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VLCRiftPlayer 0.1.6 - alpha DK2 edition - Video Player

mra
Protege
VLCRiftPlayer
Oculus DK2 Video Player

Author: mra (aka Saxxon66)

Latest Version:

32bit
VLCRiftPlayer_x86_0_1_6.zip
64bit
VLCRiftPlayer_x64_0_1_6.zip
Version: 0.1.6
Date: 12/09/2014

Changes:

* Major performance improvements, no GPU decoding but very low cpu load (15 - 25%)
* 32 and 64 bit version, please use the 32 bit version with a 32 bit VLC and the 64 bit version with the 64 bit VLC only!!!
* Frametimes are now very low, stable and solid
* Based ion Oculus SDK 4_0_3, with Bugfixes, like state reset fix, ...
* Simple GUI, tap you HMD or shake your head to bring up the GUI. Works by looking at the GUI-Elements, give it a try. I would like to hear what you are thinking.
* Support added for Over/Under S3D (SBS is also supported), use NUMPAD_0 / F1 to toggle modes
* Happy Christmas and have fun ...


0.0.5 - 1st Alpha Release

* Removed dependency for D3DCompiler_47.dll. Shaders are now precompiled and included in the toolchain.
This should solve Win7 problems w/o the Win8.1 libs.
VLCRiftPlayer_0_0_5.zip


0.0.4 - 4th Pre-Alpha Release


* 1st version of Ambilight (not working for 3D SBS), F10 to enable/disable


0.0.3 - 3rd Pre-Alpha Release


* "Direct to the Rift" / "Direct HMD Access from Apps" mode is now supported. (Extended desktop is still supported)
* Audio Track Changing is now supported. Use F9 to change the audio track.
* Removed Direct Input
* Added simple Debug Gui in Debug Builds (not in public release builds)
* BUGFIX: Projection Matrix was wrong while turning + rotating head


0.0.2 - 2nd Pre-Alpha Release

* DK2 position tracking via camera (optional)
* Curved screen (default, change with F5 to flat screen)
* Adjustable radius of curved screen (F6 + F7)
* SBS rendering now handled by shader
* Release Build (0.0.1 was a debug build, dynamically linked with MSVCR100D.DLL) statically linked, so MSVCR100.DLL is not needed anymore.
* Key mapping changed
* BUGFIX: In SBS mode the eye switching was only not working for one eye.


0.0.1 - Initial version


Version Info: Pre-Alpha Release (no feature freeze)
No error handling, but works for me in extended display mode.

Description:

VLCRiftPlayer is a movie player for Oculus DK2 with S3D support (SBS).
Under the hood it uses VLC (http://www.videolan.org/vlc/) for movie playback.
So most everything VLC can play, this player can play also.

Inspired by the design of the OculusPlayer (special thx to dbaker), this is a DirectX 11 port.
Using the Oculus SDK 4.0.1 for distortion rendering and head tracking.

Install:

Copy the VLCRiftPlayer.exe to the VLC (32bit) base directory.
Make sure it is the ltest version of VLC.
Tested with vlc 2.1.5

Use:

- Configure your DK2 for Extended Desktop mode.
- Start the VLCRiftPlayer.exe in the VLC root directory (32bit).
- A dialog box will open.
- Choose a movie file.
- Take on the DK2.
- Press Return to center the view.
- Zoom the screen by using the mouse scroll wheel to get a comfortable view.
- If it is a 3D movie press F1 to enable SBS mode.
- If the image is not 3D try to change the images for each eye by pressing F2.
- The IPD of your current active Oculus profile (see Oculus Config Util) will be used. You can adjust the IPD by pressing F3 (-) or F4 (+).
- Enjoy!

Controls:

Stereo 3D:

NUMPAD_0 / F1: Enable/Disable SBS 3D movie (default on)
F2: Switch Images for eye
F3: IPD Correction-
F4: IPD Correction+

Screen:

F5: Curved screen/Flat Screen
F6: Radius of curved screen +
F7: Radius of curved screen -
F10: To enable/disable Ambilight

Player controls:

Play/Pause: Spacebar
F9: Change Audio Tracks

Right arrow: Jump 30 sec. forward
Left arrow: Jump 30 sec. forward
NUMPAD_9 Jump: 1 min. forward
NUMPAD_6 Jump: 3 min. forward
NUMPAD_3 Jump: 5 min. forward
NUMPAD_8 Jump: 1 min. back
NUMPAD_4 Jump: 3 min. back
NUMPAD_1 Jump: 5 min. back

Camera/Head:

Enter: Center headtracker/Position
Mouse wheel: Zoom in/out
WASD: Move camera up/down/left/right

Enjoy but use it at your own risk!
64 REPLIES 64

neosin
Honored Guest
PLEASE HELP!!!!

gtx780 ti
win 7 64bit

primary = samsung 27" 1080p
secondary = rift 1080p

i can get the video to show up on my primary monitor, how do i get it to show on my rift instead?

