[vdr] Re: Playing DVD ?

[Jörg Knitter <joerg.knitter@gmx.de>]

> Werner Fink wrote:
>
> On Tue, Aug 26, 2003 at 09:50:23AM +0200, Jörg Knitter wrote:
> > cause the plugin/VDR to crash
> > - 24 Bit/96 kHz PCM is not being played (e.g. Queen - Greatest video
> hits)
> 
> Explain me how the hardware of the DVB card can put out 24Bit@96kHz PCM
> on its S/P-DIF.  The DVB card supports 16Bit@48kHz or less.  The analog
> part is very pure, therefore I use S/P-DIF only (yes this makes a BIG
> difference on my A/V-Amplifier which also supports 24Bit@96kHz) ... but
> for 24Bit@96kHz you need the appropiate hardware (e.g. a sound card which
> supports this and have a slave mode S/P-DIF connector for synchronize it
> with the DVB card).

What about downsamplling? Thatīs what my DVD player also does. Additionally,
there is also no sound on the analog out of the DVBs, so this disc can not
be played with sound.

> Then you've to modify the DVD plugin to put the 16Bit@48kHz PCM to
> the DVB card and the 24Bit@96kHz to the sound card ... you may use the
> bitstreamout plugin and remove the 96kHz check at the PCM check add the
> appropiate initializations at the S/P-DIF part I've dropped and then
> you can hope the ALSA supports 24Bit@96kHz on your 250Euro sound card ;^)

The SBAudigy is currently at around 100 Euro. But I donīt know about the
linux driver quality...

> Nevertheless, IMHO this combination can not replace a good DVD player
> without heavily reworking the DVD plugins and parts of the ALSA
> libs and kernel interface for some sound cards (if you get the specs
> >from the hardware vendors).  And AFAIK the DVD plugin is currently not
> maintained.

What I donīt like is the fact that you now donīt only need to buy a new PC
every 2-3 years, but also new hifi equipment. Thatīs also the reason why I see
the extensible PC in the living room as a multimedia center. All people talk
about this new digital receivers with HD recorders, but I donīt like them as
you 1. donīt know if you can rip the stream off the HD, 2. donīt have
features like MHP as this is in development 3. Premiere does not work, etc.. And
all those disadvantages are caused by hard- and software limitations. Thatīs
why I like VDR as it is an open system. The other guys argument that they never
archive their videos and that they donīt need MHP...
Second example: DivX playback. There is still no DVD player out that plays
all DivX formats without errors. And thatīs again why I like the PC solution
and VDR.
The only not-really-working thing on VDR is the DVD playback - and thatīs
really a pity as some hardware players still have limitations with certain DVD
media and formats like miniDVD.

But to be really honest: If DVD, DivX etc. playback over DVBs was possible
on windows (e.g. a working DirectShow output filter), I probably would switch,
as the technical infrastructure is available and working. I could use
libraries from WinDVD or PowerDVD and get near-error-free DVD Playback, I could
play any video format on the DVBs I like (compared to MPlayer). The only
difference would be the user interface, but with Girder you could build a similar
environment like on VDR. But as this is not possible and VDR works well, I will
have to live with the DVD plugin disadvantages - or buy a stand-alone just
for DVD playback as nearly everything else works with VDR.
Now you can start flaming ;-)

Jörg



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