[gst-devel] gstmediaplay and a project of the week for someone

[Bastien R. Nocera]

On 14 Aug 2001 10:10:04 -0400, Dan Dennedy wrote:
> The inability to make screenshots of the video with Xv output is due to 
> something very fundamental in the nature of Xv. I think attempting to 
> workaround this issue by automatically, repeatedly switching on and off 
> Xv would lead to performance and stability issues, especially when 
> seeking. Not only is it potentially unstable within XFree86 and XVideo 
> itself, but it also over-complicates the integration within 
> gstmediaplay. Instead, I propose that this issue be resolved by allowing 
> the user to manually disable Xv within gstmediaplay and through 
> education (FAQ item). When the user chooses to disable Xv output through 
> a preferences item, simply modify the pipeline.
> 
> +-DRD-+
<snip>

This is not only a problem with taking screenshots. Just do that:
"Pause, move the window, oh, the image has disappeared, it must have
crashed, dirty piece of junk".

The problem lies in the X videosink, not in the media player. A (simple)
explanation that could lead to a (much more complicated) implementation:
when the state of the xvideosink object is GST_PAUSED, use the last
buffer (or something like that) to put on top of the xvideosink Xv
widget. Remove the overlying widget when done

Or..

...blah-pipeline --> xvideosink with Xv
                 !-> xvideosink without Xv

Show one or the other depending on the state of the pipeline. But this
is even more dodgy than the previous idea.

Cheers

-- 
/Bastien Nocera
http://hadess.net