Slashdot Mirror
Are There Linux DVD Players on the Market?
Oops! I posted this story late on the 28th (with it scheduled to show up today) and had missed the LinDVD announcement. However, contrary to some of the comments that mention this point, this player is not yet on the market. It will be released "soon", but until it appears, it is still vapourware. It would be very cool if InterVideo would release a beta versions of their players so that we can see for ourselves how far along they are and how far they have to go. However this remains their decision. I wish them luck in their work, and am glad to see at least one company step up to the plate like this (even if it is only a binary player).
veldrane wanted to know if there was an actual player that he could go out and buy now, and according to Mark Litvak's comment in the original article, there should be one available.
I'm still wondering why he didn't mention any names if such an animal did exist.
Yes, the dxr2 drivers are nice. However, due to the propietary nature of the navigation files, many of the advanced features that make DVD so attractive are unavailable.
But perhaps more importantly, the Dxr2 has been out of production for over a year, making getting one very difficult
And note that the Dxr3 (and Sigma Hollywood+) are *not* supported as the chipset they use does CSS in software
A friend of mine just opened a comptuer store. A month ago he could buy dvd drives to sell for $70 (I think his retail would ahve been 70, but I'm not sure). Now he has trouble even getting them, and has to pay $150. (I think that is wholesale prices, even if his retail you get the idea)
In other words, you can't buy them anymore so it doesn't matter.
There was a DVD player in January. I watched Contact on it, but in the Linux world simply getting a solution out the door doesn't count. Only a clean, academic implementation of an MPEG2 decoder, built on dynamically linked plugins in ANSI C will suffice. It's merely a question of when the Linux DVD players will reach the standards of computer science in the Linux world.
I'll field that flamebait: whoever said I was a Linux advocate, dumb or otherwise?
I'm wearing my "free software advocate" hat, or maybe even my "open file formats" hat.
If the MPAA convince courts that distributing software to decode CSS is illegal, that means that Free software to view DVDs can never be distributed. I believe that everyone should have the right to write and distribute whatever software they like, under whatever terms they like.
--
i did say i was uniformed...
I love a man in uniform. Come over and sit by me sailor boy.
"Reactionaries must be deprived of the right to voice their opinions; only the people have that right." - Mao
Creative Labs Linux compatible DVD player and software is NO LONGER on the market. The Linux stuff from Creative was a joint effort with interested developers. Creative Labs told me point blank at the Linux Expo in NYC that they are holding up release of NEW DVD Software for their current offering BECAUSE of the Lawsuits brought by the Motion Picture industry.
THUS, not only is the DMCA preventing the distribution of DeCss, but they also KILLED Creatives plans for bringing out DVD for Linux.
There is no currently available DVD for Linux....if that was the only point.
They also killed off much of Broadcast2000, a great video editing package for Linux. So the issue is not just to have Software of a DVD player, but that it be open sourced
Ruben I Safir
http://www.mrbrklyn.com/amsterdam.html http://www.brooklyn-living.com
I spoke with him over the phone last week on this topic and he told me that Sigma Designs was the company he was talking about. I therefore emailed Sigma Designs, asking when their drivers will be out, yadda yadda.
Oh well. At least he was willing to tell me where to look.
-- dieman - Scott Dier
If you want to do it yourself, check out http://www.directron.com/bookpc.html.
Tasty little boxes, with S-Video, AV and VGA out, plus 4 channel stereo. I'm definatly considering one of these.
--
Why can't I moderate something "Wrong" or at least "Grossly Misinformed"?
Actually, nearly every surplus & closeout dealer on the net is selling DXR2 cards for $30.
This is just like television, only you can see much further.
Not only is it not completely open source (just the "unclassified" parts, which they expect the Linux community in general to write for them), you'll have to buy a whole new card (which, due to being aimed primarily at the server/kiosk market rather than the home video market, is currently MSRP at $200 ) to use it! They're not going to release Linux drivers for their Hollywood Plus, for no really good reason that they'll explain (something about being afraid it could be cracked and/or would violate their DVDCCA agreement or something).
