diff --git a/src/unix/mediactrl.cpp b/src/unix/mediactrl.cpp
index 3dfbadf6bc..a0b3182c5d 100644
--- a/src/unix/mediactrl.cpp
+++ b/src/unix/mediactrl.cpp
@@ -60,12 +60,21 @@
 #include <string.h> //strstr
 
 #include "wx/log.h"
+#include "wx/msgdlg.h"
 
 #ifdef __WXGTK__
     //for <gdk/gdkx.h>/related for GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW
-#   include "wx/gtk/win_gtk.h"
+#    include "wx/gtk/win_gtk.h"
+#    include <gtk/gtksignal.h>
 #endif
 
+//FIXME:
+//FIXME:  This is really not the best way to play-stop -
+//FIXME:  it should just have one playbin and stick with it the whole
+//FIXME:  instance of wxGStreamerMediaBackend - but stopping appears
+//FIXME:  to invalidate the playbin object...
+//FIXME:
+
 class WXDLLIMPEXP_MEDIA wxGStreamerMediaBackend : public wxMediaBackend
 {
 public:
@@ -106,10 +115,29 @@ public:
     static void OnError (GstElement *play,  GstElement *src,
                          GError     *err,   gchar      *debug,
                          gpointer    data);
+    static void OnVideoCapsReady(GstPad* pad,  GParamSpec* pspec, gpointer data);
+    
+    static bool TransCapsToVideoSize(wxGStreamerMediaBackend* be, GstPad* caps);
+    void PostRecalcSize();
+    
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+    static gint OnGTKRealize(GtkWidget* theWidget, wxGStreamerMediaBackend* be);
+#endif
 
     GstElement* m_player;       //GStreamer media element
     GstElement* m_audiosink;
     GstElement* m_videosink;
+    
+    wxSize      m_videoSize;
+    wxControl*  m_ctrl;
+    
+    //FIXME:
+    //FIXME: In lue of the last big FIXME, when you pause and seek gstreamer
+    //FIXME: doesn't update the position sometimes, so we need to keep track of whether    
+    //FIXME: we have paused or not and keep track of the time after the pause
+    //FIXME: and whenever the user seeks while paused
+    //FIXME:
+    wxLongLong m_nPausedPos;
 
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxGStreamerMediaBackend);
 };
@@ -123,16 +151,67 @@ public:
 
 IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxGStreamerMediaBackend, wxMediaBackend);
 
-wxGStreamerMediaBackend::wxGStreamerMediaBackend()
+wxGStreamerMediaBackend::wxGStreamerMediaBackend() : m_player(NULL), m_videoSize(0,0)
 {
 }
 
 wxGStreamerMediaBackend::~wxGStreamerMediaBackend()
 {
-    gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_NULL);
-    gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_player));
-    gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_videosink));
-    gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_audiosink));
+    Cleanup();
+}
+
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+
+#ifdef __WXDEBUG__
+
+#if wxUSE_THREADS
+#   define DEBUG_MAIN_THREAD if (wxThread::IsMain() && g_mainThreadLocked) printf("gui reentrance");
+#else
+#   define DEBUG_MAIN_THREAD
+#endif
+#else
+#define DEBUG_MAIN_THREAD
+#endif // Debug
+
+extern void wxapp_install_idle_handler();
+extern bool g_isIdle;
+extern bool g_mainThreadLocked;
+
+gint wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnGTKRealize(GtkWidget* theWidget, 
+                                           wxGStreamerMediaBackend* be)
+{
+    DEBUG_MAIN_THREAD
+    
+    if (g_isIdle)
+        wxapp_install_idle_handler();
+
+    wxYield();    //X Server gets an error if I don't do this or a messagebox beforehand?!?!??
+    
+    GdkWindow *window = GTK_PIZZA(theWidget)->bin_window;
+    wxASSERT(window);
+    
+    gst_x_overlay_set_xwindow_id( GST_X_OVERLAY(be->m_videosink),
+                        GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW( window )
+                                  );
+    
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+#endif
+
+void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Cleanup()
+{
+    if(m_player && GST_IS_OBJECT(m_player))
+    {
+        //    wxASSERT(GST_IS_OBJECT(m_audiosink));
+        //    wxASSERT(GST_IS_OBJECT(m_videosink));
+    
+        gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_NULL);
+        gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_player));
+        //gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_videosink));
+        //gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (m_audiosink));
+    }
 }
 
 bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::CreateControl(wxControl* ctrl, wxWindow* parent,
@@ -145,45 +224,57 @@ bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::CreateControl(wxControl* ctrl, wxWindow* parent,
 {
     //init gstreamer
     gst_init(NULL, NULL);
+    
+    m_ctrl = ctrl;
 
-    //
-    // Create window
-    // By default wxWindow(s) is created with a border -
-    // so we need to get rid of those    return Load(
-    //
-    // Since we don't have a child window like most other
-    // backends, we don't need wxCLIP_CHILDREN
-    //
-    if ( !
-    ctrl->wxControl::Create(parent, id, pos, size,
+    return m_ctrl->wxControl::Create(parent, id, pos, size,
                             style,  //remove borders???
-                            validator, name)
-        )
-        return false;
+                            validator, name);
+}
 
-    m_player    = gst_element_factory_make ("playbin", "play");
-    m_audiosink = gst_element_factory_make ("alsasink", "audiosink");
-    m_videosink = gst_element_factory_make ("xvimagesink", "videosink");
+bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::TransCapsToVideoSize(wxGStreamerMediaBackend* be, GstPad* pad)
+{
+    const GstCaps* caps = GST_PAD_CAPS (pad);
+    if(caps)
+    {
 
-    g_object_set (G_OBJECT (m_player),
-                    "video-sink", m_videosink,
-                    "audio-sink", m_audiosink,
-                    NULL);
+        const GstStructure *s;
+        s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
+        wxASSERT(s);
 
-    g_signal_connect (m_player, "eos", G_CALLBACK (OnError), this);
-    g_signal_connect (m_player, "error", G_CALLBACK (OnFinish), this);
+        gst_structure_get_int (s, "width", &be->m_videoSize.x);
+        gst_structure_get_int (s, "height", &be->m_videoSize.y);
 
-    if ( ! GST_IS_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink) )
-        return false;
+        const GValue *par;
+        par = gst_structure_get_value (s, "pixel-aspect-ratio");
 
-    gst_x_overlay_set_xwindow_id( GST_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink),
-#ifdef __WXGTK__
-                        GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW(ctrl->GetHandle())
-#else
-                        ctrl->GetHandle()
-#endif
-                                  );
-    return true;
+        if (par)
+        {
+            int num = gst_value_get_fraction_numerator (par),
+                den = gst_value_get_fraction_denominator (par);
+
+            //TODO: maybe better fraction normalization...
+            if (num > den)
+                be->m_videoSize.x = (int) ((float) num * be->m_videoSize.x / den);
+            else
+                be->m_videoSize.y = (int) ((float) den * be->m_videoSize.y / num);
+        }
+
+        be->PostRecalcSize();        
+        return true;
+    }//end if caps
+    
+    return false;
+}
+
+//forces parent to recalc its layout if it has sizers to update
+//to the new video size
+void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::PostRecalcSize()
+{
+        m_ctrl->InvalidateBestSize();
+        m_ctrl->GetParent()->Layout();
+        m_ctrl->GetParent()->Refresh();
+        m_ctrl->GetParent()->Update();
 }
 
 void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnFinish(GstElement *play, gpointer    data)
@@ -212,109 +303,97 @@ void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnError(GstElement *play,
     gchar      *debug,
     gpointer    data)
 {
-    wxLogSysError(wxString::Format(wxT("Error in GStreamer Playback!\nError Message:%s"), wxString(err->message).c_str()));
+    wxMessageBox(wxString::Format(wxT("Error in wxMediaCtrl!\nError Message:%s"), wxString(err->message, wxConvLocal).c_str()));
 }
 
 
 bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Load(const wxString& fileName)
 {
-    return Load(
-                wxURI(
-                    wxString( wxT("file://") ) + fileName
-                     )
+    return Load( 
+                    wxURI( 
+                            wxString( wxT("file://") ) + fileName 
+                         ) 
                );
 }
 
