Pocket PC

[Vampus1969]

When will this software be available for pocket PC?

[xzaloox]

hm.. whem ??

[The DJ]

Very Soon Now

[cyberdrn]

I really want/need vlc for pocket pc. any estimated date?

[The DJ]

Last i heard was 2nd of July.

[Mixer Anderson]

I've just released for my first version of VLC for Pocket PC.
You can download it at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/vlcpocketpc

The release VLC-0.7.1 (from 30/04/2004 cvs) have features such as :
an input access of local files, HTTP streaming, UDM unicast/multicast streaming.
an audio playing of PCM, LPCM, ADPCM (WAV), MP3, OGG Vorbis.
a video playing of MPEG-1/2/4 (MPG, AVI, OGM), DivX, XviD, Cinepak.
some GUI features (playlist, audio/video/networks preferences
, etc).

The main goal of my project to port VLC was to multicast DivX over Wifi to PDA. And it works !

Nevertheless this release suffers from some memory leaks (audio output waveout, big DivC files, etc); it is not full-optimized for Pocket PC (FFMPEG have to be optimized for it); and (finally) the GUI is not finished (pref menu, streamout, etc).
So there are still works for summer holidays. And I'll hope that the next release will be much more stable !

But for the moment please enjoy a new software for playing MPEG-1/2/4 on Pocket PC and with streaming features !

[hans-jürgen]

But for the moment please enjoy a new software for playing MPEG-1/2/4 on Pocket PC and with streaming features !

Do you plan to support AAC audio decoding and encoding as well as the MP4 container format, too? And why did you create a separate SourceForge project for the PocketPC version of VLC?

[Mixer Anderson]

for the moment, aac codec hasn'tbeen compiled for pocket pc. But it should be very possible to do. i don't know if at audiocoding.com, you've compiled faad2 for pocket pc. But it seems that GPAC sourceforge project did it. Moreover if faad2 has already a visual c version, wince port should be easy. According to mp4, it is just a container, no big portage pb !
So it can be done ! But i cannot care about it before 22/07 (homeless and therefore computerless ).
About the sourceforge project, i also think it will be better to include wince portage in videolan. But I need to clean my source code before. While waiting to a cleaner and more stable release, I will use the free sourceforge account to offer my work to OpenSource community. ^_^

[hans-jürgen]

for the moment, aac codec hasn'tbeen compiled for pocket pc. But it should be very possible to do. i don't know if at audiocoding.com, you've compiled faad2 for pocket pc. But it seems that GPAC sourceforge project did it. Moreover if faad2 has already a visual c version, wince port should be easy.

I know that there exist compiled ARM versions of FAAD2 and also FAAC, the encoder, but not as a part of the open source FAAC project, rather outside (use rpmseek.com to find them). And FAAD2 has an internal fixed-point compiling option, so I guess it's not a big deal at least for the decoder. And yes, GPAC/Osmo4 is the only WinCE option for MPEG-4 playback until now if you don't count the Philips platform4 player that isn't supported or officially provided anymore. But from estimating the amount of questions about an available WinCE MPEG-4 player I would guess that your port will find many friends soon.

According to mp4, it is just a container, no big portage pb !

Hear! Hear!

So it can be done ! But i cannot care about it before 22/07 (homeless and therefore computerless ).

OK, I'll announce your WinCE port on the Audiocoding.com forum as an alpha version then that people should use with care for now.

About the sourceforge project, i also think it will be better to include wince portage in videolan. But I need to clean my source code before. While waiting to a cleaner and more stable release, I will use the free sourceforge account to offer my work to OpenSource community. ^_^

Good luck!

[Sigmund]

I might at this point add that VLC does support AAC playback on arm(iPaq) provided the unit run linux.

