May 2005 Archives

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May 15, 2005

VLC needs your help

At the moment we have several critical issues in audio and video that HAVE to be fixed for a new release. If anyone would care to assist, then we would be very much obliged.

- There is a first attempt at an auhal renderer. We need this because our current coreaudio module is and always has been broken. Continuing OSX upgrades however made the effects of it worse and worse. Currently the auhal renderer callback is not functioning. If you have experience in this area it is probably easy to fix. http://developers.videolan.org/cgi-bin/trac.cgi/changeset/11020 & https://developers.videolan.org/cgi-bin/trac.cgi/ticket/12

When this is fixed we still need to rewrite the digital audio renderer in CoreAudio (since this cannot be handled in AUHAL).

- there is an issue with the opengl renderer that sometimes crashes on OS X systems with Nvidia boards. See crashlog 2 of https://developers.videolan.org/cgi-bin/trac.cgi/ticket/45

- there is an issue with the quickdraw renderer in OSX Tiger 10.4 It crashes when drawing the window titlebar when you return from fullscreen to windowed mode. This crash may also occur with the opengl renderer, but this is currently uncertain.

If anyone is able to assist with any of these problems, please contact us on IRC (http://www.videolan.org/cgi-bin/irc/irc.cgi), the vlc-devel@videolan.org mailinglist, the fora (http://forum.videolan.org) or here.

It does not look like these issues will be solved in time before the Windows release is ready. Yet in it's current state even I prefer to use MplayerOSX. I have therefore made an important discission. I think we should no longer delay VLC as a whole due to problems with the OSX build. It's just not worth the waiting. If things are not fixed before the Windows build is ready, then the OSX port will just skip the 0.8.2 release. It seems the best solution for all parties, since the port just doesn't have the quality that people would expect and SHOULD expect from a release.

We can use much help on almost all audio, video and gui related areas for VLC OS X. There have been many complaints and annoyances ousted lately in the direction of VLC. Many new projects as GLPlayer, Xineplayer and other video players have been started. However not a single new (experienced) OS X developer has joined the VLC project for over 2,5 years now. Of that i'm rather disappointed. :(

It is annoying the hell out of me and it regurly makes me wanna think about pulling the OS X port alltogether. I have a feeling that my "limited" developer skills only keep the port alive and don't really benefit it. If the port was officially pulled, it might attract better people to work on it in a year or so.

However, not only is the program very dear to me, I am addicted to it. So I will keep committed to VLC OS X as I have been from the time it was the first MPEG-2 fileplayer for the Mac. "Keeping it running" is my goal. Would we have had more developers then we could focus on things like PVR functionality, DVR, in and output for QuickTime sources/devices, use of QT codecs, Webcam functionality, mozilla plugins, etc etc etc.

End Of Rant

Posted by The DJ at 04:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Posted in VideoLAN

May 13, 2005

They still don't get it.

Jim Kartes responded to Drunkenblog's accusations in a Publish.com article. Man these Maui X-Stream people must be so hugely dense. Of course drunkenbatman was quick to respond. The more attention these folks get the better. Idiots that they are.

Posted by The DJ at 11:52 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Posted in Open Source

May 11, 2005

Drunks won't keep quiet

Finally. Someone is daring to take on Maui X-Stream. drunkenbatman is going after them with a HUGE article. Many GPL and LPGL applications are used in their VX30 Suite and he brings it all together for us to read. Luckily he is backed up legally by a IP laywer firm.
Go get them boys !!!!!

Posted by The DJ at 11:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Posted in Open Source