CoreAVC 1.9.0 for Linux (howto for Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex 8.10)

I stated here, I won’t touch CoreAVC for Linux anymore, because VDPAU is performing so well, but since so many visitors were attracted by my last short article about CoreAVC 1.9.0, I decided to look a bit closer at it.
I’ve compiled two versions of mplayer and they worked more or less good for me (read below):

These packages contain these files:

  • mplayer-20090215-1_i386.deb or mplayer-20090215-1_amd64.deb
  • nvcuvid.dll
  • dhshowserver (also statically linked for x86_64 in the amd64 package)
  • registercodec.

Before you go ahead and read the installation instruction: Linux offers Nvidia drivers in version 180.29 (Linux/VDAPU) and version 180.22 (Linux/CUDA). I’ve downloaded the driver 180.22 that was offered from Nvidia’s CUDA site, and I’ve downloaded the same version for VDPAU. The driver are identical.
In order to get CoreAVC going with CUDA, which is nothing else but the hardware accelerated decoding of HD content, such as H.264 aka MPEG-4/AVC, or VC-1, you need probably to install any Nvidia version >= 180.22 (guess). I’m running the 180.29 driver, and I couldn’t see any CUDA usage on my system. But it has been reported, that CUDA is working with Linux regarding the hardware accelerated decoding. (Thanks to the anonymous poster in the comment section). If I find out how to tell my system to use CUDA, I will report it here. Anyway, you can use VDPAU if you don’t like this academical approach.

Installation (example is for x86):

  1. Download x86 or x86_64 version (mplayer revision 28585, coreavc-for-linux revision 82)
    compiled with ‘aptitude build-depends mplayer && ./configure --disable-x264-lavc --disable-x264 --enable-menu
  2. unpack it:
    tar xfvz mplayer-coreavc-x86.tgz
  3. Install the precompiled and patched mplayer (it’ll be installed into /usr/local/bin)
    dpkg -i mplayer_20090215-1_i386.deb
  4. copy these files
    cp dshowserver regestercodec /usr/bin
    cp nvcuvid.dll /usr/lib/win32
  5. Download CoreAVC 1.9.0 from the link CoreCodec ppl sent you, and extract the file CoreAVCDecoder.ax out of it. If you’re not familiar with extracting it, install it. (run the .exe file, perform a apt-get install wine if necessary)
    The CoreAVCDecoder.ax will be installed into:

    ~/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/CoreCodec/CoreAVC Professional Edition/

    copy this file into /usr/lib/win32 also

Read on next page the rest of the installation instructions, Conclusion and Troubleshouting.

19 thoughts on “CoreAVC 1.9.0 for Linux (howto for Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex 8.10)

  1. thats not correct, go to the nvidia site, cuda seccsion and you can get the driver for linux for cuda 2.1 (for earlier version the driver you mentioned should work fine).

  2. ((((((

    Not Found

    The requested URL /wp/2009/02/mplayer-coreavc-x86.tgz was not found on this server.

  3. Thank you! I am happy! All good! One quest – smplayer don’t work MKV (coreavc+smplayer=?)

  4. I’m so thank you!

    Sorry but can you send me the source that you used ?

    the source that you compiled. I found out that this mplayer didn’t have –enable-gui option.

    I will be very thank you if you send the source that you compiled.

    my email : hanbin973@gmail.com

  5. @hanbin
    The sources are freely accessible:
    Here are the documentation and sources for CoreAVC-for-Linux:
    http://code.google.com/p/coreavc-for-linux/wiki/DshowserverInstall

    And here is the download link for mplayer: http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html

    just do a

    svn checkout svn://svn.mplayerhq.hu/mplayer/trunk mplayer

    for mplayer and

    svn checkout http://coreavc-for-linux.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ coreavc-for-linux

    for CoreAVC-for-Linux.

    That’s all. I’m basically offer these packages only, because people on 64bit systems can’t compile it for their own use, because they need an 32bit environment to do so.

    Regards,
    Andreas

  6. oh! I didin’t know. that was the reason why I coudn’t compile that properly. thank you!

    I think I need to make a 32 bit live cd or so. I would loved it if it had –enable-gui option. haha.

  7. Everything went just fine untill i was about to start watching my first video, then I got: mplayer: error while loading shared libraries: libartsc.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

    what could that be?

  8. @Pluntzkt same problem here in 32bit version

    libartsc.so.0: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

  9. @Edgar
    could you perform in a command line:

    dpkg -l | grep libarts

    and

    apt-cache search libarts

    Or are you trying to install a package built for Intrepid Ibex on a different distro?

    It won’t work e.g. on Jaunty Jackalope, because these packages don’t exist there.

    (PS: speculation: if you on Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope), could you try to install mplayerthumbs)

  10. I’m sorry forget to mention that I am in jaunty jackalope I have installed the package and still giving me the same error. Any ideas?

  11. @Edgar
    I’m sure there’s a way to make it work with Jaunty also, but don’t count on me.

    Don’t you have the possibility to buy and insert an Nvidia 8400GT for 30 bucks, and run VDPAU on it. Every motherboard with an 8200 gfx adapter is capable to handle that also.
    It’s bye far more the smarter way nowadays. I’ve been using CoreAVC the time, where no hardware acceleration for Linux where available. A recent Nvidia driver does a real superb job, regarding 1080p playback. My CPU utilization is usually less than 3%.

  12. hi, somehow i ended up with a mplayer not able to play mkv files.
    Now i having problem finding out how to install “default” mplayer, seems like im getting the new compiled mplayer and libs and codecs all the time.

    anyone know how to “reverse” the guide or just to get hold of an mplayer that will play x264 .mkv files without the coreavc ?

  13. Hi
    Uninstall:
    dpkg -r mplayer
    aptitude reinstall mplayer

    This should do the trick, but common place for problems is step 7 and the codecs.conf file. It must be available for the user who’s running mplayer too.
    And it’s of course for Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex and not Jaunty Jackalope or something.

    I’m sorry,
    Regards
    Andreas

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