VLC 2 for SL6 / RHEL6 / Centos 6

[tux99]

QUOTE (kenmorgan @ Aug 8 2012, 06:17 PM)

QUESTION: Can I procede with tux99's simple instructions above without harming anything on my (brand new!) OS??

Define what you mean by "harming".

[kenmorgan]

Hi tux99--so glad you responded.

What I meant by "harming" was based on other things I read in your thread. I am not at the level of understanding everything that was written in the thread. But there were references made to the general danger of third-party repositories overwriting base packages and/or introducing conflicts or instabilities. To prevent this, references were also made to establising "priorities"--which I have never done when running Fedora and which I believe requires a yum plugin.

Thus, my question and my use of "harming" boils down to whether my interpretation I gave in point (2) of your overall comments in the thread was correct, namely, can I simply follow your instructions in the first post of the thread without doing anything with priorities?

Thanks again for this post and for all the help you're providing.

Ken

[tux99]

QUOTE (kenmorgan @ Aug 8 2012, 09:01 PM)

But there were references made to the general danger of third-party repositories overwriting base packages and/or introducing conflicts or instabilities.

Yes, that's correct and that's why I explained that the only two base packages that get overwritten when installing VLC from my repo are marginal packages that aren't used by anything apart from 'totem' (the default Gnome media player) so in this case there is no risk to the stability of the system.
In fact the replacement packages from my repo are better as previously explained.

QUOTE

Thus, my question and my use of "harming" boils down to whether my interpretation I gave in point (2) of your overall comments in the thread was correct, namely, can I simply follow your instructions in the first post of the thread without doing anything with priorities?

Yes, in fact you should not setup priorities before installing VLC from my repo as otherwise you will run into the problems taylorkh had earlier in this thread.
If you plan to enable additional third party repos in addition to the linuxtech-repo, then installing and setting up yum-priorities (after the VLC install) is highly recommended to avoid conflicts between repos.

That said please read the READ_ME file in the linuxtech repo (see the link in my signature) before installing anything so you are aware of the T&Cs, namely all software is provided AS IS without any warranty of any kind. Don't blame me if your PC blows up!

[kenmorgan]

Thanks so much, tux99. Your instructions in post 1 worked perfectly!

I left the room for awhile after installing VLC as per your warning, but so far my computer has not blown up. I think the critical period is over, and it's safe to start using it again.

Ken

[tux99]

VLC 2.0.4 rpm packages for EL6 compatible distros are now available in the linuxtech-testing repo.

If you would like to test this new release just run:

yum --enablerepo=linuxtech-testing --enablerepo=linuxtech-release install vlc

(the release repo needs to be enabled too, due to a new dependency: libopus)


If I get no reports of problems, then I will move the VLC 2.0.4 packages to the release repo in about a week.

[TheMeddlingMonk]

Hi tux99,

New here and wanted to say thanks for putting in the effort to get VLC working on CentOS.

I am running CentOS 6 (64-bit) and have had no problems with VLC 2.0.3 since I installed it earlier today.

Kind Regards,
The Meddling Monk.

[joutlan]

QUOTE (tux99 @ Oct 20 2012, 10:59 AM)

VLC 2.0.4 rpm packages for EL6 compatible distros are now available in the linuxtech-testing repo. If you would like to test this new release just run: yum --enablerepo=linuxtech-testing --enablerepo=linuxtech-release install vlc (the release repo needs to be enabled too, due to a new dependency: libopus) If I get no reports of problems, then I will move the VLC 2.0.4 packages to the release repo in about a week.

I'm updating it now....

[tux99]

QUOTE (joutlan @ Nov 16 2012, 07:21 AM)

I'm updating it now....

Since nobody complained about any problems with the VLC 2.0.4 packages, I will be moving them from the testing to the release repo later today.

[Ch3ck]

well i have tried to download and intall the vlc player today here is the error its showing .. be very happy if you rectify it..

Loaded plugins: aliases, allowdowngrade, changelog, downloadonly, fastestmirror,
: filter-data, kernel-module, kmod, list-data, merge-conf,
: priorities, protect-packages, protectbase, refresh-updatesd,
: tsflags, upgrade-helper, versionlock
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* epel: mirror.1000mbps.com
* rpmforge: mirror-fpt-telecom.fpt.net
* sl-base: ftp1.scientificlinux.org
* sl-security: ftp1.scientificlinux.org
linuxtech-release/primary | 328 kB 00:11
http://pkgrepo.linuxtech.net/el6/release/repodata/primary.xml.gz: [Errno -3] Error performing checksum
Trying other mirror.
Error: failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from linuxtech-release: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try.

