mirror of https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc
266 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
266 lines
10 KiB
Plaintext
Frequentely Asked Questions for VideoLAN Client
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$Id: FAQ,v 1.14 2003/01/08 12:13:24 lool Exp $
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1. Using VLC
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1.1 How do I read a DVD?
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-----------------------
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Just launch vlc and use the "open disc" command from the graphical
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interface. In case of trouble, you may want to use the command line
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interface :
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vlc dvd:/dev/dvd
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1.2 How do I read an encrypted DVD?
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----------------------------------
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It's exactly the same as for a normal DVD. You will need write access to
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/dev/dvd, because of the key negociation process.
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If you compiled your VLC by hand, please bear in mind that you also need
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to install libdvdcss. It can be downloaded from the VideoLAN website. It
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used to be distributed in the same package as VLC, but now you must install
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them seperately.
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1.3 How do I switch to full screen display?
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------------------------------------------
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Press 'f' to toggle fullscreen mode. Note that not all video output
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devices support full screen.
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1.4 How do I hide the mouse cursor?
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----------------------------------
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It should disappear after a few seconds if you stop moving the mouse.
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1.5 How do I use vlc if I don't want to install Gnome and all this
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#@!£% *$@&§% !@# bloat?
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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You can run :
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vlc --intf dummy myfile.mpg
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Most commands are available from the command line, see vlc --help for
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more information.
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1.6 VLC eats my buffer cache, how to I use raw device?
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-----------------------------------------------------
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If you don't know what is a raw device, don't even read this answer :-).
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There is an experimental support for raw devices in libdvdcss. It needs
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that you set up a raw device pointing to your DVD device (under Linux,
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use the "raw" utility). Then pass the raw device as second argument, for
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instance :
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vlc dvd:/dev/dvd@/dev/raw0
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1.7 How do I use VLC as a client for VLS/VLMS streaming?
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-------------------------------------------------------
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First you must set up a VLS or VLMS stream. Please refer to the
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documentation of these programs. Then start VLC :
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vlc udp:
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You shouldn't need any option. If you're paranoid and want to control
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everything, here is the exact syntax :
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vlc udp:[<server>[:<server port>]][@[<bind address>][:<bind port>]]
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1.8 How do I uninstall / reinstall VLC?
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--------------------------------------
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Why would you want to? ;)
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If you're using a source distribution of VLC, for example a tarball or
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the CVS, then you have probably used "make install" to install the
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compiled VLC. To remove it just "make uninstall". If you want to
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install a newer version than the currently installed one, you should
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first uninstall the first one. If you deleted the original source tree,
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a "make uninstall" in the newer tree should still work.
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For binary packages, remove old packages first and install the new ones
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(normally this should be handled automagically by your sytem).
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1.9 Debian: what should I put in my sources.list for videolan?
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-------------------------------------------------------------
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deb http://www.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian $(ARCH)/
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deb-src http://www.videolan.org/pub/videolan/debian sources/
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1.10 How can I save my VLC configuration?
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----------------------------------------
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Currently, the only way to save the configuration options in VLC is through
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the preferences menu in one of the graphical user interface plugins.
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1.11 Where does VLC store it's config file?
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------------------------------------------
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Currently, a config file is created on a per user basis (there is no global
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configuration file). If you modify the available options in VLC and save the
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new configuration, then a configuration file will be created in your user
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directory. The precise location of this file depends on the Operating System
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you are running:
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- Unices (linux, etc...): "~/.videolan/vlcrc"
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- Windows: "Application Data\videolan\vlcrc"
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2. Troubleshooting
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2.1 When I start vlc, I don't have any interface coming...
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-------------------------------------------------------
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If you installed a binary package, make sure you also installed an
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interface package such as vlc-gtk or vlc-qt. If you installed from
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source, make sure the development package for gtk or qt is correctly
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installed (often gtk-dev or gtk-devel) and recompile.
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2.2 Clicking on "disc" in the interface doesn't do anything
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-----------------------------------------------------------
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Wait a few seconds. Key cracking can take much time on some discs. If it
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still doesn't work, you can have a more verbose output using "vlc -vvvvv".
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Here are a few things to check for :
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* Did you install the libdvdcss package?
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* Do you have write access to your DVD device? For instance :
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chmod 666 /dev/hdc
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* Does your kernel log contain line about your DVD device?
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* Do you have a link from /dev/dvd to your real DVD device? For instance
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ln -s hdc /dev/dvd
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2.3 [REMOVED]
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-------------
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2.4 The video runs but the picture is distorted...
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-----------------------------------------------
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There is probably a problem with the output layer. There are several
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ways of troubleshooting it. First, try with another output plug-in, for
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instance :
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vlc --vout sdl
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vlc --vout x11
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Second, change your screen depth and/or definition. It quite often helps.
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Lastly, have a look at your XFree86 video driver (nVidia for instance
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releases optimized drivers for its boards).
