Frequently Asked Questions

Usage Questions

• What games do I need?
  You don’t need any games, but some PlayX screen and projector models require Counterstrike:Source, Portal, or Day of Defeat: Source.
• Why do I see a black or white screen when I play something?
  See the Troubleshooting page.
• Why does every video crash Gmod?
  See the Troubleshooting page.
• Why is it so laggy when something is playing?
  You may need a better internet connection. Videos tend to use a lot of bandwidth and you generally do not notice it outside game because you are busy watching the video only.
• I see “PlayX source is required for repeater” when I spawn it. How do I play something?
  There are two types of PlayX entities: the main PlayX player and the repeater. You need to spawn the player. The repeater is for repeating the image from the main player.
• Can I play a movie file that I have for other people?
  If you convert the movie file to a FLV file, you can upload that to a website and play that using PlayX. However, be aware that FLV files cannot be skipped to a position, so people who join afterwards will be unable to see the video.
• Can I play a file from my computer?
  No. PlayX is an online media player. You can, however, upload a FLV version of the file to somewhere and use that.
• How do you play Hulu videos?
  You need to browse to the video page on Hulu and use the URL in the address bar. For example: http://www.hulu.com/watch/135132/family-guy-brian-griffins-house-of-payne
• How do I disable PlayX permanently?
  In the tool menu, check the “Enabled” checkbox in “Settings” at the very top. You can also change the cvar playx_enabled
• I get the Lua error playx/playx.lua:443: attempt to call field 'GetHumans' (a nil value)
  You are pirating Gmod.

Server Administrator Questions

• Do other people need the addon to see the videos?
  No.
• Does this cause server lag?
  No. PlayX consumes no server CPU and no server bandwidth while a video is playing. The lag you (and others) may experience is due to the video taking up all of your own Internet bandwidth (get a better Internet connection!).
• I get a bunch of Lua errors repeatedly.
  If you are running a server, make sure that you allow file download and/or your fast download works. Otherwise, try removing the PlayX folder and reinstalling PlayX.
• Will PlayX crash my clients?
  PlayX has crash detection now so those who have those constant crash problems should already have PlayX disabled (or will have it become disabled on the first play). This should mitigate the risk of playing a video.

Developer Questions

• I want to create something using PlayX.
  See the API (3.x) page. You will have to download the newtake branch of the code (link on that page). The current released version of PlayX, 2.5, is not as easily extended. 3.x (newtake) is currently in development, however (basic features are complete though).
• Can I have multiple PlayX players at once?
  Yes, provided that you use the newtake branch.
• Can I have the video play for only some people?
  Yes, provided that you use the newtake branch. Look into “subscriptions.”

Find the forum thread for PlayX here, where you can ask questions:
http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=927313