Problem with --start-time

[relaht]

I can use --start-time <value> with no problems but if the movie is MPEG-2 it fails. (I can seek this files with the GUI with no problems)

Is there anything I can do to make it work with the command line?

[Sébastien Escudier]

I think it depends on the container.
The file must be seekable.
Maybe you can seek in the GUI, but it's not real seek, you cannot go at a precise position.

[relaht]

The container is .ts (transport stream)
A precise position is not that important for me, but I need to set the start position.
Any chance to do this?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Technically, MPEG-TS or MPEG-PS are not seekable file formats (that's why most hardware DVD players cannot seek except to chapters). To compensate, VLC will try to extrapolate the seek offset from the bandwidth estimate.

If you use start-time, then there is no bandwidth estimate, as the seek should occur right when the playback start, i.e. 0 bytes divided by 0 seconds is undefined. So it does not work.

[relaht]

I understand.
What if a play the movie for a couple of seconds ( is two enough? ) and seek than...?
Is this possible and if so, how can I do this?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

That should work somewhat yes.

[relaht]

Can you please give me a hint how I can do this.
I suppose I can not use the command line if VLC is already running!?!?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Indeed, you can't. You need to use one of the interfaces.

[relaht]

So - I'm trying and reading a lot, but still can't find out how to do this...

I'm starting VLC in a shell. The VLC is playing a movie. (This works just fine)
Now I want to reach this VLC and seek the movie to, lets say +5 minutes.

It is important that I do this by code and not with the GUI.
I can open a new shell to do this, or send html commands or what ever...
But I don't no what to do.

Please can somebody show me the way. An example would be so nice...

Thanks in advance.