Can OpenGL meet this spec?

OpenGL OpenGL: Basic Coding
1

I’m working on a Mac/Windows application that uses QuickTime to render multi-channel audio and a variety of media formats (.mov .jpeg, .tiff, .bmp, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2).

The application renders a full-screen
slideshow with a custom toolbar or writes the lot to a .mov file. Other features include simple transitions between stills and a text overlay
using DrawText.

We would like to add WMV and WMA playback and file output on Windows. So, one way is to write QuickTime and DirectX code in one application. But I’d rather use one rendering API than two. I’m thinking that OpenGL would be a better choice because it’s cross-platform.

Is this all child’s play for OpenGL or will I run into trouble with vendor-specific formats like .mov and .wmv?

Thanks in advance,

  • Ashok Thirumurthi
2

As long as you can decode all the formats you wish, there will have no problem at all. Note that OpenGL does not provide anything for loading or decoding files like mov, avi… Fortunately there are many libraries that decode those files.

3

> Note that OpenGL does not provide anything for > loading or decoding files like mov, avi…

What media formats are rendered by OpenGL?

> Fortunately there are many libraries that decode those files.

Are these libraries that are designed for OpenGL? Or, would I use DirectShow or QuickTime to read and write media files and then use OpenGL to render?

Are there primers on OpenGL that can help me get a feeling for the API as compared with QuickTime or DirectShow?

4

errrr opengl is a graphics rendering context not a toolbox for kiddies. you should know that.

so opengl does not support any video format any audio format any mesh format any image format ANYTHING AT ALL about media!!! because its a GRAPHICAL RENDERING CONTEXT!

5

Look at MPlayerHQ . This is an open-source multimedia player that support different platforms. It also has a module for using OpenGL for decoding and playback.

6

Thanks Hernan,

A GPL player backend looks like a good choice for this specification. Looks like OpenGL is closer to DirectDraw + Direct3D.

  • Ashok

George,

It’s rarely clear what a large framework doesn’t do. That is a reasonable purpose for a beginner’s forum.

  • Ashok
7

Ashok: You’re right. And there have been a lot more unreasonable questions even on the advanced forums. Good luck with your project!

8

George is what happens when you don’t eat your veggies.