RockPlayer 1.5 Update

[Guest JingleManSweep]

Just got an update for RockPlayer (a pretty decent video player). The latest 1.5.x release adds network streaming (via browser integration) and optimisations for Tegra 2 hardware.

First impressions are as follow:

I thought I'd test the network streaming (and after a couple of minutes of playback), I am suitably impressed. I basically symlink'd my media files to my web server root folder, although you can just copy them if you don't understand symlinking. I run Debian (which is what Ubuntu is based on) on my home server. This server has Apache 2 web server running. I then browse to the servers IP address on the Vega browser (e.g. http://192.168.1.100/media). I can then browse my media files using Apache's file browsing index pages. Just click on a video file (I chose a 4GB DVD-Rip). A prompt appears asking me application to use, so just select "Rock Player" here. After a few seconds, the video was streaming to the Vega and the quality is pretty damn good! I've watched a few iPlayer rips from my SD card (which are ripped at flash video quality), but this is my first experience of watching a more "HD" video. I'm going to try watching some 720p and 1080i/p videos I have and will let you know how well the Tegra 2 optimisations perform.

Obviously, you can do the same thing using other web servers, including IIS on the Windows platform.

For Debian/Ubuntu, you can try these instructions:

$ sudo apt-get install apache2

$ cd /var/www

$ sudo ln -s /path/to/your/media/files media

$ sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 start

[Guest warriorscot]

Big question is can it play videos with ac3 or DTS sound and keep them in sync. Streaming is nice although it would be better if it could be done over SAMBA which all new windows computers have for the last few years.

[Guest JingleManSweep]

Streaming is nice although it would be better if it could be done over SAMBA which all new windows computers have for the last few years.

I totally agree, however, I'd prefer NFS client access to my Debian server, as it is generally quicker than SMB.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to like MKV files. I've added the correct mimetype to my Apache configuration, but that didn't help. When I try to open MKV files, I am prompted to choose an application (e.g. "Rock Player"), which then loads and crashes back to the home screen. Can anyone confirm whether their Vega is able to play any MKV files (when copied to SD card etc.)

Out of interest, I added:

AddType video/x-matroska .mkv

... to: /etc/apache2/mods-enabled/mime.conf You'll need to restart your web server to pick up this change:

$ sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 restart

[Guest warriorscot]

My 16Gb card is on the fritz so until I get it fixed or replaced with the new one I ordered soon I can't help sorry.

Have you tried it with an HD divx/xvid I have a couple of BRRips I tried at 720p and AC3 audio that I was using to test out the video players to see if one would play at least the AC3 audio(and in sync). Also are you sure it is the .MKV and not what is inside the MKV file to be honest I remember talking about mkv files on here but what we discussed is lost to me at the mo Ill need to go back and read it again.

[Guest remlap]

Can you link me to this release of Rockplayer?

[Guest ChazW123]

My 16Gb card is on the fritz so until I get it fixed or replaced with the new one I ordered soon I can't help sorry.

Have you tried it with an HD divx/xvid I have a couple of BRRips I tried at 720p and AC3 audio that I was using to test out the video players to see if one would play at least the AC3 audio(and in sync). Also are you sure it is the .MKV and not what is inside the MKV file to be honest I remember talking about mkv files on here but what we discussed is lost to me at the mo Ill need to go back and read it again.

Got the new update of Rockplayer and ticked the hardware decoding but MKVs (played from the sdcard) are still playing dog slow and out of sync :)

If they do manage to get it working anywhere near perfect then I might by the full version but until then not much point as can stream fine from the pc as flv to the browser using Tversity on the PC.

[Guest rferrett]

I know SilentMobuis will probably kick my arse and remind me that Android does not support mkv... but for me it is a real annoyance. Spesh as, by all account the Galaxy Tab *can* play them.

Grrr...

Ralph

[Guest warriorscot]

Tab probably gets round it by playing them in software rather than hardware. Either that or they made some changes to the android media handling. Would imagine its a software solution though as by all accounts android can be made to do it but its not that elegant and is getting updates in the latest versions.

[Guest rferrett]

So the newer Android builds will have MKV support natively? I have not read that anywhere...

[Guest TylerDurdenK]

Can you link me to this release of Rockplayer?

It's on the market.

[Guest The Yellow Monster]

It's on the market.

I downloaded it from the market and when you launch it wants to upgrade and sends you to another site to download the apk and upgrade.

Works a treat, I'm using Apache on Windows.

Now, does anybody know a nice application that would create a nice browsable site with video art and all that? now THAT would be the bees knees!!

[Guest arad85]

Doesn't work for me./ A file that plasy happily in the stock player fails miserably with Rockplayer..

[Guest trevor432990]

Got the new update of Rockplayer and ticked the hardware decoding but MKVs (played from the sdcard) are still playing dog slow and out of sync ;)

If they do manage to get it working anywhere near perfect then I might by the full version but until then not much point as can stream fine from the pc as flv to the browser using Tversity on the PC.

@ChazW123

I have TVersity on my PC as well so can you explain which Vega browser you are using and how you connect it to the TVersity server to receive flv streams please cos I'd like to try that ? :)

[Guest ChazW123]

@ChazW123

I have TVersity on my PC as well so can you explain which Vega browser you are using and how you connect it to the TVersity server to receive flv streams please cos I'd like to try that ? :)

Hi Trevor.

