Feedback: Defcon Movie Channel

[alklloyd]

23 completely bombed. eco tried and tried to get it to work, but for some reason it just wouldn't play. We'll have to find a better rip so it can be shown next year.

That was the *one* movie I most wanted to see.
Well, I feel a little better after missing it friday morning, but not much.
Maybe a better time slot could be found as well. The movies(parts of movies)
were very crisp and clear. The selection was good and the work that went into
it is very appreciated. Great job.

Al

[eco]

Ok, I'm finally at home and can finally answer questions.

For those that haven't figured it out, I'm the guy that wrote the scripting for the DefCon Movie Channel.

To clarify something, the DefCon Movie channel and DefCon TV are not the same thing. I guess DefCon Movie channel (DCMC) would be considered a subset of DefCon TV. DefCon TV would be any of the channels the AP let us use (including talks, the info channel, and DCMC). DC801 only did DCMC. Others deserve the credit for the other channels.

Audio normalization is something I really, really wanted to get in but I spent the entire night coding--hurray for all night coding sessions--in the necessary features the day before I left so I didn't have the time unfortunately. I will definately be looking into something for it next year.

The screen is black between clips because...what else would go there? For the most part, the script is designed to always be playing something as long as a movie's start time isn't within 7 seconds of the current time. It'll even play filler if a movie dies after 5 attempts at playing it. The extended periods of black were pretty much all due to filler having an incorrect duration stored so the script would think the filler was playing when it actually had finished (this happened with the GI Joe clips quite frequently for instance). I had a solution for this but ran out of time so I couldn't implement it (if the playing process on filler died, start the next ;)). The true solution would have been to get the correct durations for each clip.

Any cutting off that occured was due to the same problem. The script noticed the mplayer process was running too long (longer than the stored duration) so it killed it.

Unless someone has a shit load of bandwidth they want to give out, nothing we played will be availible for download. If there is some clip you just HAVE to have, email me (eco AT gnuk DOT net) and I might be able to help you out.

I'm told the version of Dune that played was a 137 minute version rented from Blockbuster. I can neither confirm nor deny these rumors. :D Just so you know, that's the "standard' DVD length. There is also a 190 minute version of Dune you can get fairly easily I'm sure.

I tried just about everything I could to get 23 working correctly but sadly I couldn't get it fully functioning. The AVIs I had availible had no headers and weren't indexed. Not sure how they came out that way if they were, like you said, encoded with mencoder. I had to run the custom fixavi tool that comes with mplayer (isn't built by default though) to get the video to even play past something like 31 seconds and after I did that, the duration was reported incorrectly which wouldn't have been that big of deal since about 90% of the movies were reporting the duration incorrectly (pre-file-merge VOB boundaries were pretty much where that problem came up incase anyone cares) but since it was an AVI and I had just rebuilt the header, the duration should have been correct. Also, I still got the occasional missing keyframe which caused the video currently in the framebuffer to follow the motion of another scene (that's where it looks like one scene has the last scene painted on top of it but the motion is still there). Anyway, I kept it in the line up as I was at least able to play some of it. I don't know exactly how much ended up playing but it ended up killing the control script somehow. Oh, and for the record, I was using MPlayer 1.0pre4 and 1.0pre5 for testing (since it came out while I was working on this). Both, built from source. The behavior was the same for both versions.

Hopefully we can find a better version next year or fix the problem in this copy. I was looking forward to watching this more than most of the movies and I was disappointed when I couldn't get it working as good as I needed.

gzzah, that short is called Billy's Ballon by Don Hertzfeldt. I discovered the Don Hertzfeldt shorts right before DefCon and just had to include them.

Personally, I enjoyed the filler the most myself also. No one wants to see the same movies they probably own. I didn't choose the line up (I did have some say though so I'm guilty in that respect). Next year, I think we've all but agreed we will be looking for obscure, hard to find movies instead of major movies. I know dedhed mentioned this and I'm sure most everyone can agree. I'm sure we'll need suggestions for this and plenty of time to acquire them so any help would be nice if this is, indeed, the route we end up taking for next year.

We might also consider shifting it so movies would start at the beginning of the next availible hour, instead of half hour like we did this year. That would mean less movies would play but a lot more filler would make it on. Just a thought but tell me what you guys think.

I'll have the list of filler (filenames) up soon I suppose. If you want to know exactly what filename a particular clip had, I can probably tell you since I've seen pretty much all of it.