[edwardyue]

Hi all,
I encounter so many problem for comiling vlcpocketpc by evc.
For example, I do not know how to produce freetype.lib
and I do not know which plugin is needed. What library should I include?
So does anyone can post a detail readme that teach me the procedure how to compile the program?
Also is the program works in emulator?And if so, how to do it?
Thank your very much
BEST REGARDS,
Edward

[MixerAnderson]

I hope this will help!

[you won't need freetype.lib unless you want to compile plugin_misc_freetype.dll project.]

========================================================================
Developper Note
========================================================================

*** Building environnement ***

The targeted OS.

Before downloading any compiler or SDK, please choose the targeted OS for your compilation.
The OS can be chosen by watching your Pocket PC device :
if your platform is a Pocket PC 2002, your OS is Windows CE 3.0
if your platform is a Pocket PC 2003, your OS is Windows CE 4.0 or .NET

The compiler.

Vindows CE portage of VLC uses the Microsoft Embedded Visual C++ compiler (EVC).
This cross-compiler is freely given in Microsoft's website in the Embedded Visual Tools (EVT).

The Sowtware Development Kit (SDK)

Used by compiler, the SDK permits to build for a specifit CPU (ARM, ARMv4, MIPS, SH3, SH4, etc).
AS the compiler, the SDK has to be chosen according to the targeted OS.

ActiveSync

Please do not forget to install ActiveSync !

Windows CE 3.0

If your OS targeted is Windows CE 3.0, you should download EVC 3 and the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 SDK (for ARM).
The compiled software will be able to work on Pocket PC 2002 and also on Pocket PC 2003 devices.

Windows CE 4.0

If your OS targeted is Windows CE 4.0, you should download EVC 4 and EVC4 Service Pack 3 and the Microsoft Pocket PC 2003 SDK (for ARMv4).
The compiled software will be able to work only on Pocket PC 2003 devices. But it will be faster than a software compiled for Windows CE 3.0

*** Working environnement ***

Since you have download EVC and SDK, you can download the sources of VLC and the extern libraries on sourceforge's website :
http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/vlcpocketpc

VLC-sources : contains the sources and the workspaces for EVC3 (PPC2002) and EVC4 (PPC2003).
STL_eVC : contains include files NEEDED by many VLC plugins for WinCE compilation.

Other zip files contains extern libraries sources and also workspaces for EV3 and EV4.
Each library is a static library NEEDED by specific plugins.
faad2-2.0 : is necessary for plugin_codec_faad.dll compilation (AAC codec).
ffmpeg-cvs-2004-04-16 : is necessary for plugin_codec_ffmpeg.dll compilation (MPEG 1/2/4, DivX, etc codec).
freetype-2.1.7 : is necessary for plugin_misc_freetype.dll compilation (truetype font management).
libmad-0.15.0b : is necessary for plugin_audiofilter_mpgatofixed32.dll compilation (MP3 codec).
libogg-1.0.1 : is necessary for plugin_demux_ogg.dll compilation (OGG demuxer).
libvorbis-1.0.1 : is necessary for plugin_codec_vorbis.dll compilation (OGG Vorbis codec).
mpeg2dec-0.4.0 : is necessary for plugin_codec_libmpeg2.dll compilation (MPEG 1/2 codec).
SDL-1.2.7 : is necessary for plugin_audiooutput_sdl.dll and plugin_videooutput_sdl.dll compilation.

Due to relative paths in project's settings, the directories of your working environnement should be as the following one :

faad2-2.0
-- libfaad
-- --libfaad2.vcw
ffmpeg-cvs-2004-04-16
-- libavcodec
-- -- libavcodec.vcw
freetype-2.1.7
-- evc
-- -- freetype.vcw
libmad-0.15.0b
-- evc
-- -- libmad.vcw
libogg-1.0.1
-- EVC
-- -- libogg.vcw
libvorbis-1.0.1
-- EVC
-- -- libvorbis.vcw
mpeg2dec-0.4.0
-- evc
-- -- libmpeg2.vcw
-- -- mpeg2dec.vcw
SDL-1.2.7
-- VisualCE
-- -- SDL
-- -- -- SDL.VCW
stl_EVC
vlc-0.7.1
-- EVC
-- -- VLC.vcw

Please do not forget stl_EVC files ! Especially if you have got errors such as "missing files ...".