+void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnVideoCapsReady(GstPad* pad, GParamSpec* pspec, gpointer data)
+{
+    wxGStreamerMediaBackend::TransCapsToVideoSize((wxGStreamerMediaBackend*) data, pad);    
+}
+
 bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Load(const wxURI& location)
 {
     Cleanup();
-    wxString locstring = location.BuildURI();
+    
+    m_player    = gst_element_factory_make ("playbin", "play");
+    m_audiosink = gst_element_factory_make ("alsasink", "audiosink");
+    m_videosink = gst_element_factory_make ("xvimagesink", "videosink");
 
-
-    if ( GST_STATE(m_player) > GST_STATE_READY )
-        gst_element_set_state(m_player, GST_STATE_READY);
-
-    g_object_set (G_OBJECT (m_player), "uri", locstring.c_str(), NULL);
-
-    gst_x_overlay_expose(GST_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink));
-
-    return GST_STATE(m_player) == GST_STATE_READY;
-}
-
-bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Play()
-{
-    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_PLAYING)
-            != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
+    //no playbin -- outta here :)
+    if (!m_player)
         return false;
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Pause()
-{
-    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_PAUSED)
-            != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
-        return false;
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Stop()
-{
-    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player,
-                    GST_STATE_READY)    != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
-        return false;
-    return true;
-}
-
-wxMediaState wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetState()
-{
-    switch(GST_STATE(m_player))
+        
+    //have alsa?
+    if (GST_IS_OBJECT(m_audiosink) == false)
     {
-        case GST_STATE_PLAYING:
-            return wxMEDIASTATE_PLAYING;
-        case GST_STATE_PAUSED:
-            return wxMEDIASTATE_PAUSED;
-        default://case GST_STATE_READY:
-            return wxMEDIASTATE_STOPPED;
+        //nope, try OSS
+        m_audiosink = gst_element_factory_make ("osssink", "audiosink");
+         wxASSERT_MSG(GST_IS_OBJECT(m_audiosink), wxT("WARNING: Alsa and OSS drivers for gstreamer not found - audio will be unavailable for wxMediaCtrl"));
     }
-}
+    
+        
+    wxASSERT_MSG(GST_IS_OBJECT(m_videosink), wxT("WARNING: No X video driver for gstreamer not found - video will be unavailable for wxMediaCtrl"));
 
-bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::SetPosition(wxLongLong where)
-{
-    return gst_element_seek (play, (GstSeekType) (GST_SEEK_METHOD_SET |
-            GST_FORMAT_TIME | GST_SEEK_FLAG_FLUSH),
-            where * GST_MSECOND );
-}
+    g_object_set (G_OBJECT (m_player),
+                    "video-sink", m_videosink,
+                    "audio-sink", m_audiosink,
+                    NULL);
 
-wxLongLong wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetPosition()
-{
-    gint64 pos;
-    GstFormat fmtTime = GST_FORMAT_TIME;
+    g_signal_connect (m_player, "eos", G_CALLBACK (OnError), this);
+    g_signal_connect (m_player, "error", G_CALLBACK (OnFinish), this);
 
-    if (!gst_element_query (play, GST_QUERY_POSITION, &fmtTime, &pos))
-        return 0;
-    return pos / GST_MSECOND ;
-}
+    wxASSERT( GST_IS_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink) );
+    if ( ! GST_IS_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink) )
+        return false;
+    
+    wxString locstring = location.BuildUnescapedURI();
+    wxASSERT(gst_uri_protocol_is_valid("file"));
+    wxASSERT(gst_uri_is_valid(locstring.mb_str()));
 