[TheCotMan]

I tried just about everything I could to get 23 working correctly but sadly I couldn't get it fully functioning. The AVIs I had availible had no headers and weren't indexed. Not sure how they came out that way if they were, like you said, encoded with mencoder. I had to run the custom fixavi tool that comes with mplayer (isn't built by default though) to get the video to even play past something like 31 seconds and after I did that, the duration was reported incorrectly which wouldn't have been that big of deal since about 90% of the movies were reporting the duration incorrectly (pre-file-merge VOB boundaries were pretty much where that problem came up incase anyone cares) but since it was an AVI and I had just rebuilt the header, the duration should have been correct. Also, I still got the occasional missing keyframe which caused the video currently in the framebuffer to follow the motion of another scene (that's where it looks like one scene has the last scene painted on top of it but the motion is still there). Anyway, I kept it in the line up as I was at least able to play some of it. I don't know exactly how much ended up playing but it ended up killing the control script somehow. Oh, and for the record, I was using MPlayer 1.0pre4 and 1.0pre5 for testing (since it came out while I was working on this). Both, built from source. The behavior was the same for both versions.

Hopefully we can find a better version next year or fix the problem in this copy. I was looking forward to watching this more than most of the movies and I was disappointed when I couldn't get it working as good as I needed.

The one with OSD was even test-played in MS Windows Media Player and it worked.

Here is what we have:

mplayer configured with:
./configure --enable-gui --enable-largefiles --enable-menu --enable-xmms \
--with-win32libdir=/usr/lib/win32 --with-xanimlibdir=/usr/lib/win32/xanimdlls \
--with-reallibdir=/usr/lib/win32/rp8win32codecs

Version:
1.0pre4 (built from source, pre5 was released in mid July)

I include all of the libs I can get (MS, QT, Real, etc and even the aalibs :-)

# Version without subs:
# This one does not alter the aspect ratio, but explicitly states AR and size and uses
# divx4 video for compression of video and adds info for resulting file
mencoder \
-vf scale=720:576::::pal,dsize=16:9 \
-oac pcm -ovc divx4 -aspect 16:9 \
-info name=23-Nichts-ist-so-wie-es-Scheint:artist=www.imdb.com/title/tt0126765/
:genre=Drama/Based-on-a-true-story:subject=German,Hackers,Conspiracy,Spies/Spy,K
och,Karl:comment=NoSub \
-o 23-Nichts.ist.so.wie.es.scheint-Divx-pcm.avi \
23-Nichts.ist.so.wie.es.scheint-English.avi

# Versions with subs OSD in final filtered and output video
# What this does is to use multiple filters to:
# create a letterbox frame to account for the lost borders on TV, place video centered
# in the created black box, rescale mastering to NTSC aspect ratio to 4:3, alter
# the output frame rate down to 29.970, specify the subtitle file to use with OSD
# in filter, specify location of subtitles, and width for display, and how bright, and then
# specify (raw pcm) audio format , encode video using divx4 libs, include video
# name information for description, and output and input files
# (All in one command line.)
mencoder \
-vf scale=930:530::::,expand=1050:700:57:63:1,scale=72 0:480::::ntsc,dsize=4:3\
-ofps 29.970 -aspect 4:3 \
-sub 23-Nichts.ist.so.wie.es.scheint-English.sub -subpos 73 -subwidth 85 \
-ffactor 1 -oac pcm -ovc divx4 \
-info name=23-Nichts-ist-so-wie-es-Scheint:artist=www.imdb.com/title/tt0126765:\
genre=Drama/Based-on-a-true-story:subject=German,Hackers,Conspiracy,Spies/Spy,Koch,Karl:\
comment=Engl-Sub-Hearing-Impaired \
-o 23-Nichts.ist.so.wie.es.scheint-English-NTSC-Divx-pcm.avi \
23-Nichts.ist.so.wie.es.scheint-English.avi

What what libs were you using with mplayer? This video plays on all of my workstations. I can even play it on my console with the aalib using letters, symbols and numbers, or from within X.

I'd like to see you be able to play this.. at least for next year. :-/

[murakami]

I thought that the Movie Channel went very smoothly and keeps on improving. The only criticism I have was that the content was disappointing. The movies did not differ much from what you can find on cable. I really liked the movie play list at DC11, there were a bunch of movies that you typically don't find.

[viciouschiapet]

I figured anybody who wanted to watch Fear and Loathing would still be going strong at 3am. That or bombed out of their mind on the couch, in a perfect mental state to enjoy it.

3am? pfft i was still out partying!!!

[gzzah]

gzzah, that short is called Billy's Ballon by Don Hertzfeldt. I discovered the Don Hertzfeldt shorts right before DefCon and just had to include them.