[tux99]

QUOTE (Ch3ck @ Mar 20 2013, 06:29 PM)

linuxtech-release/primary                                | 328 kB    00:11    http://pkgrepo.linuxtech.net/el6/release/repodata/primary.xml.gz: [Errno -3] Error performing checksum Trying other mirror. Error: failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from linuxtech-release: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try.

Hmm, I don't know why you are getting that the repo works fine for me, I just tried.

Try to clean out your local cache and then try again.

To clean the local cache do (as 'root' user in a console):

yum clean all

[tux99]

VLC 2.0.5 rpm packages for EL6 compatible distros are now available in the linuxtech-testing repo.

If you would like to test this new release just run:

yum --enablerepo=linuxtech-testing --enablerepo=linuxtech-release install vlc

Please note: Since RHEL/Centos/SL 6.4 come with libxcb 1.8.1 I have removed the statically included libxcb from the VLC package. This means that the VLC 2.0.5 packages require RHEL/Centos/SL 6.4 (or newer).
Installation on EL6 compatible distros older than 6.4 will fail.

Additional note for SL users: While SL6.4 isn't out yet, SL already provides libxcb 1.8.1 in the security updates repo, so the VLC 2.0.5 packages will already work right now on a fully up-to-date SL 6.3 install, too.

If I get no reports of problems, then I will move the VLC 2.0.5 packages to the release repo in about a week or so.

[redman]

Good work, especially on the libxcb thingy

[redman]

I have encountered a problem with an original Cars 2 dvd.
When I load it I can tell the system to use VLC.
VLC starts but then suddenly disappears without a trace when it tries to load the dvd.

I checked /var/log/messages for any info and got the following info:

QUOTE

May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Info fld=0x400 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Add. Sense: Read of scrambled sector without authentication May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 02 00 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block 512 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Info fld=0x400 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Add. Sense: Read of scrambled sector without authentication May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 02 00 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block 512 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: UDF-fs: Partition marked readonly; forcing readonly mount May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: UDF-fs INFO UDF: Mounting volume 'CARS_2', timestamp 2011/08/22 12:09 (1078) May 15 14:34:19 Dagobah kernel: vlc[2685]: segfault at 7fafc38c8608 ip 00007faf2884242d sp 00007faf1dd57e80 error 4 in libdvdread.so.4.1.4[7faf28832000+1d000]

I am testing this on a dedicated test box which has been freshly installed and only uses the Linuxtech repo.
When I install Mint (using their VLC2 and libdvdcss packages), it doesn't work either untill I disable SELinux.
Of course I tried this with SL but got the same result.

[tux99]

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 01:39 PM)

I have encountered a problem with an original Cars 2 dvd. When I load it I can tell the system to use VLC. VLC starts but then suddenly disappears without a trace when it tries to load the dvd. I checked /var/log/messages for any info and got the following info: QUOTE May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Info fld=0x400 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Add. Sense: Read of scrambled sector without authentication May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 02 00 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block 512 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Result: hostbyte=DID_OK driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Sense Key : Illegal Request [current] May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Info fld=0x400 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] Add. Sense: Read of scrambled sector without authentication May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: sr 2:0:0:0: [sr0] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 00 00 04 00 00 00 02 00 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sr0, logical block 512 May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: UDF-fs: Partition marked readonly; forcing readonly mount May 15 14:34:02 Dagobah kernel: UDF-fs INFO UDF: Mounting volume 'CARS_2', timestamp 2011/08/22 12:09 (1078) May 15 14:34:19 Dagobah kernel: vlc[2685]: segfault at 7fafc38c8608 ip 00007faf2884242d sp 00007faf1dd57e80 error 4 in libdvdread.so.4.1.4[7faf28832000+1d000]

From the errors it looks like this DVD uses one of those nasty copy protection schemes where some blocks on the DVD are intentionally corrupt or contain illegal data.

