[Mplayer-users] Frame Drops

[Arpi]

Hi,

> > Did kernel 2.2.x do disk caching differently from 2.4.x?
> > If not, is there any problem associated with 2.4.4?
> > Is it possible to tell mplayer to cache the next couple of mb
> > in memory?
> That would only increase your problem - if it would cache large chunks,
> cdrom would have the time to spin down, so your movies would be broken
> into parts as large as memcache. Hmm only thing mplayer could do is play
> commercials until your cd spins up.
Great idea! :)))))

Anyway, I'll integrate CACHE system (see TOOLS/cache2.c) into mplayer
streaming code, and it will hopefully solve these problems.
It will fork() another process which will keep a few MB buffer filled with
data from input media, while mplayer process can play without blocking.
Depending on bitrate and selected buffer size, it can allow 10-30 sec of
input blocking (long spin-up or short network break) too.

But integrating this code isn't so simple as you think...
As I have to implement seeking too, and perfect communication between
the 2 processes, what is not simple:
- avoid race condition (mostly on SMP systems)
- do not block CPU (using fifo for blocking when waiting for the other
process)
- DVD ifo stuff and the whole network stuff will be in cache process,
  so controlling DVD playback and other parameters will be hard...
  (command should be send and acked over shmem or fifo)
- it should be optional - has no sense for HDD playback but eats memory

I'll do that as soon as i get some more free time...


A'rpi / Astral & ESP-team

--
mailto:arpi at thot.banki.hu
http://esp-team.scene.hu

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