[MPlayer-users] vo_vesa introducing

[Nick Kurshev]

Hello!

I've done new video output plugin for mplayer - vesa.
Usage: mplayer -vo vesa filename.
What is it:
It's LRMI based code which supports video output through
VESA BIOS of your video card.
(LRMI - Linux real-mode interface.)
It works only on x86 system and only if your videocard has VBE 2.0 compatible BIOS.
It works everywhere if you has root privilegies, but it requires that you be a ROOT.

What's pluses:
- It works with any video hardware which has VESA VBE 2.0+ BIOS.
  ( If your hardware is not supported by Linux it will work on it anyway ).
- You can forgot about tv-out problems. (VESA VBE 2.0 specifies that if
  video hardware has more than one video out, then BIOS should perform copy
  of first head on every other.
- It uses native driver which is names VIDEO BIOS and which was designed
  by OEM vendor.
- You don't need have any graphics related things (like X11, fbdev and so on).
  (After mplayer terminating it returns to original video mode).
- ...
What's minuses:
- It's first alpha release of driver.
- Currently it works only with RGB(16-32) and BGR(16-32) video formats.
  (YUV is not supported). But I thing it's not big problem.
  (Anyway - we have Arpi and other developers for suggestions and feedback ;-)
- It slower than native Linux drivers (like mga, dga, xv, x11 and so on)
  and requires enough power CPU but it can be speedup (there are possibilities;).

Any suggestions, feedback, reports are gladly accepted.

Best regards! Nick