Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

General discussion about the media server. Feature requests. Hints, tips and tricks.
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ozpete999
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Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by ozpete999 » Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:11 pm

Hi

Could someone let me know the directory on an Intel Apple Mac where I should place the FFMpeg program?
Lots of info for Linux users - but I can't seem to find anything about Mac and transcoding.

So - in order to transode into MPEG format to transmit to a TV, I have to be able to select the transcoding buttons (at present they are greyed out).

It appears there are some steps to go through linking the FFMPEG program to Twonky.

Could someone kindly list those steps, the various files and their locations, and any command lines needed?? Remember, this is an Apple Mac, not a Linux machine

Many thanks

Ozpete999

Twonky_Rick
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by Twonky_Rick » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:54 pm

I'm not a Mac user, but I think this might help. The path doesn't matter, as long as TwonkyServer knows where to find it. This was written for PC, but could be adapted for the Mac.

Setting a New File Path for FFmpeg

These steps are only required if you want to set a file path that is different than C:\ffmpeg.

1. Under the TwonkyMedia program folder, open the subfolder “cgi-bin”. You will find it here: C:\Program Files\TwonkyMedia\cgi-bin.

2. Locate the file “ffmpeg.location” and open it with Notepad.

3. If you didn’t store ffmpeg at C:\ffmpeg, you’ll need to change the path to the folder where you stored ffmpeg.exe.

4. Save the file “ffmpeg.location” and restart TwonkyMedia server.
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ozpete999
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by ozpete999 » Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:30 am

Hi. thanks for your reply.

However... as mentioned, I really need a Mac user who has actually done it, or at least one of your coding guys and or testing engineers who has tried this out on a mac.

On a Mac, there is no "C:" drive. You have hard disks with names, and you have users. Programs are set up as "Apps" and various bits of those programs are stored in "Libraries".

It is not the same as a PC at all.

There is no subdirectory called cgi-bin.

Mac stores its applications as "APPS" and I can see TwonkyMediaServer.app

I can also find a directory called Twonkmedia, which is where the photos music and videos are stored.

But - there is no cgi-bin subdirectory

There is no file called ffmpeg.location and no text file I can see that has anything to do with FFMPEG location in it.

Other files get stored in Libraries, and there are two libraries on a Mac. Neither of them has a cgi-bin subdirectory. One has the Twonkymedia under "Application Support", and in this subdirectory there IS a twonkymedia-server.ini file.
However, there is no line within that file for anything called ffmpeg or anything like it.

I would imagine that one of the coders who has written the code for the MAC would know the location of the files.

So, I really need to know
a) what is the name of the Twonky file that needs to be edited
b) the location of that file on a Mac
c) what is the line that needs to be either added or edited
d) what is the actual name of the ffmpeg file that should be pointed to
e) where does that ffmpeg file normally reside?

Many thanks
ozpete999

Twonky_Rick
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by Twonky_Rick » Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:44 pm

Here is how Hai from our Q/A group got TwonkyServer on the Mac to recognize FFmpeg:

1. Download and open the ffmpegX.dmg from the web
2. Drag the ffmpegX (app) to the Applications folder
3. Right click or CTRL+click on the TwonkyMediaServer app in Applications folder
4. Select Show Package Contents from dropdown menu
5. Navigate to the .../TwonkyMediaServer.app/MediaServer/cgi-bin
6. Open the ffmpeg.location file with a text editor
7. Modify the content of the file to read "/Applications/ffmpegX.app/Contents/Resources/" (without quotes) and save
8. After restarting TMS will the options to transcode be available in TMS's configuration page

Please let me know if this doesn't work for you.

- Rick
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ozpete999
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by ozpete999 » Wed Sep 29, 2010 4:22 pm

Thanks Rick

That works. Longtime Mac users might have known how to do that - but I am new to Macs, so that was a great help.

Maybe it is worth putting the answerinto an area where people would easily find it to read?

Now, the "Transcode to mp3" is still grayed out !!! Should that also have come "live" after setting the correct ffmpegX location?

Thanks

ozpete999

Twonky_Rick
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by Twonky_Rick » Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:18 pm

Here are the suggestions that came back from the engineer.

1. Transcoding settings become valid after the server is restarted. Make sure you've done that.

Can you show me the contents of the <new-mp3-for-mac>.desc file and of ffmpegX.location?

2. The name of the desc files does not play any role, but the name of the .location file must fit to the transcoder's name, if the binary is not in the cgi-bin folder.

3. The transcoder's binary name MUST be ffmpegX if you use ffmpegX.location AND ffmpegX.location must contain the absolute path to the directory where the ffmpegX binary is.

4. It is also important that target mimetype is correct "to=audio/mpeg".

Only if these criteria are met, the box will no longer be greyed out. Thanks to Reinhard, for providing these tips!

- Rick
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by AppleEater » Tue Oct 12, 2010 2:46 am

Rick,

I'm confused. I've got ffmpegX.location setup and everything working but mp3 transcoding.

Can you post an example for getting mp3 transcoding to work?

Thanks.

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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by AppleEater » Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:09 am

Never mind, RIck. I got it.

For anyone else who's interested:

# transcode audio (flac to mp3)
# flac to mp3
exec: ffmpeg -ab 320k -i $infile $outfile
# capabilities
from=audio/x-flac
to=audio/mpeg
asynchronous
priority=idle

Thanks everybody!

Twonky_Rick
Posts:3816
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by Twonky_Rick » Tue Oct 12, 2010 6:18 pm

Thanks for posting this! I would encourage others to post their description files here as well. This can be a real timesaver for others.

- Rick
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AppleEater
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by AppleEater » Sat Oct 16, 2010 3:24 am

Okay, so I got transcoding to MP3 "working" but the PS3 still says "unsupported data." Anyone know why FLAC files are not being transcoded? Is it my .desc file? Anyone else try it? :?

Regarding Rick's suggestion that we post our code: Amen! Just because the techs give us cryptic instructions doesn't mean we have to do that amongst ourselves. :D

amdkeks
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Re: Twonky on MAC with FFMpeg

Post by amdkeks » Sat Oct 23, 2010 5:41 pm

Hey,
i have done everything, but the transcoder dosn't work!
I can see my movie, but everytime the twonky-server said that is disabled to play this video.

Can somebody help me?

Sry for english ;)

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