[vdr] Re: Epia M2 + Budget-card installation

[Nicolas Huillard <nhuillard@ghs.fr>]

Michael Hunold a écrit :
> Hi,
Nice to hear from you !

...
> It's really sad, because there should really be a LGPL libavcodec based 
> software-mpeg decoder with DirectFB out there, because it's the thing 
> you want to have on an EPIA board with a budget DVB card. 8-(
Yes. I think that many people jumped on this task, with many different 
projects and solutions, and the mix will certainly evolve in a good and 
complete solution.

Currently, we have (for VDR output with budget DVB) :
* softmpeg / lisoftmpeg : not limited to VDR, but also not really used 
for something else (you didn't use it for your other project, but mainly 
copied the code), MPEG2 hardware acceleration on CLE266, if one can make 
it work, LGPL, stalled
* softdevice : VDR-specific, home-made packet dispatcher, uses 
libavcodec, 4 output methods, still missing some features, not totally 
stable, no MPEG2 hardware accelleration but video scaling on Xv / 
DirectFB (I think)
* xine-plugin : VDR-specific, only with Xv output, seem to be stable for 
most, uses MPEG2 hardware acceleration on CLE266, but the internal 
libxine architecture make it sub-optimal (the programs polls the 
hardware to check if the decoding is finished, instead of actually decoding)

I think the good evolution of all this would be (taking into account the 
"lightweight, no X" goal I have) :
* libxine-based plug-in, single-process (within VDR), multi-threaded
* various output methods (xine- or softdevice-like)
* hardware acceleration (scaling, deinterlacing, motion compensation, 
transparent OSD, à la DirectFB)
* configurable to just shut off when not needed, without shuting the 
whole vdr down (cpufreqd + sensord would reduce CPU speed/heat, then 
reduce fan speed/noise, keeping VDR running at low cost)

Just my 2 cent.

--
NH