visualisation plugin blocks video output when not active

[wiertel]

Binary package hint: rhythmbox

Using feisty
mplayer 2:1.0~rc1-0ubuntu3
rhythmbox 0.9.7.90-0ubuntu1

After dist-upgrade I have to use -vo x11 with mplayer. First I thought it was bug in mplayer, but when the rhythmbox is not playing I can watch movies with default options.

Run Rhythmbox and make it play some music
$ mplayer -vo xv some.avi # gives:
(...)
Xv: could not grab port 73
Could not find free Xvideo port - maybe another process is already using it.
Close all video applications, and try again. If that does not help,
see 'mplayer -vo help' for other (non-xv) video out drivers.
Error opening/initializing the selected video_out (-vo) device.

Totem shows the message "An error occurred
The video output is in use by another application. Please close other video pplications, or select another video output in the Multimedia Systems Selector."

When I close Rhythmbox mplayer and totem works normal again.

[Simon Law (sfllaw)]

Please attach the output of "gconftool --recursive-list /" to this bug report, so we can figure out why rhythmbox is using your video output. Thanks!

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

No need to dump the whole gconf database it can contain private datas, "gconftool-2 -R /system/gstreamer/0.10" is enough for that

[wiertel (wiertel)]

Here is /system/gstreamer/0.10 and /apps/rhythmbox

I've tried downgrading rhythmbox and it helps.
In the latest release the Visualisation plugin was added, this was causing the problem. Disabling the plugin solves the problem.
I don't know if it's enabled by default or not. It may be that I've enabled this plugin myself. I recall noticing new position in the Control menu.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

that works fine on my box. What videocard and videodriver do you use? Can you start 2 mplayer to play video in the same time? That might be a limitation due to the videodriver for your card

[wiertel (wiertel)]

I can not start 2 mplayer at the same time using xv (-vo xv). I newer was. I even thought it is natural.
My videodriver is savage, videocard - S3 Inc. SuperSavage IX/C SDR on Thinkpad T23. Support for this card is not too good.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

if you thought it was natural for a video player why do you think it's different for visual effects like that? That doesn't look like really a bug, you try to make different applications using xv at the same time

[wiertel (wiertel)]

I'm not using any visualisation/effects. It's enough that the Visualisation plugin is enabled in the "Configure plugins". It doesn't have to be active. Moreover Rhythmbox is hidden (Ctrl+W).
At first I had no idea that Rhythmbox is causing my problems with mplayer and I was wondering what's wrong with mplayer.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

I've updated the title to reflect the problem and forwarded that upsream: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=406807

[unggnu (unggnu)]

I have the same problem under Gutsy. This is really weird at least for an audio player.
Btw. Totem has the same problem while playing audio files even if the audio visualisation is disabled under options.

[Daniel Burke (dan-p-burke)]

Just dist-upgraded to gutsy, and Rhythmbox wont play anything if the visualization plugin is enabled, regardless of other video apps playing or not. If RB is loaded, Totem complains another video app has grabbed the video overlay, but plays anyway.

I'm sure you wont like me for this, but my video driver is fglrx (;_;)

It should be added, that this behavior is an improvement, previously attempting to use the visualization with fglrx caused X to crash instantly.

[unggnu (unggnu)]

This still happens in Hardy. Since the visualization isn't shown without user interaction there would be no problem if the plugin is deactivated per default. At least as long as Xorg without nvidia driver or maybe fglrx isn't able to manage more than one active 3D app.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

do you still get the issue in hardy or intrepid?

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the bug is fixed in the karmic version