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If I don't want to install a GUI, just install a minimal Ubuntu amd64.

Ok, but: I heard that I can still run e.g.: Firefox in a "framebuffer" (?), so I'm asking, that how can I run e.g.: a VLC media player through a framebuffer under console, without "GUI"?

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  • you can't run a gui element without a gui, how would you even play a video if you don't have a gui to draw a window for it. and i'm pretty sure that what you're referring to is this <---calsoftlabs.com/whitepapers/firefox_gtk_dfb.html
    – Uri Herrera
    CommentedJun 4, 2011 at 10:58
  • 2
    mplayer supports it. I can;t say I know anything about it, but a quick Google on "mplayer Linux framebuffer" came up with quite a bit, though most of what I saw were how-to's for other distros; Gentoo, Arch, etc. From what I gather you MAY have to do a specific compile of mplayer, or maybe not. But yes, you can do video from framebuffer.
    – mvario
    CommentedJun 4, 2011 at 16:40
  • unix.stackexchange.com/questions/226995/…
    – Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com
    CommentedAug 28, 2016 at 18:15

3 Answers 3

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+50
  • Make sure your console starts in framebuffer mode.
  • Add your user to 'video' group:
  • Install mplayer sudo apt-get install mplayer
  • Run mplayer -vo fbdev video.avi
    If that fails, try -vo fbdev2

I was able to run a videofile in framebuffer with a default installation if Ubuntu 11.10

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6
  • 1
    tested under Fedora14: it works. wow. :D lol. but how can i set it to run in full screen?
    – LanceBaynes
    CommentedOct 17, 2011 at 9:24
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    There is a scale argument '-vf scale=800x600' ... put your resolution.
    – Adi Roiban
    CommentedOct 18, 2011 at 7:47
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    mplayer -fs may start it in fullscreen
    – rogerdpack
    CommentedApr 7, 2014 at 20:35
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    To use a specific framebuffer device: mplayer -vo fbdev:/dev/fb1 video.avi
    – 13rac1
    CommentedApr 25, 2016 at 8:07
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    On my TTY I need to use mplayer -vo fbdev2 video.avi to play it.
    – tobiasBora
    CommentedJan 19, 2017 at 17:42
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I use VLC (ncurses edition) via sudo apt-get install vlc-nox.

I also installed Alsa utilities, to control the volume sudo apt-get install alsa-utils.

You'll be downloading a lot of multimedia libraries, without the X windows stuff.

Make sure your userID is a member of video and audio groups.

You can kick off a DVD via vlc dvd:///dev/dvd.

Or as a local file vlc "~Videos/Fraggle Rock - Live By The Rule of the Rock.avi".

HDMI audio at the framebuffer level has been problematic for me.

Good luck!

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    0

    VLC should be able to play on framebuffer. using --vo fb but i couldn't make it work.

    Another alternative that works well is mpv. setting the --vo option.

    mpv --vo drm myvideo.mp4

    you can check which ones you have with mpv --vo help.

    for example

    Available video outputs: libmpv render API for libmpv gpu Shader-based GPU Renderer sdl SDL 2.0 Renderer null Null video output image Write video frames to image files tct true-color terminals caca libcaca drm Direct Rendering Manager (software scaling)

    caca will run on a framebuffer terminal using ascii characters.

    tct will run on a fb terminal using ascii as well. if the terminal is running inside x11 i noticed it does look better using tct and doesnt use ascii.

    and drm will use the framebuffer in direct rendering. which has a lot more colors and actual pixels.

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