GNU/Linux / Playing Windows Media

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[edit] The options

Technical Quality Licensing
MPlayer A mediocre solution Free software wrapped around proprietary DLLs
Fluendo Supposedly great Non-free, licensed from Microsoft
RealPlayer Probably decent, if it actually exists Proprietary, but perhaps 0-money "free"
...

[edit] Fluendo

Ryan Paul (January 15, 2007). Fluendo makes proprietary codecs available to Linux users (http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070115-8624.html). Retrieved on 2007-05-11 11:18.

In response to the growing demand for proprietary multimedia codecs on the open-source Linux platform, multimedia software development company Fluendo has released GStreamer codec plugins that provide native support for a variety of proprietary media formats. Available from Fluendo's web shop, several of the plugins facilitate encoding as well as playback. In order to provide these codecs without risking legal conflict, Fluendo has properly licensed the relevant patents on the various formats from their respective holders.

Currently, many Linux video applications facilitate Windows Media video playback using Windows DLL files and Wine, which provides suboptimal performance, particularly with streaming video. Additionally, proprietary codec support in many current open source media players potentially constitutes patent infringement. Fluendo's codecs could potentially provide better integration for streaming Windows Media playback in Linux web browsers as well as through GStreamer-based desktop applications like Totem.


[edit] RealPlayer

CNET News.com: Stephen Shankland (August 15, 2006). Real to plug Windows media support into Linux: Will release open-source software that lets Windows video and audio format files play on a Linux computer. (http://www.news.com/2100-1025_3-6105970.html). Retrieved on 2007-05-11 11:18.

Currently, Linux users can play Windows Media Video (WMV) and Windows Media Audio (WMA) content if they install closed-source modules, said Jeff Duchmann, general manager of client and digital rights management technologies at RealNetworks. As a result of a licensing deal RealNetworks signed with Microsoft and its settlement of an antitrust suit against the software giant, RealNetworks will build the Windows Media support into its proprietary RealPlayer for Linux software, the company said.

However, the software won't support digital rights management available with Windows, he added.


[edit] MPlayer

http://www.news.com/5208-1025_3-0.html?forumID=1&threadID=20240&messageID=175049&start=0. Retrieved on 2007-05-11 11:18.

MPlayer can only play Windows Media Player files using the closed source DLL from Microsoft and some glue code.


[edit] Streaming Windows Media video

[edit] Tried VLC media player

I could listen to it, but not watch it. The window resized to the correct resolution (I believe), with a very dark blue rectangle in the middle with pure black margins on the left and right, but no actual video content appeared.

Going to Stream and Media Info, I found this information about the video stream:

  • Stream 1
    • Codec: WMV3
    • Type: Video
    • Resolution: 320x240
    • Codec Name: Windows Media Video 9

[edit] Tried MPlayer

==========================================================================
Requested video codec family [wmv9dmo] (vfm=dmo) not available.
Enable it at compilation.
Requested video codec family [wmvdmo] (vfm=dmo) not available.
Enable it at compilation.
Opening video decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg's libavcodec codec family
Selected video codec: [ffwmv3] vfm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg M$ WMV3/WMV9)
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Forced audio codec: mad
Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
AUDIO: 8000 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 12.0 kbit/4.69% (ratio: 1500->32000)
Selected audio codec: [ffwmav2] afm: ffmpeg (DivX audio v2 (FFmpeg))
==========================================================================

I could listen to it, but not watch it. A small window opened up with a black background, but no actual video content appeared.

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