detect.m2v is first 4MB of a file which MPlayer's autodetect logic can not identify. The file plays correctly with 'vlc' interestingly enough. file detect.m2v detect.m2v: MPEG video stream data mplayer detect.m2v MPlayer CVS-020422-08:04-2.95.3 (C) 2000-2002 Arpad Gereoffy (see DOCS!) CPU vendor name: GenuineIntel max cpuid level: 2 CPU: Intel Celeron 2/Pentium III Coppermine,Geyserville (Type: 6, Stepping: 6) CPUflags: Type: 6 MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 0 SSE2: 0 Compiled with RUNTIME CPU Detection - warning, it's not optimal! To get best performance, recompile mplayer from sources with --disable-runtime-cpudetection Reading /u/sms/.mplayer/codecs.conf: can't open '/u/sms/.mplayer/codecs.conf': No such file or directory Reading /usr/local/share/mplayer/codecs.conf: 34 audio & 91 video codecs font: can't open file: /u/sms/.mplayer/font/font.desc Font /usr/local/share/mplayer/font/font.desc loaded successfully! (206 chars) Using usleep() timing Can't open input config file /u/sms/.mplayer/input.conf : No such file or directory Falling back on default (hardcoded) config Playing detect.m2v Can't open IFO file: No such file or directory Not an URL! header block 1 size: 0 MPEG packet stats: p100: 458 p101: 458 PES: 0 MP3: 1103 ============= Sorry, this file format not recognized/supported =============== === If this file is an AVI, ASF or MPEG stream, please contact the author! === *** free_stream() called *** Exiting... (End of file)