VLC media player 0.8.5-test2 beta release

[xtophe]

Dear VideoLAN users,

The VideoLAN team is happy to announce the second beta version of VLC 0.8.5.

Highlights of the new features and improvements:
* Statistic system
* Linux DV input
* Audio CD improvements (CDDB)
* MacIntel support
* Many new and improved video filters
* New AJAX HTTP interface
* wxWidgets improvements (Drag'n Drop, VLM)
* Winamp 2 skin support
* Cook real audio codec
* MSN and Growl "Now playing" plugins
* Loads of bugfixes.

You can get a complete list by reading the release notes:
http://developers.videolan.org/vlc/NEWS

Changes since 0.8.5-test1 include:
* HTTP interface fixes + "Mosaic Wizard"
* XSPF playlist support
* Some more charset fixes
* Experimental behaviour change for framedropping
* Lots of bugfixes

Binary packages for Windows and MacOS X (ppc & x86) are available. You can
download those and the source code as well on:
http://downloads.videolan.org/pub/video ... 8.5-test2/

Remember that this is a beta version. Please test it heavily and report
bugs. Known bugs are registered in the trac database:
http://trac.videolan.org/vlc/roadmap

For the VideoLAN team,

[Tamisen]

The following error shows up in the error dialog at the end of playing any video file on OS X in fullscreen mode:

main: thread 2684415336: mutex_lock failed at misc/variables.c:805 (22:Invalid argument)
main: thread 2684415336: mutex_unlock failed at misc/variables.c:811 (22:Invalid argument)

The video plays all the way to the end and the fullscreen mode goes away properly, but the error dialog always comes up.

This is on OS X 10.4.5 on a dual G5 with three monitors (the video in fullscreen on the largest screen, which is also the one with the menubar). I also see the same error message in fullscreen mode using the Intel version on my MacBook Pro running 10.4.5.

The problem first showed up in vlc 0.8.5-test1, and is still present in test2.

[The DJ]

it's a known issue. it will be fixed.

[heffeque]

I spoted a bug. I was navigating in VLC with the http webpage interface, browsing my hard drive and added this entry "G:\eMule\Blood\[Dark-Subs]Blood+ 20 SubsEsp (Xvid).avi"

It showed ok in the web interface but it didn't play at all. I looked at the error report and it said it couldn't find the file. I rechecked and in the actual VLC it hace "G:\eMule\Blood\[Dark-Subs]Blood 20 SubsEsp (Xvid).avi" instead of "G:\eMule\Blood\[Dark-Subs]Blood+ 20 SubsEsp (Xvid).avi" Notice that the "plus" after Blood is missing. Just in case I tried with a video that had an @ in it and it didn't have any problem with it so it means that it might be only specific to the "plus".

[Guesticle.]

Sorry to sound stupid but... where IS it?

[Pit]

I cannot play DVD in this version.

[Guest]

The interface has improved - very nice!
Assigning arrow keys for shortcuts (jumping around in the media file) works now.

There's one small problem I found:
The Preferences interface for the shortcuts / hotkeys does not detect when the same key is assigned to more than one function. That can be confusing because then it seems that the key doesn't work, simply because it is already assigned to something else [which might be hidden in the "advanced" options].

[The DJ]

I cannot play DVD in this version.

WHAT O.S.? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[The DJ]

The Preferences interface for the shortcuts / hotkeys does not detect when the same key is assigned to more than one function. That can be confusing because then it seems that the key doesn't work, simply because it is already assigned to something else [which might be hidden in the "advanced" options].

That's a known problem, but it won't be fixed this release. It requires too much work.

[heffeque]

and what about the web interface problem with names with a "+" in it? I've only tried in windows, but it might be the same problem in other OS.

[Boba]

There is small problem with subtitles. Apparently it skips some lines of subtitle file.Until now I used vlc-0.8.5-svn-20060305-1518-win32 and everything was working well.

[Miguel_ULPGC]

With the "0.8.5test2 htttp interface", when you send a vlm command with contains file path....the symbol / disappears, and the file didn't work.....in the 0.8.5test1 this don't happening

thanks

[Miguel_ULPGC]

RTSP protocol don't wors properly........

thanks

[geo]

On MacOS X VLC kindly remembers the size of the playlist window, thanks.

However it does not remember the re-ordered columns Name Author Duration between launches.

I think the author field is redundant in most situations, and certainly not as important as Duration. It seems I'm forever widening the name field because the space is wasted by non-existant author info. My vote is for Author and Duration to be switched. [edit: I see this area is due to be worked on in 0.8.6]

Aspect change and cropping work well. Perhaps a keyboard shortcut command-4 for 4:3 and command-9 for 16:9. Suggest right-click in video window shows aspect popup.

My only other UI suggestion would be to add a hint to the streaming wizard indicating that multiple items can be chosen. "Choose multiple items with the command/ctrl key".

