Mala video problem (yes I searched! ;))

[DP Louie]

Hi loadman,
First off let me say that Mala is hands down the best front end available.  It's very easy to customize and it seems as though the options it has are endless.  I am sooo glad you are continuing Swindus's great work.  Okay, now that I've buttered you up...

I am working on a vertical layout for a cab I am building, the OS that I'm running is "Mame XP" (nlited xp) from this thread:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=59373.0

I have installed the xvid codecs, but as far as I know, there's no video player installed (not even wmp).  I have the videos set up in my vertical layout, and all the appropriate boxes ticked in the options menu.  I also am using animation to scroll some instructions up the screen.  Everything works great, except for the video - they won't play at all.  The funny thing is, I've tried your stand alone player, and the videos play fine.  What am I missing here?  It's probably something simple, but I've gone over everthing and can't seem to find anything.  I have another cab (horizontal) that is running Mala, and the vids work fine.  Could nlite have something to do with this? ( but if it did, why will the vids play in the stand alone player?)  Is the animation in the layout causing problems?  I've tried to tick the "disable animation" box in the options menu, and nothing changes (maybe I need to remove the animation entirely from the layout?)  Thanks!

[loadman]

I have a vertical Cab myself.

 

I am sure it is something simple too especially since you say the vids play in the stand alone player.

Simple things to check:
* Do Vids play on a horizontal layout (with a video payne)
* In Gui- options - pictures and video is 'show vids' checked?
* Is your path to the videos set in mame- pics and vids 'attract Video'
* What happens if you put your left foot in then your left foot out then shake it all about.

 

Have fun!

[DP Louie]

Thanks loadman

* Do Vids play on a horizontal layout (with a video payne)

This one I dunno - but I'll try a quick layout to see - I'll let you know

* In Gui- options - pictures and video is 'show vids' checked?

Yes

* Is your path to the videos set in mame- pics and vids 'attract Video'

Yes

* What happens if you put your left foot in then your left foot out then shake it all about.

Oddly enough, this results in an overwhelming urge to do the hokey pokey 

[system01]

Dont really think this will answer anything, but here goes,

I am also running vertical with eXPerience TinyXP r09 with mala.  The one thing I swear by when it comes to viedo problems anywhere is the CCCP codec pack.

www.cccp-project.net/

It doesnt make sense that it will play in one app but not on the fe, but who knows.  What video are you really trying to play (emumovies in a little box, custom pretty icons, intro video?).  It actually sounds like an odd format youre trying to play thats causing a problem.

[DP Louie]

Well, I tried the standard horizontal layout with a video window added, and still nothing.  I even deleted my whole Mala folder and re-installed everything to no avail...

system01, thanks for the suggestion, I will try your link.  I am trying to play circo's emumovies in a window of my layout.  You know, your comment about the odd format has me thinking...  I am trying to use the new HQ emumovies that are for vertical games only(in vertical format with no "black bars" on the sides).  Maybe this is causing problems?  Still dosn't make sense why they would play fine in the stand alone player.  I will try the new codec, and try an older set of emumovies vids, and report back.

[DP Louie]

I tried an older set of emumovies, still no go.  I also uninstalled all codecs and then installed the CCCP codec pack, still no go.  It's just baffling to me that the standalone player works, but Mala wont 

I now think it's a codec issue, because I tried ticking the box to have Mala play a video at start up and pointed it to one of the emumovies, and when Mala starts, I can hear the audio, but the screen is blank.  This has to be a codec problem, right?  The funny thing is that I don't even get audio when going thru the gamelist in my layout. 

[system01]

Oooh, I hate random video problems.

I am running circo's HQ vids (SQ also worked) as well.  I have them covering the snaps after 1.5s... no problems.  Thats with CCCP on TinyXP @ 1280x960 and some generic samsung driver.  Ive almost never had a video that wont play with the CCCP.

Something Im wondering is if you are trying to stretch the video to a not-quite 4:3 video box.  Havent messed with this myself, but everything in my layout is ticked 'keep aspect ratio'.  Just a thought.