Not only that, but they estimate it to be several months until it's ready.
The fact that it's not 100% open source I can deal with...but wanting me to buy a whole new $200 card just goes right out the window. (Or should that be the (MS) Windows? :) That it's being used in the fight against DeCSS is just the icing on an already bad-tasting cake.
Someone has announced they'll be trying to reverse-engineer the H+ drivers...I wish them all the best of luck and hope, if they're successful, that people mirror what they come out with before the company gets it shut down.
Editor Emeritus and Senior Writer, TeleRead.org
Of course they think we're idiots. We wouldn't have voted them into office otherwise, would we?
Re DST - join the movement. Don't set your clocks back. Get up an hour early and make your appointmenta, but when people notice that your clock is on normal time, take the opportunity to explain that
--
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Well.. we forgot the obligatory First Post, Hot Grits and Petrified Portman posts.. though they are just replies..
---
-
ping -f 255.255.255.255 # if only
HNN is reporting today
"contributed by Brad
It was only a matter of time. After all the bruhaha over DeCSS someone has finally created a legal DVD player for the Linux platform. LinDVD has been created and will be marketed by Intervideo for $29.95 and will be available this spring."Related links: Wired and Intervideo
Eve Fairbanks says I drive a hybrid!LOL
...but not posting it in a timely manner *cough* last week *cough* tends to be pretty embarrassing.
/. source: a method of retracting submissions once they become too old. Believe me, I would have taken advantage of that feature last Friday.
And not just for me.
I had this submitted last Wednesday or Thursday. The aforementioned article pretty much answered my question.
Idea for the next version of
-Vel
I ask this as an honest question. Here's why:
CNN is owned by Time Warner, which is a member of the MPAA. Is it possible, then, that CNN is deliberately biased in order to promote Time Warner's interests? or is this too far-fetched?
At the very least, when CNN reports on matters involving Time Warner, the RIAA or the MPAA, they should post a disclaimer stating that there is a conflict of interest involved.
I know it sounds dumb, but these huge conglomerates kind of scare me.
Take care,
Steve
========
Stephen C. VanDahm
This was not the point of our protest in DC. The point was to talk about the DMCA as a whole, and use DVDs as an example. The fact that the article which appeared on CNN (but came from IDG?) completely missed the point is, well... besides the point. Even if such a DVD player product exist, it is not Free and even if such a product was released under the Free Software Guidelines, it still wouldn't change the law, which was what the protest was about. I realize this post itself may be off topic, but I thought it important that this clarification be made. - Serge Wroclawski
I've been watching dvds in linux with my dxr2 decoder card for a long time now.
This isn't a linux-dvd player. It's a hardware player that works with linux. A true linux dvd player would be a solution that works no matter what model dvd player you use. Also, the new models in this line do CSS in software- which means to get the dx2, you have to find one... And they probably won't be around for too much longer...
Josh Sisk
Also, check out the links. Link to MPAA website, but no link to an pro-DeCSS website, only a link to tux.org that was thrown in there halfheartedly.
I have to say, though, that the part where they say there are no authorized Linux players was only citing what their interviewee said, so I wouldn't call that a scandal like the Slashdot headline said... it was just unbalanced reporting.
~Chris
In fact, just a couple of days ago, this /. article discusses how Intervideo expects to release a binary-only DVD player, but it's been vaporware so far. I'll believe it when I see it. The hardware-based standalone players are generally based on a handful of chipsets and custom non-any kind of Unix RTOS.
- -Josh Turiel
-- Josh Turiel
"2. Do not eat iPod Shuffle."
Hi, /. a couple of months ago regarding the upcoming LinDVD software DVD player from Intervideo and they finally ran the story the other day :-)
/. - that is IF they actually bother to post what I tell them :-)
/. search and LinDVD
/. even though we know /. is the lesser of many
/. held out so long on that story in the first place.
Yes, in fact there are DVD players available for Linux. I contacted
Anyway, the LinDVD software player was demonstrated at CEBIT several months ago and people reprted that it was very good. So this is not "vaporware" but rather "betaware" in that it exists and has been demonstrated but will not be released for a couple of months. I first spoke to Intervideo about LinDVD over a month ago and they said that they would announce LinDVD soon - they did. I have no reason to assume that there won't be a release by the summer.
