Another manual workaround is to convert as root using ImageMagick all the PNG causing error in the folder /usr/share/mplayer/skins. Items have to be converted in the format PNG24 and renamed PNG after cancel the existing PNG. You have to do only with items causing error, not all. It's a bit annoying but it works for me and you have the mplayer-gui working. I'm on xubuntu 14.04.
mplayer version 2:1.1+dfsg1-0ubuntu3 mplayer-gui version 2:1.1+dfsg1-0ubuntu3 -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1218510 Title: Fails to open due to: PNG read error in /usr/share/mplayer/skins/default/main To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/mplayer/+bug/1218510/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs