MediaCoder on Mac OS X 10.4 (x86) + Tips

[SaltwaterC]

Something made me to test this while reading the whole stuff about running under Linux+WINE. So yes, this is a confirmation that MediaCoder runs under OS X. I am sorry if this has been posted before (I've used the search form, but no relevant thread was returned). I am a really busy person and the site lacks any form of email contact.

So here I start with the typing.

Usually you have to start with the WINE installation. This guy from here wrote a great How-To about how to compile WINE from the sources. The easier alternative is to use MacPorts for the sources compiling, but taking the same steps as Alan Tan did. Personally I prefer the second option because MacPorts provides a pretty usable package manager. The only commands that you would need are:

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sudo port search port_name

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sudo port install port_name

where the port_name are the required/recommended packages: freetype (recommended), fontforge, and wine.

In order to use a Windows app under OS X you need to use the xterm from the X11 application (/Applications/Utilities/X11) instead of the Terminal, because WINE uses Apple's implementation of X11.

Tip: in order to use the $PATH environment variable, you need to make xterm a login shell. Go to X11 menu >> Applications >> Customize Menu ... In the 'Command' column that corresponds to the 'Terminal' menu name add -ls after xterm. Instead of xterm command, you need to have xterm -ls. Next time when you start X11, the first opened xterm won't be a login shell! Close that shell and open a new one (hot-key combination Apple+N) and voila, you have a xterm as a login shell which uses the settings from the .profile file.

Next step is to install Firefox for Windows under OS X. It looks like a horror movie with happy end, but I couldn't have patience to look for a workaround. Then after the Firefox setup has finished, you can install MediaCoder and start it.

Tip: don't forget that the default installation path for MediaCoder is:

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$HOME/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/MediaCoder/mediacoder.exe

so you can easily launch it with

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wine $HOME/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/MediaCoder/mediacoder.exe

or use a alias into the application profile. Aliases are pretty useful because they provide you the possibility to use custom shell commands.

Small how to: fire up a shell, or if you already have one in front of your eyes, go to your home directory with:

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cd $HOME

then edit your profile file with:

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nano .profile

Nano is a small text-mode text editor for UNIX-like operating systems. Go to the end of the file and add this:

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alias mediacoder='wine $HOME/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/MediaCoder/mediacoder.exe'

then save the file with Ctr+O and close the text editor with Ctr+X. Restart the shell (close and open it). Next time when you would login with a xterm shell, you can easily type

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mediacoder

in order to start the application.

Good Luck.

I almost forgot the screenshots:








It's a little bit unstable, it has a weird a$$ look, but it encodes fine.

PS: you guys are doing a great job with MediaCoder. Too bad that OS X lacks a tool like this one ...

[thibeaz]

Stanely you should sticky this next to my Linux/Wine Mediacoder Tutorial

[SirAuron]

I already stickied it. It's great news to hear MediaCoder runs on OS X, too!

It would be great if some people with a Mac could try this out and confirm:)

[B!ink]

That's interesting.

[stanley]

Yes, interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing.

[SaltwaterC]

To be honest the only thing that might be a royal pain in the back is the WINE compiling and configuration. I didn't knew about the fact that the Xcode update is a requirement, so I failed several times in the compilation act till I found the How-To. The configuration can be an issue in some weird cases when there are some messed access rights into your own home directory. I also tested WINE on my coworker's Macintosh, and the winecfg application failed several times. In the first phase it couldn't create the .wine directory, so I had to manually create it and set the permissions in order to see if it works. It works. If this permissions issue occurs, use the Disk Utility to fix it.

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/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility

Select the root partition of the OS X installation, the 'First Aid' tab from the area from the right side and obviously, click the 'Repair Disk Permissions'.

I am also curious if people could benefit from the stuff that I wrote, so I wish good luck to any Macintosh owner that's willing to try this.

[stanley]

I've added a link to this post on the download page.

[otazzku]

MediaCoder on Mac OS X 10.4 (x86) + Tips

[moonmoon]

yeah~!

Edit by SirAuron: Spam? Posted this kind of useless commentar three times all ready. One more will result in a ban. Looking at the webpage in his profile made it clear. Pointless spam - user banned.

[omgraae]

Running this version of wine atm. google darwine builds.
This includes a nice winehelper. This makes links directly launch-able. You wont need to use the console in order to use this program.
I am running Mac OS 10.5.2, darwine 0.9.57

It doesn't look odd at all. It looks different on account of no theme being loaded.

I couldn't convert files ending with ?.wma I have not tested this on windows yet.

- Sorry for the lack of links. 1'st post, so cannot post links