There are also other players being developed that I have heard of, but I am not prepared to discuss the details of these just yet - suffice it to say that there are others.
On the non-commercial front, I can get about 15-20fps using the LiViD software and have just finished using the new rage 128 stuff to watch the Matrix fullscreen on my PII. I think anyone with around a PIII-500+ should be able to watch DVDs reasonably. I have also tried the Heroine XMovie stuff, which was very very nice but not that optimised (yet) although I think it's only time before that is very good also. Futhermore, Creative labs have done a reasonalbe job with their Linux DVD stuff also.
Those of you wishing to use WINE - you're out of luck since WINE presently doesn't handle the IO calls needed to handle DVD drives, although the Xing player will load, as will the version 1.0 beta of PowerDVD. I think it's only time before you'll be able to watch DVDs using PowerDVD 1.0 under WINE (later versions do not work properly and require M$ DirectCrap anyway).
So we have:
1). LinDVD is coming out in the next couple of months - I have no pricing details yet although I am being kept informed of the details as they emerge and will tell
2). DeCSS is still very much relevent as we want an open source player - LinDVD is based on WinDVD, which has it's faults.
3). Other players are being released later in the year - I will not provide details.
4). WINE won't help you yet, but will very soon I think.
5). LiViD is getting there - THEY REALLY NEED MMX OPTIMISERS - if you are a super genius mmx coder I'm sure they'd really want your help.
6). See below for some mails which are relevent.
Cheers,
Jonathan.
--
slashdot-comment-contact@easypenguin.co.uk
=== FROM Intervideo ===
Subject:
RE: LinDVD
Date:
Mon, 28 Feb 2000 15:56:23 -0800
From:
"Scott Marvin"
To:
"'Jon Masters'"
Hello Jon,
We are still approximately 3-4 weeks from releasing any information
regarding LinDVD.
Regards,
Scott
Scott Marvin
Sales Manager
InterVideo Inc.
mailto:scottm@intervideo.com
Office (510) 651-0888x305
Fax (510) 651-8808
Mobile (408) 781-2943
=== END ===
=== FROM Intervideo ===
Subject:
RE: Hi
Date:
Fri, 24 Mar 2000 19:51:01 -0800
From:
"kelly"
To:
"'Jon Masters'"
Dear Jonathan
Thank you for your e-mail. LinDVD is under consideration here, but at
present time, we offer no further information, other than the fact its going
to be released sometime later this year.
Regards,
Kelly Hsiao
Technical Support
InterVideo Inc.
=== END ===
=== FROM Slashdot ===
Subject:
Re: Linux DVD
Date:
Fri, 3 Mar 2000 03:16:31 -0500 (EST)
From:
hemos
To:
Jon Masters
We've been waiting on the official release - we don't have enough to link
to right now.
=== END ===
=== FROM Me To Slashdot ===
Subject:
Linux DVD
Date:
Thu, 02 Mar 2000 15:07:10 +0000
From:
Jon Masters
To:
hemos
Hi,
I'm not being a whinner and I wouldn't normally complain that my story
submission didn't get in, but this story should get on slashdot:
Intervideo, the guys who brought WinDVD are about to release a software
only DVD player for Linux called LinDVD. They'll be officially making an
announcement in 3-4 weeks time and the player will have similar system
requirements as the windows counterpart. Now if this story isn't
directly relevent to the current DVD Linux situation, I don't know what
is - please tell me why it's been rejected twice? Is it becasue the DVD
CCA and Forum have got to you guys and silenced you from publishing
anything relating to Linux and DVD? I've run a
isn't mentioned anywhere on the site so unless I'm missing something
this story is new.
Jonathan.
=== END ===
=== FROM Me To Slashdot ===
Subject:
LinDVD
Date:
Sat, 25 Mar 2000 22:02:31 +0000
From:
Jon Masters
To:
malda
CC:
hemos
Hi,
I notice there's still no word about LinDVD on
that it exists and that it is definatey being released later this year.