OSX Video looks very nice, fast too.

http interface: TTL value and SAP stuff not shown in destination MRL field.

Far out, a Mosaic wizard!

Quality work, as usual. Keep up the great work.

George

[unreg user]

what about ratdvd support?

[riggstfl]

what is the difference with the two. I am running a new mac mini intel Dual core. Which should I use?

[xtophe]

what is the difference with the two. I am running a new mac mini intel Dual core. Which should I use?

intel = x86
G5 = ppc

[schmuck]

There is a long-running bug in the installer. If you already have VLC installed and you run the installer (for instance, I am trying to upgrade from 0.8.5 Test1 to Test2), you get a message that VLC is already installed and an option to remove the previous version. If you choose "Yes" to remove, the next dialog box, after choosing the language, always indicated that VLC will be removed from "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC" - irrespective of where a user actually has the program installed. I do not have VLC installed there, but the setup program's uninstall process does not care and actually fails to remove it, because it's removing from the wrong place.

Another problem related to setup is that, if (in the above scenario) you chose "No" to not remove, the destination folder for "Choose Install Location" ignores the previous install and simply indicates "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC". Thus, the VLC installed simply initially detects the presence of a previous install but in subsequent operations simply ignores it alltogether.

Yet another nagging problem is the great difficulty in finding any option by which to change both file-type associations and Explorer extension apart from the setup dialog. Once the product is installed, there is nowhere in the GUI - at least none that I can find - to modify these settings.

Other than that, it is a pretty powerful player. But don't get me started on the GUI and useability.

Thanks

[xtophe]

There is a long-running bug in the installer. If you already have VLC installed and you run the installer (for instance, I am trying to upgrade from 0.8.5 Test1 to Test2), you get a message that VLC is already installed and an option to remove the previous version. If you choose "Yes" to remove, the next dialog box, after choosing the language, always indicated that VLC will be removed from "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC" - irrespective of where a user actually has the program installed. I do not have VLC installed there, but the setup program's uninstall process does not care and actually fails to remove it, because it's removing from the wrong place.

Another problem related to setup is that, if (in the above scenario) you chose "No" to not remove, the destination folder for "Choose Install Location" ignores the previous install and simply indicates "C:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VLC". Thus, the VLC installed simply initially detects the presence of a previous install but in subsequent operations simply ignores it alltogether.

Hmm indeed. any nsis guru in the room ?

Yet another nagging problem is the great difficulty in finding any option by which to change both file-type associations and Explorer extension apart from the setup dialog. Once the product is installed, there is nowhere in the GUI - at least none that I can find - to modify these settings.

This due to the multi OS character of VLC. I don't believe it's that hard to in the exporer option and change what you want.
If you want to change them all just rerun the installer

Other than that, it is a pretty powerful player. But don't get me started on the GUI and useability.

Well comments and idea (and patches) are welcome (in an other thread maybe). And you could also look at the skins and make one matching you criteria (and share it).

[The DJ]

and what about the web interface problem with names with a "+" in it? I've only tried in windows, but it might be the same problem in other OS.

This is under investigation. Basically it's an IE problem in that IE uses the '+' as an escape character for ' '. And now we have to deal with it

[The DJ]

There is small problem with subtitles. Apparently it skips some lines of subtitle file.Until now I used vlc-0.8.5-svn-20060305-1518-win32 and everything was working well.

Which subtitles and what do the Messages say ????
Please people. provide some info with your bug reports.
I keep asking for the same information, would save everyone a lot of time if I didn't have to do that.

[The DJ]

RTSP protocol don't wors properly........

Client or Serverside? Which RTSP link? There are like 4 RTSP protocols and all are very picky.

[The DJ]

However it does not remember the re-ordered columns Name Author Duration between launches.

I think the author field is redundant in most situations, and certainly not as important as Duration. It seems I'm forever widening the name field because the space is wasted by non-existant author info. My vote is for Author and Duration to be switched. [edit: I see this area is due to be worked on in 0.8.6]

Author == Artist, and with music it's kinda important. But indeed we might improve columns in general in the future.

Aspect change and cropping work well. Perhaps a keyboard shortcut command-4 for 4:3 and command-9 for 16:9. Suggest right-click in video window shows aspect popup.

Use 'a' and 'c' to switch aspect ratio's and cropping in Video's.

My only other UI suggestion would be to add a hint to the streaming wizard indicating that multiple items can be chosen. "Choose multiple items with the command/ctrl key".

OSX Video looks very nice, fast too.
http interface: TTL value and SAP stuff not shown in destination MRL field.

Far out, a Mosaic wizard!
Quality work, as usual. Keep up the great work.

George

[Snowflake]

Hi, I'm sorry to bother but it seems the skin2 interface makes the player crash.

[hi]

Hi
It is not the Galician language but there was it in the 0.84