[MPlayer-users] XVideo output fails unless Xine is also running

[Ben Liblit]

I've uncovered a few additional clues regarding this problem.  First, to
quickly recap what we already knew:

  - If another process is already using XVideo, then MPlayer gets XVideo
    port 120 from adapter 1 ("NV05 Video Blitter") and works correctly.

  - If no other process is already using XVideo, then MPlayer gets
    XVideo port 119 from adapter 0 ("NV01 Video Overlay") and shows a
    black window instead of video.

Now the new information:

  - On a fresh display, before running Xine for the first time,
"xvinfo"     reports that the XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY boolean attribute is
set to
    true (1) on adapter 0 ("NV01 Video Overlay").

  - After running Xine at least once, "xvinfo" reports that the
    XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY boolean attribute is set to false (0) on
    adapter 0 ("NV01 Video Overlay").

  - When I first log in, MPlayer can run correctly, with no other
    processes running, using port 119.  However, after I have run Xine
    at least once, MPlayer is no longer able to use port 119 correctly.

  - If I run a tiny little program that just sets XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY
    back to true (1) on adapter 0 ("NV01 Video Overlay"), MPlayer is
    once again able to use port 119 correctly.  This lasts until the
    next time I run Xine, which sets XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY to false (0)
    again.

  - Adapter 1 ("NV05 Video Blitter") has no XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY
    attribute at all.  When MPlayer fails to get port 119 and uses
    port 120 instead, it is using this adapter 1.  Thus, the value of
    XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY doesn't matter.  This explains why MPlayer
    *always* works when using port 120.

So I seem to have found a workaround without really understanding why it
works.  The workaround is for MPlayer to set XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY to
true if that attribute is supported by the XVideo adapter it has decided
to use.

Questions I'm left with:

  - Just what *is* XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY, anyway?

  - How come Xine doesn't seem to need XV_AUTOPAINT_COLORKEY to be true
    in order to work properly, while MPlayer does?

  - Is the workaround I suggest above reasonable enough to make part of
    the standard MPlayer XVideo output driver?  If so, I'd be happy to
    prepare / test / submit a patch.

Cheers!