Our heartfelt gratitude for that -- and for the ton of work you did in getting things working. Too bad the Forbin Project isn't out on DVD cuz that would have rocked....

http://www.bitterfilms.com/

Love it!

[gzzah]

eco - thought of a few things to play:

- Swingers and/or Made.. get rid of that brad pittiful Ocean's 11 crap...
- BUSTED - The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters .. for the anarchists out there
- Colossus - The Forbin Project .. only on VHS at the moment.
- Repo Man - For the punk in all of us

All we got for now.. guess this should have gone over to defcontv.org but.. ah well. :p

[gzzah]

..goin for a threepost..

Where's the list of filenames for the shorts? I've been trying to find the "Apple's Don't Crash" parody but all I come up with is the guy ranting about it (thanks somethingawful!).

Big thanks on Don Hertzfeldt .. He's one amazing animator with a very nicely twisted imagination.

[Tierra]

Where's the list of filenames for the shorts? I've been trying to find the "Apple's Don't Crash" parody but all I come up with is the guy ranting about it (thanks somethingawful!).

I'm still waiting to get my drive back... we had to shuffle the movie channel content around on 3 (maybe 4) different drives, so as soon as all the content is re-shuffled around onto the appropriate drives and I get my 250gb drive back, or if eco sees this before then, the list will be posted.

[eco]

Adrenaline was going to post it...I wonder why he didn't. Anyway, here you go:

