WMV Videos for default Zaurus SL-C860 Video Player

[TonyOlsen]

There are a few people with new Zaurus SL-C860s out there and one of the first things I wanted to do when I got my new Zaurus SL-C860 was try out the default video player (which supports MPEG4... a big step up from the usual MPEG1 video players on most/many PDAs).  ... but there weren't any video files available.  It was many weeks before I was finally able to test out the Video Player on something that worked.

I now finally have the ability to create the special video format that the player supports, and I want to do what I wish was available when I first got my Zaurus...

...post links to publically available (with permission) WMV video files that work on that video player.  The purpose of this thread is to list all links to (legal) video files that work on the default Zaurus QTopia SL-C860 Video Player.

Here are some details on the needed video format:

• Video Codec: MPEG Layer 4 (note that this IS different than DivX and Microsoft's Video codec)
• Audio Codec: MP3
• Max Theoretical Bitrate: 300 kbps (but the CPU sometimes can't keep up and the video is sometimes choppy because of that)
• Recommended Bitrate: 250 kbps or lower...

(I don't know if this format works on the default players of other Zaurii)

Here are 3 videos that are ok to share (warning: they are religious in nature, so don't click if you have a weak stomach for spirituality!     )

3 Public Videos for the default Zaurus SL-C860 video player

(This is my home computer, which sometimes crashes (bad power supply), so if the link doesn't work, try again later...)

Note that since the Zaurus SL-C860's screen can only do 16-bit color, the 24-bit video never looks as good on the Zaurus as it does on a 24-bit color desktop.  That being said... it is still pretty cool!

Ok, now it's your turn.  Post some links here.  (But make sure they're ok to be posted publically, so that we don't get into trouble  )

[sigmaX]

Most interesting topic .... SD and CF memory is dropping fast ... so it is conceivable for us to store whatever videos we want into our nice zaurus and play them from there.

Now, TonyOlsen, why dont we focus our effort on a better player, like Kino2 ? I mean, I assume it is better as it goes directly into ati video card subsystem.

The problem that I got with Kino2 is that I cannot get the audio work in the "MAD" option, only in the "ffpeg" option. If i correctly recall, Kino2, preinstalled in Cacko ROM, comes with the MAD audio option working OK... What I found is that "ffpeg" audio SLOWS DOWN VIDEO up into UNUSUABLE speeds. Now again: I have no idea on what is "ffpeg" and only a really vague idea on what "MAD" is (I assume it has something to do with MADPLAYER).

So maybe we can get someone with experience on Kino2 to explain us all the tids and bits of configuring it for PERFORMANCE ?

[TonyOlsen]

I spent well over a month trying to get various other video players working with other video.  I even spent $20 on the TKPlayer which is supposed to do DivX, but my DivX 5 files never worked right.

I support the onward movement to have better video players, but in the meantime, the defualt Video Player works.  It will be available for use until the new players are tested and fully working.

I personally can't wait until the RealVideo format comes to the Zaurus, since I believe it is the best light-weight kbps video and audio format out there.  (Microsoft Audio codec is a little better, but the Real Video format is much better... so overall the RealNetworks video format is the best for small files.  )  ...but in the meantime, the MPEG-4 mp3 format is 70-80% as good... and good enough for the time being.

As far as SD and CF cards go, I already carry about 10 movies at any given time to watch during my travels on my 2 GB CF card.  From the beginning I saw the Zaurus as a portable video player, among everything else it does.

Let's keep the other video players on another thread.  I would like to get a thread that lists all of the publically WMV (MPEG4 MP3) files in one place.   I'm sure many of the new SL-C860 owners would appreciate such a list.

[TonyOlsen]

Oh... I forgot to mention... the WMV (MPEG4/MP3) videos have to be 320x240 or smaller.  I noticed that if the video resolution is higher than that then the default SL-C860 QTopia Video Player can't play them...

[iamasmith]

Just out of curiousity Tony, if you watch - say a 1.5 hr - movie on your 860 how much of a hit does your battery life take ?

I'm curious about this, I used to do this a while ago on a (spit) PocketPC with a 1Gb Microdrive and not only did the battery life take a dramatic dive but I felt that if I didn't allow the thing a 1/2 hour rest in the middle it was going to melt.

Any observations ?

[lareya]

Hi,
I don't have personal information on this, but this thread talks about what your asking. This guy (yodabob) may have more info for you regarding battery time & watching movies.

https://www.oesf.org/forums/inde...indpost&p=18793

Lareya

[TonyOlsen]

Just out of curiousity Tony, if you watch - say a 1.5 hr - movie on your 860 how much of a hit does your battery life take ?

I can watch movies for about 3-4 hours.   ...but I have a Static CF, which sucks a lot less juice than a microdrive.

[TonyOlsen]

I noticed that there are a lot of downloads from my primitive website above.  Because of the congestion, some people aren't able to get through to it.  (Which is fine with me, since I don't really use this webserver for anything else).  I forgot to mention that since this is an old primitive web server (the free "Personal Web Server" on my primitive Windows98SE machine), it only has 1 thread per connection.  That means that noone else can download anything while someone else is downloading something.

So... if you click on the link above and nothing comes up, try back again in about 20-60 minutes.  ...you're just waiting in line, that's all.   If anyone else wants to host these files as well, to help performance, that might help too.  The total space needed for all 3 movies is about 120 MB.

Also, please don't play the file from the webserver directly.  Instead download it offline and play it from your harddrive.  This will also help let more people gain access.

On the flip side, if you have any publically available WMV files, send them to me and I can host them here as well.

[coolass]

Is it possible to repackage the mediaplayer as an ipk so others can try it?

[TonyOlsen]

I thought I remember someone having done that already on another post.  (Did a quick search and couldn't find it... yet)