CyberLink Announces Linux HD Video Player

[phoronix]

Phoronix: CyberLink Announces Linux HD Video Player

CyberLink's proprietary PowerDVD player has been available on Linux for sometime -- and can even be purchased through the Ubuntu store -- but today they have kicked their Linux support up by a notch or two. They have announced this morning that PowerDVD Linux and PowerCinema are now available for Linux-powered netbooks (such as the ASUS Eee PC 901) and nettops...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=Njc3Mw

[Luis]

This news is quite confusing... It certainly can't mean that by using this software you will be able to watch a HD movie on a netbook, simply because that's impossible (not only it doesn't make sense to watch a 1920x1080 movie on a 1024x600 screen, but an atom 1.6 Ghz processor and an Intel GMA 950 IGP simply don't have the power to do it), but even if it was intended for a powerful desktop with a HD display, you still need driver support to enable any kind of acceleration (and that driver support is not available in Linux yet).

So does it mean that *if* you have a fast enough processor and a big enough display (on your *desktop*), you will be able to watch a BD movie *without* hardware acceleration by using this software? Hhmm... can't you do that already with good ol' MPlayer? Or did I miss something?

[deanjo]

This news is quite confusing... It certainly can't mean that by using this software you will be able to watch a HD movie on a netbook, simply because that's impossible (not only it doesn't make sense to watch a 1920x1080 movie on a 1024x600 screen, but an atom 1.6 Ghz processor and an Intel GMA 950 IGP simply don't have the power to do it), but even if it was intended for a powerful desktop with a HD display, you still need driver support to enable any kind of acceleration (and that driver support is not available in Linux yet).

So does it mean that *if* you have a fast enough processor and a big enough display (on your *desktop*), you will be able to watch a BD movie *without* hardware acceleration by using this software? Hhmm... can't you do that already with good ol' MPlayer? Or did I miss something?

Yes, your right this "HD for netbooks" doesn't make a whole lot of sense on many levels.

[etymxris]

I'll be excited when their proprietary software can play blu ray discs. The draw of "being legit" isn't nearly as much as the draw of functionality I can't get otherwise.

[hubick]

I'll be excited when their proprietary software can play blu ray discs.

That's what I was just about to ask about.

I would love to convert my HTPC to Linux... I just need HD-PVR drivers and Blu-Ray support. Normally I'm not a big fan of proprietary binary crap software, but, big surprise, I'm willing to compromise to at least get rid of Vista (gah).

[ethana2]

Yeah, I didn't see anything about Blu-Ray in that press release; it almost sounds like they're confusing HD with HD-five-years-ago.

If you say HD, I assume you mean 1920x1080. Is this a legit blu-ray player for linux or is it not?

[Thetargos]

I'll be excited about this software when they bundle it with any discrete DVD/BD driver you can buy now off the shelf, which comes bundled with their software (for Windows). It's been ages since I last bought an OEM computer, all my systems I've built, and I am not going to go back to OEM just yet. At any rate, there is no way the general public can get a hold of this software other than through a "hardware" purchase (be it a drive, or a computer)

[linuxjacques]

I agree - very confusing press release.

Where exactly is the HD they refer to?

We already have plenty of DVD players.

[rbmorse]

Yes, but we don't have plenty of DVD players that will legally play css encoded DVDs in the U.S (and Germany? I forget).

[alexth]

that still doesn't turn dvd material in hd material, sounds like another marketing crew with no clue about their company and it's products