With Tversity on your local network aand running and the Vega connected up you can access it via the url: http://PCNAME:41952/flashlib using any web browser on the Vega (as long as the Flash Player 10.1 plugin is installed that is!).

You should get the Flash popup appear (the downward green arrow icon), simply click that and your in ;)

You can then browse the media shared via Tversity and stream across your pics, music and videos (inc. 1080p MKVs), is sweet :D

[Guest doliveras]

So the newer Android builds will have MKV support natively? I have not read that anywhere...

In theory the new Android releases will support MKV given the fact that WebM, the new internet video standard that Google is enforcing, uses MKV as media container.

[Guest SilentMobius]

In theory the new Android releases will support MKV given the fact that WebM, the new internet video standard that Google is enforcing, uses MKV as media container.

Not really, WebM _is_ the container, and that container is a _subset_ of the Matroska standard, that requires the use of VP8 and Vorbis as codecs. So a player that can read matroska can read WebM but not necessarily the other way around.

Remember the Android framework is Apache licensed which means that given any custom addons that a company makes for it (I.E Samsung) it is not a requirement for them to make the source available nor push that improvement back to the OHA.

Short version: Samsung may have added MKV to Android, doesn't mean any other devices are getting it.

But Rockplayer is _never_ going to be as fast as the native accelerated rendering. And currently that isn't going to play anything from an MKV container. Rockplayer would be great for standard def anime for example.

However adding matroska support to OpenCore/Android is very possible.

However (again) _please_ remember that matroska is just a container. being able to parse video streams out of an MKV won't magically give the Tegra2 enough beef to render 5.1aac+h.264 High-profile 1080p, in fact with the Tegra2 userspace libs in their current state you'll be lucky to get 1080p Main profile and only sure of playing Baseline profile.

Look at the video you want to play if its already High profile 1080p it will _never_ play on the Vega

Edited December 21, 2010 by SilentMobius

[Guest SilentMobius]

Oops

Edited December 21, 2010 by SilentMobius

[Guest danympp81]

Got the new update of Rockplayer and ticked the hardware decoding but MKVs (played from the sdcard) are still playing dog slow and out of sync :)

If they do manage to get it working anywhere near perfect then I might by the full version but until then not much point as can stream fine from the pc as flv to the browser using Tversity on the PC.

chaz i have tried different media players with no success but i think that the problems are because of the microsd speed. i am trying wwith a 16gb class 2 and it's impossible to play mkv 1080p. i will try to get a class 4 o 6 to try

[Guest trevor432990]

Hi Trevor.

With Tversity on your local network aand running and the Vega connected up you can access it via the url: http://PCNAME:41952/flashlib using any web browser on the Vega (as long as the Flash Player 10.1 plugin is installed that is!).

You should get the Flash popup appear (the downward green arrow icon), simply click that and your in :)

You can then browse the media shared via Tversity and stream across your pics, music and videos (inc. 1080p MKVs), is sweet ;)

Ooh thanks will give that a try later :D

[Guest warriorscot]

Class 2 just means it guaranteed a minimum speed however many will be faster than the class 2 limit. I have class 2s that operate at class 4 to 6 speeds.

[Guest arad85]

Doesn't work for me./ A file that plasy happily in the stock player fails miserably with Rockplayer..

Doh... Too many glasses of wine ;) I've tried it again and it works as well as the stock player :)

[Guest Thresherinc]

Anyone else having problems with Rockplayer?

I am using Tversity to stream the content out.

When I click on the browser link in my vega for any file that's a .mkv it just hangs, also when it actually plays something I can't skip around in the programs content it just drops right back to the start.

[Guest carl rose]

What I find strange is that the etouch by elonex (low budget machine) with an arm11 v6 1ghz and 256mb ram that costs £150 in toys r us plays mkv 1080p low bitrate beautifully? Mkv HD h264 720p with DTS beautifully! So smooth it looks like I am on my pc. It's a 10" resistive screen and its an overall crapier machine but it plays media like a dragon. With real player! I dont get it? Why does the vega struggle to play a 720p? I mean it is unwatchable without sound if it is dts or ac3?

[Guest warriorscot]

What I find strange is that the etouch by elonex (low budget machine) with an arm11 v6 1ghz and 256mb ram that costs £150 in toys r us plays mkv 1080p low bitrate beautifully? Mkv HD h264 720p with DTS beautifully! So smooth it looks like I am on my pc. It's a 10" resistive screen and its an overall crapier machine but it plays media like a dragon. With real player! I dont get it? Why does the vega struggle to play a 720p? I mean it is unwatchable without sound if it is dts or ac3?

Because those are proprietary codecs so until nvidia, android or advent pay to use them we can't. Rockplayer can do software decoding of them but since the hardware decoder is the purview of the designers of the device and OS then it has that limitation. Tegra 2 is still pretty new its going to take a while before google and nvidia sort out everything.

[Guest carl rose]

Because those are proprietary codecs so until nvidia, android or advent pay to use them we can't. Rockplayer can do software decoding of them but since the hardware decoder is the purview of the designers of the device and OS then it has that limitation. Tegra 2 is still pretty new its going to take a while before google and nvidia sort out everything.

I see. Good explanation thank you. The first tablet I had was the elonex zt180 like I said that played everything with real player. Do you think we can add support for more codecs once we get the vega's kernel source code?