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2.5 Video is choppy...
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-------------------
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Your system is too slow to decode all pictures. It might be that your
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CPU basically isn't fast enough. It can also be that the subsystem is
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misconfigured/misdriven. Here are some elements to improve speed :
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* Turn on DMA on your DVD device, for instance :
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hdparm -X34 -d1 /dev/dvd
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* Upgrade to the latest XFree86 version and the latest driver for your
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video board ; check that the xvideo plug-in is effectively used with
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vlc -vvvv
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* Kill other applications running...
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2.6 Audio is choppy...
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-------------------
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This is not normal ; it is a known problem and is being investigated.
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2.7 Audio and video are out of sync
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-----------------------------------
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This is not normal. Try using another output plug-in (for instance --aout dsp),
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kill esd or artsd if they are running... This is a known problem and
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is being investigated.
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2.8 [REMOVED]
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-------------
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2.9 Sound volume is too low
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----------------------------
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You can raise it with --volume commandline switch or in the preferences
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window of your graphical interface.
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2.10 I have no image under DirectX
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----------------------------------
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Check that your video card drivers are in their latest version and that
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your DirectX is up-to-date.
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2.11 VLC crashes
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----------------
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Increase the verbosity level (either in the preferences or with a
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"-vvvv" command-line option) and look at the debug messages (on the
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terminal or in the Messages window).
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2.12 I can only play a DVD as root
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----------------------------------
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Check that as user you have write access to your DVD drive / device.
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2.13 I'm stuck with option xxx, how do I reset options?
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------------------------------------------------------
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Under unices, remove your ~/.videolan/vlcrc; for Windows, remove vlcrc
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in the videolan subfolder of your "Application Data" directory.
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2.14 I don't have access to the GUI anymore
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-------------------------------------------
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If you change the default interface module in the preferences menu to a non
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GUI module (ie. to a command line interface) and then save the configuration,
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the only way to get VLC to show a GUI again is to run it directly from the
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command line.
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For instance on Windows, you need to open a dos command box, go to the
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directory where you installed VLC (usually
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c:\Program Files\VideoLAN\VideoLAN Client) and then type "vlc --intf win32"
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You will then be able to modify the configuration again and save it.
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2.15 I have just upgraded to VLC 0.4.5, and now I don't have any sound
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with the streams coming from the VLS !
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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This is a known problem. VLC 0.4.5 and later are now compliant to general
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usage regarding A/52 sound, and the new behavior is incompatible with the
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previous one. VLS version 0.4.0 and later now fixes this problem. If, for
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a reason or another, you wish to keep VLS 0.3.3, you can still read those
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streams if you launch VLC (0.4.5 or later) with --vls-backwards-compat.
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3. Ports and features
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3.1 MacOS X port
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3.1.1 Does VLC support the ATI DVD hardware acceleration cards?
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--------------------------------------------------------------
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Currently it doesn't. We'd be glad to support them, but we lack technical
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information on them.
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3.1.2 [REMOVED]
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---------------
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3.2 Win32 port
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3.2.2 When moving the focus to another window, VLC network input stops
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working properly !
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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This is a known problem with Win 95-class systems. Upgrade to an NT-class
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system.
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3.3 Planned ports
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3.3.1 Do you have plans for a MacOS 9 / OS/2 / &{#!@}~ port?
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-----------------------------------------------------------
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No, nobody reported to be actually working on a MacOS 9 port. If you
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feel like you could write it, we would of course welcome it. Currently,
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the developers are more interested in supporting the latest Operating
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Systems and completing the functionalities.
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3.3.2 Does VLC have dxr2 / dxr3 cards support?
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---------------------------------------------
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This support is currently being developed.
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3.3.3 Does VLC support RTP?
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--------------------------
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Yes. Just use vlc rtp:@<mcast addr>:<local port>.
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4. Legal concerns
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4.1 May I use the VideoLAN logo?
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-------------------------------
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You may use the VideoLAN logo using the following copyright:
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Copyright (c) 1996-2002 VideoLAN. This logo or a modified version
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may be used or modified by anyone to refer to the VideoLAN project
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or any product developed by the VideoLAN team, but does not indicate
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endorsement by the project.
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4.2 May I reditribute VLC?
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-------------------------
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You may distribute an original or modified version of VideoLAN as long
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as you conform to the terms of its license. It is the GNU General Public
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License Version 2 (referred herein as GPL), and it is in the file named
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COPYING in our products.
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The simpliest way to conform to the GPL is to accompany the product you
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want to distribute with its sources. For example, if you plan to
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distribute the binary version in its 0.4.6 version you should include:
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http://www.videolan.org/pub/videolan/vlc/0.4.6/vlc-0.4.6.tar.gz
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You don't need to bother explaining where the sources are, but the
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sources have to share the same media as the products.
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They are other ways to conform to the GPL, but this should be the
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simplest because it does not rely on a contract.
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