Can you tell me what further information you want before you can
announce this to the world? I think it's good not to announce this until
the right moment, after all, we don't want the DVD Forum and co. to use
this against the community however, I believe
evils in that you'll proably phase the announcemnt tactfully so that
this doesn't become negative.
If you want further info, I can try digging for you.
Cheers,
Jonathan.
=== END ===
=== FROM Me to Slashdot ===
Subject:
Re: LinDVD
Date:
Sat, 01 Apr 2000 00:00:20 +0100
From:
Jon Masters
To:
hemos
Hi,
Thanks for finally mentioning LinDVD.
Jonathan.
=== END ===
Hope this helps to clarify everything and I'd love to know why
Jonathan
http://www.jonmasters.org/
Well I know that Sigma Designs have announced their intentions regarding Linux...
http://www.sigmadesigns.com/press/000201.htm
Have a looksee
The guys at the Linux Video Project have been working on an Open Source DVD Player (among other things). Their DVD player looks like it will be great, but still needs some work in the performance area. I also suggest you check out their DVD Playing HOWTO.
On Friday March 31, /. ran this article about a Linux DVD player.
I have been playing my DVDs using my DXR2 card from Creative Labs, for months now. Though the software (The version I have is very basic, no forward and back, there may be a better version now) it works like a dream. No problems with CSS as the card handles that....
I play directly via the AC3 output to my widescreen TV. Not sure if graphics overlay works yet, though I don't like that mode. The software as is suits my needs perfectly. (Though I have been good and not bought any new DVDs).
Though the linux cache is quite amusing at times, with up to 15 minutes of my DVD in the cache...!
It is important to note that this in no way affects the credibility of DeCSS as a tool for the playback of DVDs on systems that do not yet have a software DVD player. Those systems may no longer include Linux, but they DO still include AmigaOS, BeOS, several commercial Unixes, OS/2, and BSD, among others.
Linux is far more than just x86 platforms. When I see source code (preferably clearly legally available) for a Linux DVD player, then we can say that there truely is a Linux DVD player. Until that time we can all suffer with kernel incompatabilities (especially once 2.4 comes out) caused by a binary-only release, along with a complete absence of support for platforms like Alpha, StrongARM, PPC, etc.
Cheers,
Toby Haynes
Anything I post is strictly my own thoughts and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the opinions of IBM.
Bringing out a closed-source, X86 binary only player for Linux does *not* get the MPAA off the hook as far as CSS is concerned. Simply substitute NetBSD, LinuxPPC, QNX, whatever, for "Linux", and make the same argument all over again.
--
They can't Open Source it. That would be violating their own collusion--err--consortium's charter. When such a player does show up, it will be closed source, so as to protect the already widely known trade secrets the lawsuits are trying to make us unknow. It won't be an effort to embrace another user community; it will be an effort to control yet another market segment.
--
This is not my sandwich.
A: Only one... per section
A2: Six
One to report the news "Lightbulb broken", One to post "Ask Slashdot: best way to screw a lightbulb", One to discuss patents about lightbulbs, One to report about the "Open Source Lightbulb Exchange Project" and finally JonKatz to write a meg about how the lightbulb soon will be obsolete in the digital age.
Six? yeah they count like they spell...
All opinions are my own - until criticized
Here's some important news I just made up.
In court today, Microsoft succesfully managed to gain an injunction against the Linux Operating system on the basis that it is a tool for piracy.
This was demonstrated by the Microsoft representatives using cat </dev/hda1 >/nfs/dev/hda1 to copy Windows98(tm) from one computer to another. They also claimed that Linux reverse engineered some of Microsoft's intellectual property including SMB.
Linux users claimed that Linux is useful as an OS for the PPC and Alpha platforms that MS wasn't supporting. MS pointed out that there were legal operating systems for these platforms and said words to the effect of "What are they cmplaining about.
In related news, programmer Linus Torvalds was arrested for his role in writing Linux, as well as a number of other international programmers.