Media Options for KDE 4

[Neil Stevens]

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aRts:

Pro:  We already use it.  It's ported.  It has a fair number of codecs.  
It's in KDE cvs. It has an acceptable license.  It keeps binary 
compatibility.  It has no large dependencies.  It has three KDE APIs 
(KNotify, libartskde, KMediaPlayer) implemented with it sufficient for the 
common media uses.

Con: It lacks output plugins to some of the newer systems.  It has 
permanent latency issues for high-end use.  It only supports video with a 
hack.  It uses the C++ standard library and its own object model instead 
of a Qt one for us.

Jack:

Pro: It fixes latency problems for high-end use.  It has no burdensome 
dependencies.  It's simple object-based C so a KDE API wouldn't be too 
difficult to build from it.  It's actively maintained.  It has an 
acceptable license.

Con: It has no codecs we need.  It is audio-only.  It's not ported. Binary 
compatibility commitment is unknown/undocumented.

Xine:

Pro: We already use it (sorta).  It's ported.  It has audio and video, and 
many codecs.  It's actively maintained.

Con: They already broke binary compatibility on us once.  It would load its 
decoders, input, and output engines into every process.  It uses its own 
URL system incompatible with KIO.  It is licensed unacceptably for KDE 
library use.

CSL:  (correct any errors here, please, I can't find much CSL information)

Pro: It builds on aRts (that we already use), so through arts it has the 
codecs and portability we need.  It seems to have a growing body of 
supporters.  It is licensed acceptably.

Con:  It pulls in glib requirement.  It is audio only.  Does it have a 
backend that avoids aRts's latency issues?

Anyone care to add an option I didn't list here?

- -- 
Neil Stevens - neil at qualityassistant.com
"Distinctions by race are so evil, so arbitrary and insidious that a
state bound to defend the equal protection of the laws must not allow
them in any public sphere." -- Thurgood Marshall
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