Try installing the newer libdvdread from linuxtech-backports to see if that makes a difference (please note this will replace the official libdvdread from SL, that's why it's in backports, but in my experience it doesn't cause any problems).

Can you also please provide the 13 digit bar code number from the back of the DVD box so we can do a search whether this is a known problematic DVD?

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 01:39 PM)

When I install Mint (using their VLC2 and libdvdcss packages), it doesn't work either untill I disable SELinux. Of course I tried this with SL but got the same result.

So you are saying on Mint the DVD only plays with SELinux disabled, but on SL it doesn't work with SELinux disabled either?

This different behaviour could be explained by different default SELinux rules in Mint vs. SL, but I'm a bit puzzled why SELinux prevents only this DVD from playing, not all DVDs. Do other DVDs play fine on this SL box?

Can you also try whether the Cars DVD plays with xine (from Linuxtech-testing) or not?

Just to clarify, the linuxtech VLC packages (and all it's dependencies) do not contain any custom SELinux rules, so any SELinux rules that could affect this here must be part of the default SL SELinux rules.

[redman]

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM)

From the errors it looks like this DVD uses one of those nasty copy protection schemes where some blocks on  the DVD are intentionally corrupt or contain illegal data.

True ... "DisneyDVD" is not the same as a real DVD where standards go.
Having said that, my original Tron Legacy (also Disney) plays without any problem.

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM)

Try installing the newer libdvdread from linuxtech-backports to see if that makes a difference (please note this will replace the official libdvdread from SL, that's why it's in backports, but in my experience it doesn't cause any problems).

That did it. After installing, without disabling SELinux, Cars 2 played.

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM)

Can you also please provide the 13 digit bar code number from the back of the DVD box so we can do a search whether this is a known problematic DVD?

It is this one.

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM)

So you are saying on Mint the DVD only plays with SELinux disabled, but on SL it doesn't work with SELinux disabled either?

If my memory serves me right. I had Mint installed on a system and tried Cars 2.
Unfortunately for this test, that system is currently running SL6.4 again
But if useful I can install Mint 14 on my test box to verify.

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM)

Can you also try whether the Cars DVD plays with xine (from Linuxtech-testing) or not?

Xine plays is too, even better than VLC. When testing VLC, I noticed a repeatedly hickup every 5 - 10 seconds.
Xine doesn't show this, not even with the original SL libdvdread. After seeing the hickups with VLC, I remembered that Mint also had that.

[tux99]

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 05:08 PM)

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM) Try installing the newer libdvdread from linuxtech-backports to see if that makes a difference (please note this will replace the official libdvdread from SL, that's why it's in backports, but in my experience it doesn't cause any problems). That did it. After installing, without disabling SELinux, Cars 2 played.

Great, I'm glad we found the fix so quickly!

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 05:08 PM)

But if useful I can install Mint 14 on my test box to verify.

Don't worry, since the problem is now solved that's not worth the hassle.

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 05:08 PM)

Xine plays is too, even better than VLC. When testing VLC, I noticed a repeatedly hickup every 5 - 10 seconds. Xine doesn't show this, not even with the original SL libdvdread. After seeing the hickups with VLC, I remembered that Mint also had that.

Yes, in my experience Xine has always been best for playing DVDs (on any Linux distro, not just SL), I always use Xine for DVDs and VLC for other video files (mkv / avi / mp4 / mov ...).

[redman]

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 06:32 PM)

Yes, in my experience Xine has always been best for playing DVDs (on any Linux distro, not just SL), I always use Xine for DVDs and VLC for other video files (mkv / avi / mp4 / mov ...).

Something to keep in mind.

Thanks for your help

[tux99]

QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 06:06 PM)

QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 06:32 PM) QUOTE (redman @ May 15 2013, 05:08 PM) QUOTE (tux99 @ May 15 2013, 03:30 PM) Try installing the newer libdvdread from linuxtech-backports to see if that makes a difference (please note this will replace the official libdvdread from SL, that's why it's in backports, but in my experience it doesn't cause any problems). That did it. After installing, without disabling SELinux, Cars 2 played. Great, I'm glad we found the fix so quickly! I forgot to mention that this was with SELinux enabled.

Actually you did mention it: "without disabling SELinux" = "SELinux enabled"
Or did I misunderstand you?

[redman]

Ahhh... my mistake, thought I hadn't mentioned it