.conf)
 <-  or  ->       seek backward/forward 10 seconds
 down or up       seek backward/forward  1 minute
 pgdown or pgup   seek backward/forward 10 minutes
 < or >           step backward/forward in playlist
 p or SPACE       pause movie (press any key to continue)
 q or ESC         stop playing and quit program
 + or -           adjust audio delay by +/- 0.1 second
 o                cycle OSD mode:  none / seekbar / seekbar + timer
 * or /           increase or decrease PCM volume
 x or z           adjust subtitle delay by +/- 0.1 second
 r or t           adjust subtitle position up/down, also see -vf expand

 * * * SEE THE MAN PAGE FOR DETAILS, FURTHER (ADVANCED) OPTIONS AND KEYS * * *

vector:/~/dwhelper

[uelsk8s]

can you try "mplayer filename.flv"
I will try umplayer on the files i have later today.

[MarkGrieveson]

can you try "mplayer filename.flv"
I will try umplayer on the files i have later today.

Hi uelsk8s,

I tried some different files, and for the most part it does work (both mplayer and umplayer).  Some files don't work, but most do (IE, the file I first tried did not work, but most others have).  So, for the most part it seems to be fixed.  So, thanks for looking into that.

[uelsk8s]

do you know which codec was used to make the file that doesn't work?
If so maybe we can sort that one as well.

[sledgehammer]

I installed uelsk8s's mplayer and it works fine on everything I tried it on.  Earlier version did not work.

[Lyn]

I am afraid I reinstalled, wiping my home directory in the process (strange errors when I imported my profile when I tried to launch a graphical desktop - basically I couldn't - could only log on a root.  So can't test this error at the moment... hopefully I will not replicate this.