Aphex_Twin-Windowlicker_(DiVX) 59 mb
wrc-high 18 mb
Red Dwarf - Smeg Ups 270 mb
The-Fanimatrix-(DivX-5.1-HQ) 128 mb
aerobitard 779 kb
Don Hertzfeldt - Genre 19 mb
Marilyn Manson - Tainted Love 36 mb
qdivx 165 mb
zero_win 1 mb
troops_qt3 26 mb
landau 831 kb
developers 1 mb
tokyo_breakfast_dsl 13 mb
fight 1 mb
John-switch 4 mb
OfficeSpaceWars 29 mb
Radiohead - Paranoid Android 65 mb
wrc-2002 12 mb
switched 3 mb
Revolution.OS 701 mb
[Soldats] Initial D - Battle Stage 356 mb
ballmer_fun 2 mb
DJ Q-Bert - Wave Twisters 666 mb
Conan-Triumph-at-Star-Wars 17 mb
defcon_1 53 mb
defcon_2 120 mb
defcon_3 14 mb
The-Fanimatrix-(MPEG) 163 mb
snlfrance 2 mb
Getaway In Stockholm 1 215 mb
Don Hertzfeldt - Lily and Jim 33 mb
224Helicopter_Kills 4 mb
zerowing 1 mb
KA2 994 kb
Siviak's Pool Dive 12 mb
Don Hertzfeldt - Billys Balloon 23 mb
Mitsubishi-WRC_2000 146 mb
MaryKate and Ashley Olsen Rolling Stone Photoshoot 45 mb
Orbital - Halcyon 10 mb
megaman3-timeattack-sleepz 70 mb
Don Hertzfeldt - Rejected 61 mb
ballmer_dance 3 mb
AMV - Naruto - somewhere i belong 15 mb
Triumph The Insult Dog Starwars Report 104 mb
Halo-Warthog 23 mb
pump-action24 24 mb
Staplerfahrer_Klaus.-.Forklift_Driver_Klaus.DVD-Rip.elainy60.ShareReactor 132 mb
Breakdance Fun 3 mb
nokia 476 kb
watersperta 3 mb
2004Apr23_trip 67 mb
aybabtu 54 mb
make-hashish-in-your-house 17 mb
moppi-ix-hifi 42 mb
ScreenShot01 1 mb
ScreenShot02 684 kb
cnndice 9 mb
apple 2 mb
nutrigrain_medium 10 mb
gta4real 10 mb
Look What I Can Do (R2D2) 1 mb
balmer_musicvideo 5 mb
computerboy 106 mb
Magic Ping Pong 3 mb
sf 3 mb
Mad TV - Kenny Rogers Jackass 46 mb
halo2demogood 17 mb
balmer_psycho 3 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA07_small 1 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA24_small 1 mb
Tokyo Breakfast 13 mb
Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be 37 mb
1970-high 11 mb
Funny Videos - LSD Being Tested on British Troops 14 mb
fridaynight3-1 5 mb
techtv-blooper 1 mb
fjabbenild 4 mb
hippiesfromhell-vcd 531 mb
kidshow2 23 mb
Knives 5 mb
WIXXER_LARGE_DL 15 mb
transformers 119 mb
jonglestylo 9 mb
benn001_http_300_300[1] 14 mb
FISHING 1 mb
oddtodd 69 mb
moog_preview 41 mb
HealthyPenisDial 590 kb
snowtowcar 14 mb
Super Mario Bros - Duck Hunt (U) 80 kb
Kitty Kitty 1 mb
putty-med 15 mb
Tetris Finals in Japan 5 mb
Cowboy Bebop AMV - Gorillaz 19-2000 Remix - Ed tribute 35 mb
TRANSFORMERS_master_320x240 21 mb
MATRIX-XP_engl_L 24 mb
[Rurouni Kenshin] - U2 - (Sunday Bloody Sunday) 55 mb
Staplerfahrer Klaus (German Forklift Safety Video) 6 mb
tetris_japan_finals 12 mb
snl-harry-potter-skit-1 14 mb
Buzz Aldrin Punch Video 760 kb
werbung 3 mb
adult_swim_knockoff-01 73 mb
cops 2 mb
adam 32 mb
thebroken 540 kb
Thumbs 54 kb
microsoftblueout 1 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA02_small 1 mb
developers 1 mb
killerlizard 1 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA16_small 1 mb
OMG 8 mb
annoy 5 mb
McDLT.[ClockworkDV.com] 10 mb
Drugs - LSD - US Experiments 4 mb
The Great Train Robbery 30 mb
indigendivx 30 mb
Rodney Mullen 10 mb
beer_medium 12 mb
Hellsing - AMV - The world is a Vampire 23 mb
Elektronik_Supersonik 9 mb
s15e05c05 14 mb
2004062610 898 kb
LOTW - Sinnlos in Mittelerde - Part1 - Beta1(DivX) 76 mb
AMV - Cowboy Bebop - The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony 59 mb
Comedy - Cat Attacks Kid (funny) 852 kb
Perversi1965_2 53 mb
Martial Arts - Wushu - Kung fu - Sampler 9 mb
thebroken_15 27 mb
SegwayCrash 3 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA05_small 1 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA22_small 1 mb
badgerbadger 12 mb
VWHiRes 4 mb
halo_warthog_jump_high 23 mb
a frightened boy 85 mb
rubicscube16seconds 1 mb
anal_sex_lesson 5 mb
Ford Sportka - Cat decapitation commercial 994 kb
theinternet 8 mb
doom house 2000 28 mb
alan_vegasfunflydemo_2004 14 mb
chin2 8 mb
AMV - Micheal Jackson - Smooth Criminal(Trigun & Cowboy Bebop) 29 mb
yougotbeef 12 mb
Wushu Staff Fight 4 mb
vid4 509 kb
DeadPlaces-Large 59 mb
AMV - Berserk & Hellsing - Static-X - Black & White 20 mb
AMV - MSI-FLCL-Tight 5 mb
AMV - Hellsing - Bodies 20 mb
thebroken_1 82 mb
thebroken_3 152 mb
The Great Train Robbery - First Motion Picture 30 mb
bushblair_endlesslove 4 mb
Chemical Brothers - Let Forever Be (Michel Gondry) 37 mb
oldzeldacommercial 2 mb
RCCar_video 10 mb
Japan_National_Yo-Yo_Contest_2003 64 mb
(https://www.gprime.net_--_kindly_hos..._iamhosted.com)_blindfoldedmariopianist2 16 mb
FenslerFilm_PSA11_small 2 mb
cloth_folding 2 mb
ac130_gunshipmed 5 mb
Ford Sportka - Bird kill commercial 1 mb
Perversi1965 40 mb
Cowboy Bebop - In The End - Linkin Park 14 mb

Obviously, not everything on that list ended up playing simple because some couldn't even possibly fit in a <30 minute gap.

TheCotMan: I'll give you details about 23 soon. I've been busy and I am just barely finding some free time.

[Adrenaline]

Take a look at the size of that post, and you'll have an idea of why I didnt post it. :-) was gonna just post a link to it somewhere, but since it's already there...

[TheCotMan]

TheCotMan: I'll give you details about 23 soon. I've been busy and I am just barely finding some free time.

Thanks! We have almost a year to resolve problems with the video, and I am not in any hurry ATM.

[Edit: added content below]

I'm going to be busy for the next 4 months and probably won't be checking-in here and have disabled PM until I get back. Grifter has my e-mail address and I'll be off and on EFNet irc.

Prob be back in December.