[system01]

Xvid has a file to test here:

http://www.xvidmovies.com/faq/#4.1

[system01]

Ive never been there before til today, what a great site!

On the same link as above they refer to a program called gspot.  Ive been tinkering with it and its pretty nice.  Drag an avi into it and it tells you the codec it was recorded in.  Then at the bottom theres some little 1s and 2s and 3s.  Hitting these runs the file through your installed codecs and tells you if they render or not.

Try it out.

[Bender]

are your videos in subfolders?
mala can't see videos in subfolders only ones that are directly in the folder you specify

That was a problem I figured out when mine wouldn't run in mala but would run in the viewer

also check the z-order in the malalayout program and make sure that there is nothing in your layout on top of your videos

[DP Louie]

Thanks for the link, system01.  That IS a great site.  Unfortunately, I tried the gspot program, and according to the results I already have the correct codecs installed!  Crazy!
Bender - I have all the .avi's in one folder, so no subfolders to deal with - but that info is good to know, thanks.  I'll check the z-order, but I'm pretty sure that in Mala, the videos always play on top regardless of the z-order.  I'm wondering if there's some windows component that was omitted in the nlite install that Mala needs in order to show the videos?  I have a spare hard drive, so I guess I'll reformat it and do a fresh install of standard xp to see if that changes things.  Thanks guys for all the suggestions...

[Bender]

it seems to me that if the videos run in the viewer you have everything you need installed

[loadman]

Silly Question

But you are definitely using a layout with a video windoe in it aren't you?

[DP Louie]

it seem to me that if the videos run in the viewer you have everything you need installed

I agree, that's why this is driving me crazy...

But you are definitely using a layout with a video windoe in it aren't you?

Yes... I've checked this several times because it seems like the most logical reason

I'll keep trying...

[DP Louie]

SOLVED! 

Well, not really solved - but I know what's causing the problem - my nlited version of win xp.  I copied my mame and mala folders to a spare hard drive on which I just installed a standard version of xp, and the videos show just fine.  So there's some component of xp that is used by mala to display the videos that is not in my nlited version - I just don't know which component that is, so I guess I'll just use the standard version for now.  The only reason I was using the nlited version was to cut down the boot up time.  Thanks everyone for the help and encouragement.

[system01]

OK, this seems stupid, I know, but Im going to run through a bunch of dumbass questions (settings) I have:

- If you have a regular video window in your layout:  MameConfig > Pictures and Video > Attract Videos - pointing to your avi folder.  If its a definable, it should point to the same place.

- Under Options > Pictures and Video - 'Show Video' should be ticked.

- Im not sure what 'low-res mode' under GUI > Display does, but mines unticked.
 (1280x960)

- In the mame config settings under 'advanced', (I can never get direct 3d to work) I have 'Direct Draw' ticked, as well as 'Switch Color Depth', 'Hardware stretch', and 'Triple Buffer' ticked.  Resolution's on 'Auto'.  I know these are a stretch as far as the problem goes, but its working for me on a crappy old 4400Ti card.

- Are you trying to run any kind of video effects?  Pre- or post-precess?  I know, another stretch.

All of the above work for me on TinyXP r09 with the CCCP and thats it.  If things are still hosed, I might copy your mala folder to something portable and try a different OS.

I cant say TinyXP r09 is the one for you as I havent tried very many of these nLited deals, but its definitely working here.  I think I tried r07 before with positive results also (I hear 'Beast Edition' is the one to have, but I think its outdated).  The whole idea behind the eXPerience TinyXP series is its made for LAN-parties.  The only things required are graphics, speed, and minor networking... perfect for mame

[system01]

Wow, you solved it while I was typing!  Good job.

FYI, I was having ~18s startup times from button push to hourglass leaving on r09.  Its longer now with drivers and other crap (damn you wlnotify.dll! ).  If you need help finding it, PM me.

[garykagan]

It's the codec that was causing it.  I downloaded the latest from www.xvidmovies.com/codec/ and the videos started working instantly.