-wxLongLong wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetDuration()
-{
-    gint64 length;
-    GstFormat fmtTime = GST_FORMAT_TIME;
+    g_object_set (G_OBJECT (m_player), "uri", (const char*)locstring.mb_str(), NULL);
+        
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+    if(!GTK_WIDGET_REALIZED(m_ctrl->m_wxwindow))
+    {
+        //Not realized yet - set to connect at realization time
+        gtk_signal_connect( GTK_OBJECT(m_ctrl->m_wxwindow), 
+                            "realize",
+                            GTK_SIGNAL_FUNC(wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnGTKRealize),
+                            (gpointer) this );
+    }        
+    else
+    {
+        wxYield(); //see realize callback...
+        GdkWindow *window = GTK_PIZZA(m_ctrl->m_wxwindow)->bin_window;
+        wxASSERT(window);
+#endif
 
-    if(!gst_element_query(m_player, GST_QUERY_TOTAL, &fmtTime, &length))
-        return 0;
-    return length / GST_MSECOND ;
-}
+ 
+    gst_x_overlay_set_xwindow_id( GST_X_OVERLAY(m_videosink),
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+                        GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW( window )
+#else
+                        ctrl->GetHandle()
+#endif
+                                  );
 
-void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Move(int x, int y, int w, int h)
-{
-}
-
-wxSize wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetVideoSize() const
-{
-    //TODO: check state
-    //TODO: maybe cache size
-    wxSize retSize = wxSize(0,0);
+#ifdef __WXGTK__                                  
+    } //end else block
+#endif 
 
+    wxASSERT(gst_element_set_state (m_player,
+                    GST_STATE_PAUSED)    == GST_STATE_SUCCESS);            
+    
     const GList *list = NULL;
     g_object_get (G_OBJECT (m_player), "stream-info", &list, NULL);
 
@@ -333,52 +412,158 @@ wxSize wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetVideoSize() const
 
         if (strstr (val->value_name, "VIDEO"))
         {
-            g_object_get (info, "object", &pad, NULL);
+            //Newer gstreamer 0.8+ is SUPPOSED to have "object"...
+            //but a lot of old plugins still use "pad" :)
+            pspec = g_object_class_find_property (
+                        G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (info), "object");
+                        
+            if (!pspec)
+                g_object_get (info, "pad", &pad, NULL);
+            else
+                g_object_get (info, "object", &pad, NULL);
+            
             pad = (GstPad *) GST_PAD_REALIZE (pad);
-            wxAssert(pad);
+            wxASSERT(pad);
 
-            GstCaps* caps = GST_PAD_CAPS (pad);
-            wxAssert(caps);
-
-            const GstStructure *s;
-            s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
-            wxAssert(s);
-
-            gst_structure_get_int (s, "width", &retSize.x);
-            gst_structure_get_int (s, "height", &retSize.y);
-
-            const GValue *par;
-            par = gst_structure_get_value (s, "pixel-aspect-ratio"));
-
-            if (par)
+            if(!wxGStreamerMediaBackend::TransCapsToVideoSize(this, pad));
             {
-                int num = gst_value_get_fraction_numerator (par),
-                    den = gst_value_get_fraction_denominator (par);
-
-                //TODO: maybe better fraction normalization...
-                if (num > den)
-                    retSize.x = (int) ((float) num * retSize.x / den);
-                else
-                    retSize.y = (int) ((float) den * retSize.y / num);
+                //wait for those caps to get ready
+                g_signal_connect(
+                pad, 
+                "notify::caps", 
+                G_CALLBACK(wxGStreamerMediaBackend::OnVideoCapsReady),
+                this);
             }
+        }//end if video
+        else
+        {
+            m_videoSize = wxSize(0,0);
+            PostRecalcSize();
         }
+    }//end searching through info list    
+
+    m_nPausedPos = 0;
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Play()
+{
+    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_PLAYING)
+            != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
+        return false;
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Pause()
+{
+    m_nPausedPos = GetPosition();
+    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player, GST_STATE_PAUSED)
+            != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
+        return false;
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Stop()
+{
+    //FIXME:  GStreamer won't update the position for getposition for some reason
+    //until it is played again...
+    if (gst_element_set_state (m_player,
+                    GST_STATE_PAUSED)    != GST_STATE_SUCCESS)
+        return false;
+    return wxGStreamerMediaBackend::SetPosition(0);
+}
+
+wxMediaState wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetState()
+{
+    switch(GST_STATE(m_player))
+    {
+        case GST_STATE_PLAYING:
+            return wxMEDIASTATE_PLAYING;
+        case GST_STATE_PAUSED:
+            if (m_nPausedPos == 0)
+                return wxMEDIASTATE_STOPPED;
+            else
+                return wxMEDIASTATE_PAUSED;
+        default://case GST_STATE_READY:
+            return wxMEDIASTATE_STOPPED;
     }
 }
 
+bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::SetPosition(wxLongLong where)
+{
+    if( gst_element_seek (m_player, (GstSeekType) (GST_SEEK_METHOD_SET |
+            GST_FORMAT_TIME | GST_SEEK_FLAG_FLUSH),
+            where.GetValue() * GST_MSECOND ) )
+    {
+        if (GetState() != wxMEDIASTATE_PLAYING)
+            m_nPausedPos = where;
+        
+        return true;
+    }        
+            
+    return false;
+}
+
+wxLongLong wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetPosition()
+{
+    if(GetState() != wxMEDIASTATE_PLAYING)
+        return m_nPausedPos;
+    else
+    {
+        gint64 pos;
+        GstFormat fmtTime = GST_FORMAT_TIME;
+    
+        if (!gst_element_query (m_player, GST_QUERY_POSITION, &fmtTime, &pos))
+            return 0;
+        return pos / GST_MSECOND ;
+    }
+}
+
+wxLongLong wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetDuration()
+{
+    gint64 length;
+    GstFormat fmtTime = GST_FORMAT_TIME;
+
+    if(!gst_element_query(m_player, GST_QUERY_TOTAL, &fmtTime, &length))
+        return 0;
+    return length / GST_MSECOND ;
+}
+
+void wxGStreamerMediaBackend::Move(int x, int y, int w, int h)
+{
+}
+
+wxSize wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetVideoSize() const
+{    
+    return m_videoSize;
+}
+
+//
+//PlaybackRate not currently supported via playbin directly -
+// Ronald S. Bultje noted on gstreamer-devel:
+//
+// Like "play at twice normal speed"? Or "play at 25 fps and 44,1 kHz"? As
+// for the first, yes, we have elements for that, btu they"re not part of
+// playbin. You can create a bin (with a ghost pad) containing the actual
+// video/audiosink and the speed-changing element for this, and set that
+// element as video-sink or audio-sink property in playbin. The
+// audio-element is called "speed", the video-element is called "videodrop"
+// (although that appears to be deprecated in favour of "videorate", which
+// again cannot do this, so this may not work at all in the end). For
+// forcing frame/samplerates, see audioscale and videorate. Audioscale is
+// part of playbin.
+//
+
 double wxGStreamerMediaBackend::GetPlaybackRate()
 {
-    //guess...
-    GstClock* theClock = gst_element_get_clock(m_player);
-    wxAssert(theClock);
-    return gst_clock_get_speed(theClock);
+    //not currently supported via playbin
+    return 1.0;
 }
 
 bool wxGStreamerMediaBackend::SetPlaybackRate(double dRate)
 {
-    //guess...
-    GstClock* theClock = gst_element_get_clock(m_player);
-    wxAssert(theClock);
-    return gst_clock_change_speed(theClock, GetPlaybackRate(), dRate)==dRate;
+    //not currently supported via playbin
+    return false;
 }
 
 #endif //wxUSE_GSTREAMER