If i change the rift to primary monitor, it is unusable because it's zoomed into the desktop and and i can't see crap >_<

please help

mra
Protege
"neosin" wrote:
PLEASE HELP!!!!

gtx780 ti
win 7 64bit

primary = samsung 27" 1080p
secondary = rift 1080p

i can get the video to show up on my primary monitor, how do i get it to show on my rift instead?

If i change the rift to primary monitor, it is unusable because it's zoomed into the desktop and and i can't see crap >_<

please help


Do u use the DK2?

App is looking for the identifier of the dk2, so if u use the dk1, it is not supported by this app, sorry.
I do have the dk1, but cause of the low res i will not support it for movie playback for now.

If u have the dk2, your setup should be fine.

primary = samsung 27" 1080p
secondary = rift 1080p

Will test it on nvidia hw then I'm back in the end of this week.

WillHart1
Protege
I'll post this here, even though I've already sent this as a private email:

You need to learn how to navigate your system when in the extended mode!

And you especially need to learn (for the time being) how to do so when you have the Rift set as the "Primary" display.

Here's a related piece I posted for the Star Wars game "Battle of Endor" that covers part of the above issues. After this I'll get back to specifics on the VLC Rift Player, and I'll recommend a much easier player for you:

"Re: Star Wars: Battle of Endor
Postby WillHart1 » Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:49 am

It was a real puzzle to get this to run on the Rift on my system; but it felt like Victory when I finally did!

(Scroll Way Down to quickly get to the The Short Version)

The Long Explanation:

One thing I'm just learning, is the difference in Windows (8.1) between the numbers assigned to monitors, their Adapter numbers, and

the importance of which monitor is assigned as the "Primary" monitor.

From what I currently understand, when my Rift is in Extended Mode, and I right-click on Screen Resolution, it is extremely important to have the Rift (no matter what number is on its screen display), moved to the left-most position, as that is what the force Adapter command added to Shortcuts, " -adapter 1" calls Adapter 1.

It is also crucial in many cases to use your graphics card controls in Extended Mode to set the Rift as the Primary display; even though this does get confusing when you have to have to try and find the next little window that wants you to confirm this setting.

I've found that right after you click on Apply, pressing Tab, then Enter, will confirm the setting, even though you might not be able to see this little window through one of your Rift lenses after it has become the "Primary" display.

It also helps at moments like this to know you can sometimes use the Windows key plus the Right or Left Arrow keys (sometimes holding the Shift-Key at the same time) to move some of the active windows from display to display; and that you have to drag your mouse

pointer far off to the right or left to get it to show up on your non-Rift monitor, or on your Rift screen if you are looking through one of the lenses.

And don't forget, if things get too confusing after you have made your Rift the Primary monitor, turning off the Rift will make Windows revert back to full-control on your regular monitor.

It also helps greatly to have Bilago's OculusServiceManager running so you can restart your Oculus Rift Drivers and Services so you can put your Rift back into Direct mode too.

The Short Version:

All that being said, when I want to run Battle of Endor, according to my notes, I put my Rift in Extended Mode, I make sure under Screen Resolution that the Rift Monitor Image is to the left, I use Bilago's OculusServiceManager to stop the Oculus Services (and leave the Watchdog off), in my Nvidia GTX 660 graphics card settings, I make the Rift my Primary display, and lastly, I click on the Shortcut I made for Battle of Endor, which includes the Adapter Force " -adapter 1" on the end of it, and the fun begins.

And if I want to start Battle of Endor from the very beginning as a demo for anyone, rather than jumping back into the game where I left off, I rename the "output_log.txt" file in the Battle of Endor data folder to something like "OLD output_log.txt" so the game will start from the beginning again.

I hope this helps somebody get this and other programs running faster than I did!

Will Hart
Fullerton, California

ps
Make sure you look all around behind you while the opening text is scrolling!
And have your X-Box controller plugged in.
WillHart1"

O.K. Now while your head is spinning, back to the VLC Rift Player:

Create a Shortcut for your VLC Rift Player.exe file (for now, put it on your desktop).

Then open the Shortcut Properties and add the DirectX11 force command to the filename in the Properties, so the end of the name will look like this .exe" -force-d3d11.

And make sure that Shortcut is kind of in the middle of your Windows desktop, or visible in a small window that you move to the middle of your desktop.

You then need to make sure all of your Rift services and drivers are running.

Use the Oculus Service Manager by Bilago, with the Watchdog function turned on for constant services.

Go into Extended Mode in your Oculus controls so your graphics card and Windows will see your Rift as a monitor.

Use your Windows Screen Resolution controls to make sure your Rift is the left-most position.

Then tell your graphics card to make the Rift your Primary display, and select Apply; and to make it easier to confirm this choice, since you can't see the little window asking you to confirm this, just press Tab, then Enter, and you will have confirmed the Primary choice.

Here's where you need to master your new-found screen viewing skills.

If you look through one of your Rift lenses (on mine, it's the left one), you should be able to see the shortcut you created for the Player, but you may have to watch carefully as you move your mouse around to find the pointer to click on it.

Just remember, your Rift is now your left-most monitor, so you have to move your pointer way off to the left to see it; and then to see your pointer on your other monitor, you have to move the pointer way off to the right.