*** First compilation ***

Open the VLC workspace "VLC.vcw" in the EVC directory of vlc-0.7.1
The workspace should be opened with EVC3 or EVC4.

In the left panel, you will see the list of projects.
One project is libVLC.vcp, the static library interfacing with VLC executable.
One project (the last one) is VLC.vcp, the executable.
Other projects are dynamic library (the plugins).

Select the Vlc project (the last one) and set it as the active project.

Set the active platform between the following one :
Pocket PC 2002 Device, Pocket PC 2002 Emulator, Pocket PC 2003 Device, Pocket PC 2003 Emulator

Set the active configuration between the following one :
Win32 (WCE ARM) Debug, Win32 (WCE ARM) Release, Win32 (WCE ARMV4) Debug, Win32 (WCE ARMV4) Release
Release mode is much faster. But Debug mode enables debugging with EVC.

Ready to build ! Build it !

*** Compilation Settings ***

Check the settings of VLC project.

In the "Debug" tab :

-download directory : \Program Files\VLC
this is the path where EVC will copy VLC.EXE in your Pocket PC.
if you watch the Settings of a plugin project, you will see \Program Files\VLC\plugins

-Program arguments : -vvv
this is the command option added to the .EXE when it is executed by EVC.

In the "C/C++" tab : select "Preprocessor" category

-Preprocessor Definitions :
contains necessary macros (WINCE,UNDER_CE,WIN32,__VLC__) for WinCE compilation
if you create a new plugin, do not forget to add the following macros : __PLUGIN__,WIN32,UNDER_CE,WINCE,MODULE_NAME=XXX,MODULE_NAME_IS_XXX,__VLC__
Moreover the plugins using extern libraries need more macros.

-Additionnal Include Directory : .,../include,../../stl_eVC
the plugins using extern libraries need more include directories.

In the "Link" tab : select "Input" category

-Object/library modules :
where are added the extern library (winsock.lib, gx.lib, SDL.lib, ...)

-Additionnal library path :
where are the path of the libraries

*** GOOD LUCK ***

For more information, please do not hesitate to ask me at
cedric_marodon@yahoo.fr
or send a post in VLC forum
http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/vlcpocketpc
or
http://www.videolan.org

[edwardyue]

Hi, MixerAnderson

Thank you very much
The information is very very useful.
But I still cannot find
freetype-2.1.7
-- evc
-- -- freetype.vcw
in the source code that i downloaded in http://sourceforge.net/projects/vlcpocketpc
where i can find this ?

Also I have tried to run the binary of vlc for PPC2003 in my WINCE arm platform, but i cannot display any video. For playing AVI,even though it cannot display video, it is very slow(I know it by looking at the time slider). Do you know what cause it?

Moreover, is vlcpocketpc able to play wma and wmv?

Thank your very much
Best regards,
Edward

[Mixer Anderson]

I forgot to add freetype source to the sourceforge website. This mistake has just been corrected now. Anyway this source is not very important (it is only necessary if you wish to build the freetype plugin for subtitles).

About the video, I've got the same pb with some people. I am checking if this could be specific to some device or not. But first of all can you check the resolution of your video ? The VLC I built for Pocket PC is slow, as you say, even for high-speed processor. I could play fine 240x180 DivX with no problem with a 400MHz ARMv4 device (Dell Axim X3). If you need to resize your AVI, please use PocketDivXEncoder ! (a friend's software)

Finally about the wma/wmv, this is still not an available codec for WinCE port of VLC. But it is possible to port the WM part of ffmpeg for winCE ^_^

[edwardyue]

Thx so much...the information help me a lot...

