[MPlayer-users] two cents: why dvdnav is needed

[ephemeron at softhome.net]

On Sun, 02 Mar 2003 18:40:30 -0800,
La Temperanza wrote:
> 
> [Automatic answer: RTFM (read DOCS, FAQ), also read
> DOCS/bugreports.html]
> I have a bunch of Excel Saga anime DVDs. The Japanese cultural
> references in this series are even more obscure then in most
> anime, and the publisher has thoughtfully provided a feature
> called "AD Vid-Notes" which pop up on the screen and explain
> them. Unfortunately, they are turned off by default, and thus
> without dvdnav I would be unable to use them.

They are probably just subtitles. I've seen soemething similar in
the Spiderman DVD. MPlayer can show them. How about trying all
the subtitle IDs listed by -sid 0 -v?

> I'm sure there are many other cases where the options menu of a
> DVD contains more then just the basics. Parental controls come
> to mind.

What for? If your kid is intelligent enough to use MPlayer,
s/he'll probably figure out a way to get rid of them.

> And what about extras which are not in MPEG form, like image
> galleries?

I've seen nothing useful in a DVD menu that can't be accessed by
some combination of -dvd -chapter -sid -aid. If you want the
stars' bio and photos, the proper tool for the job is Google.

> If you're that dead-set against dvdnav, you can implement some
> arcane system of accessing these kinds of things via the
> command line and I'll be happy too. :p