You also now have to practice two other skills.

Move your pointer way over to the middle of your regular monitor, and notice what windows are showing as active on your Taskbar; and try pressing Windows plus your Right Arrow a few times to find out what it is like to move active windows over to your regular monitor where you can easily see them. You can use Alt-Tab to make different windows active, and try moving them back and forth between your Rift and your Monitor using Windows plus the Arrow Keys (with and without the Shift Key).

When you first run the VLC Rift Player, you may only see a White Screen in your Rift, but if you look at your Task Bar on your Monitor, you will see two Player Items, one on top of the other. Use Alt Tab to select the other Player item as the Active Window, then use your Windows plus Right Arrow to move that over to you Monitor, and you will see the Open Items dialog window from the Rift Player, so you can select whatever video you want to watch.

And when you feel totally lost in the Extended Rift Primary mode, don't forget you can turn your Rift off, which will put everything back on your regular monitor. And from there you can use the Oculus Service Manager by Bilago to turn your services and drivers back on (if you have had them off), and you can switch the Oculus Services back to Direct, just before you turn the Rift back on.

All of this sounds really convoluted, but it just takes moments once you learn it, and it takes far, far, longer trying to explain it!

AND NOW THE TIP OF THE DAY!

Don't worry about doing any of the above!

Spend $5.99 or so, and just download the latest MaxVR; which has been updated 5 times in the last 24 hours!

You don't have to do anything special to get it running!

Leave your drivers running in Direct mode, and just start MaxVR and enjoy yourself!

You videos and drop down videos will be on your regular monitor, and your Rift will just show you your videos and a slider and pause/play control.

The Tab key lets you cycle through all of the 2D and 3D modes.

The S Key lets you cycle through the screen styles, Flat, Curved, 180, etc.

And - and + let you move toward or back from the screen.

MaxVR is a no-brainer that has become a massive, easy-to-use treat!

Will Hart

mra
Protege
Will is right for the file chooser window:
It can be a little bit tricky to have the file chooser window on the primary display and the video output on the dk2.

He described how to choose the file chooser window (ALT + TAB) and how to get the window back to the other monitor (WIN + SHIFT + ARROW_KEY). For me it is working nicely as is, but u may have some trouble with it.

But it should be no problem, in any case, to have the video on the DK2, because it is directly bound to the DK2 DXGI adapter.
There is no magic involved like having your primary on a special position etc.

I appreciate very much the feedback from all, who tried VLCRiftPlayer in this early stage.
This is a work in progress thread and I would like to share my experience during the development with u and listening to your feedback.

Direct to the rift is on my list for the next releases, like many more:
* Ambilight
* Special pentile subpixel rendering
* Playlist support
* Debug GUI
* Player GUI

Please keep in mind that this is not a finished program, not even a Beta.
It is a non feature freeze Alpha version.
There are more finished/polished video players, but the main idea is to use the VLC base for video decoding, subs, audio, ... as it is a well known, great, open source video player.

So if u like this idea plz support my work by contributing to the thread with your ideas and feedback.

bonega
Honored Guest
This player is the only one I have been able to use without judder.
But: If I tilt my head towards my shoulder it feels like I go crosseyed.
The picture diverges somehow.
Perhaps it has something to do with using F2(?) for switching eyes?.

mra
Protege
"bonega" wrote:
This player is the only one I have been able to use without judder.
But: If I tilt my head towards my shoulder it feels like I go crosseyed.
The picture diverges somehow.
Perhaps it has something to do with using F2(?) for switching eyes?.


I am doing the projection wrong (not related to F2 switch eye). This is a bug in the current release, that has already been fixed and will be corrected in the next release by the end of this week.

Thx for the info.

Protocol7
Heroic Explorer
Thank you for your fine work!

PeterS25
Honored Guest
Hey Mra, Awesome player loving it the best out there at the moment. But I was wondering if you would be able to add scaling to screen to make it larger.

I know you can scroll in and out to change the size of the screen but that is translating the screen in depth, what i mean is if you like that screen at that depth in space would you be able to make it so you can increase/decrease the size of the screen and keep it at the same stereo depth. This I think will improve the experience a lot if you have the screen much further away in space but a lot larger it will seem more impressive instead of having the screen right up close to your face.

Thanks, Pete.

MisterDeum
Honored Guest
VLCRiftPlayer is fabulous. It works great. Period. the subtitles seems to be completely in the wrong position (clearly not on the bottom and slightly left) but besides that ... it plays like a charm. Keep it simple like they said. Add just the necessary and you will get a winner ! Thanks for this !

mra
Protege
New Release is out now!

0.0.3 - 3rd Pre-Alpha Release

* "Direct to the Rift" / "Direct HMD Access from Apps" mode is now supported. (Extended desktop is still supported)
* Audio Track Changingis now supported. Use F9 to change the audio track.
* Removed Direct Input
* Added simple Debug Gui in Debug Builds (not in public release builds)
* BUGFIX: Projection Matrix was wrong while turning + rotating head

Thx guys for testing