BTW, when do u decide to port the WM part of FFMPEG to WinCE?
^_^

Best Regards,
Edward

[DVR]

Hi everyone,

I have an HP iPAQ Pocket PC model h5555, which has a 400 MHz PXA255 processor. I am currently running Windows CE Version 4.20.1081 and have loaded the vlc-0.7.1 binaries on the Pocket PC.

I tried playing a number of MPEG 1 and 2 files that were encoded with bit rates from 1.5 MBits/sec to 3.0 MBits/sec. Whenever I played these files the video would be very jerky and the audio would break up. These video clips were stored on the Pocket PC itself.

Has anyone experienced similar problems with this? What am I doing wrong? Thanks for all your help.

DVR

[The DJ]

3Mb/s?
I doubt the iPAQ is strong enough to handle that kind of video.

[edwardyue]

Hi,
Could you give me some idea for adding WM part to the ffmpeg such that the program can play wma/wmv?

Also is it support to play mjpeg avi?

Best Regards
Edward

Thank you very much~

[Mixer Anderson]

First of all, open libavcodec.vcw in ffmpeg-cvs-2004-04-16\libavcodec !
You will find the libavcodec project which build the static library libavcodec.lib. All my source modifications can be found with finding the "WINCE" macro.

If you watch "allcodecs.c" files in the project files, you will find that
register_avcodec(&wmv1_decoder);
register_avcodec(&wmv2_decoder);
register_avcodec(&wmav1_decoder);
register_avcodec(&wmav2_decoder);
are not under "WINCE" macro!
Add them and try to build the project!
Many errors will appears, and particulaly some linking error! Add the specific files and do the windows ce modification (should be few) in order to compile the missing functions !

When your extended library will be built, you can open the vlc.vcw and rebuild the ffmpeg plugin with the new library.

Good luck

[edwardyue]

Hi,
I have followed your method and succefully complie the code.
But the vlc still cannot play wma.
Do u know what's wrong with it?
And Did your code play wma successfully?

Best Regards,
Edward

P.S. thx your help

[edwardyue]

Hi Mixer Anderson,
I have download the faad2.zip and sucessfully complied the .lib file.
So what is the next step?
The program still cannot play mp4 and aac file.
Could you help me and give me some idea?
Best Regards
Edward

[Mixer Anderson]

After compiling faad2, you can try to compile the plugin_codec_aac with vlc.vcw. It has been already done, so it should works fine ! Now you've got the codec. (Note that you can directly download the plugin_codec_aac from sourceforge website from now on).

Still stay the container : plugin_demux_mp4 ! And a developer has already succeeded to build it. Here are its remarks :
I was able to play out mp4 files with very little modification to the source code.
I can't upload the source code from my place hence I am just listing the steps to get it working.
1. Instead of io.h I am using stdio.h.
2. Modified the function GetSCIData in drms.c file. Instead if fstat function use the equivalent GetFileSize in Windows.
3. Modify HashSystemInfo function to return 1. This has some apple specific code.
4. Modify GetiPodID function to return 0. (This seems to be specific to Apple)
5. Modify WriteUserKey() function to do nothing.

So it should not be very difficult to compile this plugin. Everything will be included in the future (when?) version.

With the 2 plugins, you should be able to watch your MP4 before everybody on your PDA

[edwardyue]

Hi Mixer Anderson,
But where can i download the plugin_codec_aac.vcw and plugin_demux_mp4.vcw?
I cannot find in your source code and in sourceforge website.
Could you pls post the link ?

Thank you so so so much~!!!!
Best Regards,
Edward

[zorglub]

By the way, when do you intend to merge your code into the main tree and officially announce the port ?

I think it would be killer if it could be done before 0.8.0, of course

[edwardyue]

Hi Mixer Anderson,

Where can i download the plugin_codec_aac.vcw and plugin_demux_mp4.vcw? I am very interested to add the mp4 and wma features to the vlcpocketpc.
Could you post the link to me?

Thank you very much
Best Regards
Edward