[MPlayer-dev-eng] Question regarding mplayer and X

[Stephen]

Hi there,

Following the discussion here:
http://lists.mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mplayer-dev-eng/2010-September/066070.html

I am trying to get electricsheep running as an animated desktop under a
compositing window manager combined with fluxbox under X11.  Strictly
speaking I only use fluxbox for window tiling as I used xbindkeys.  I've
been having some serious trouble getting mplayer to render to the root
window in a reliable manner.

First, I was hoping that you could clarify specifically how X11 treats the
window separately from other windows.  I have everything working perfectly
when electricsheep .avi's are rendering to a window.  Passing the '-rootwin'
argument, or more circuitous routes (xwininfo . . .) result in the video
rendering and the other windows briefly coming up for air between frames,
basically flickering.  I don't understand this behavior.

Second, I'm running the bumblebee project on an optimus system and
essentially have arbitrary access to either the GPU or GMA (vglrun).  Is
there a way to use '-vo directfb' to create a true video desktop (not dfbg
.gif) image that won't interfere with fluxbox menus, my crazy
fluxbox-remote+xbindkeys evilwm style window management, or desktop
menus/icons as they may apply?  I don't like that I can zap my background
video, that it's technically a window which prevents wm management of the
root window, or that it severely constrains my options with regards to
compositing WM's.

Thanks,
kba