9 replies to this topic

[athoik]

Hello everybody,


With the new Solo2 is it possible to play more codecs using the gst-ffmpeg package?

After installing the latest night build and gst-ffmpeg i only get sound (WMA) in the following stream rtsp://stream.omegatv.net/Live but not video (WMV).

I know that ffmpeg cannot work on older machines because their cpu is poor, but what about the new Solo2?

Do we need a patch against gst-ffmpeg in order to play WMV with software decoding?

Thanks for your help.

[MiLo]

I know that ffmpeg cannot work on older machines because their cpu is poor, but what about the new Solo2?

Older machines could decode WMV at something like 1/10th FPS. The CPU in the solo2 is about 2x to 4x faster (depending on the type of work). Calculating the resulting framerate for software deconding on the solo2 is left as an exercise for the reader...

[theparasol]

@Milo: cpu still to slow

[Erik Slagter]

Even IF it was possible to decode media using the cpu, on a stb, it still would be complete agains the whole concept of a stb, and you would get into all kinds of problems.

So, no matter how fast the cpu, for a stb, never rely on software video codecs, it's NOT going to work.

Actually, most of the time it's not too difficult to transcode a piece of media into something the stb can play.

Edited by Erik Slagter, 27 January 2013 - 19:42.

[athoik]

So, no matter how fast the cpu, for a stb, never rely on software video codecs, it's NOT going to work.

Then lets cross our fingers and hope for WMV and On2 VP6 codec support into drivers. At least WMV is out already from DM.

Actually, most of the time it's not too difficult to transcode a piece of media into something the stb can play.

There are many streams that use WMV and VP6, so it would be nice to be able to play them (without the need of VLC).


@Milo, thanks for the info.

[Erik Slagter]

Well, let's face it, a stb is designed for playing DVB-material. Mpeg2/mpeg4 are DVB standards, so they are supported well. Any other codecs are, well... a nice extra! A stb is really not a media player (unlike the marketing people like you to believe).

[littlesat]

In the netherlands, especially our public tv channels, do stream in wmv.... So a box with wmv is welcome here...

[Erik Slagter]

For that, the box should be marketed as "ip box" or "media box", not satellite or cable receiver

Edited by Erik Slagter, 28 January 2013 - 14:45.

[athoik]

For that, the box should be marketed as "ip box" or "media box", not satellite or cable receiver

Searching for "ip box" or "media box" with broadcom cpu (bmc7405) found the following links:

http://intercomventures.com/?p=stb
http://oregan.net/oem_solutions_hybrid_ip_and_broadcast.php

* High Definition MPEG 4 video decode(AVC / H.264 / WMV9 / VC1 / DivX / XviD )
* Standard Definition Sorenson Spark / ON2 decode

Does this mean, that BMC7405 is also capable for ON2 decoding? I cannot find something about ON2 decode on Broadcom site.

http://www.broadcom.com/products/Cable/Cable-Set-Top-Box-Solutions/BCM7405
http://www.broadcom.com/products/IPTV/IPTV-Solutions/BCM7405

So supporting whatever "cpu supports" actually depends on what licenses the DM / VU+ / ET/... payed for and how the box is marketed.

I hate marketing

[Erik Slagter]

The solo2 doesn't have a bcm7405, it has a 7356 iirc.