MediaCoder FAQ (expanding)

guest · Post by **guest** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 6:20 am

I'm sure you're doing a great job and the experts all love it, so MediaCoder must be great, but I think the user interface is totally foggy. I managed to get a file I want converted into the main window, and that's about it. I'm sorry to say the Wiki help is not much more than a collection of screenshots, and gave me no help. I guess I'll check back in a year or so, but for now I'll have to search elsewhere... Good effort anyway!

guest · Post by **guest** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:38 am

can mediacoder convert mp3 to rm file? pls reply early

Woody56292 · Post by **Woody56292** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 5:25 pm

I am a stickler for grammar and spelling, and will look through the FAQ for you. ( Since I can't really help with the technical stuff

)

Post by **stanley** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:53 pm

That's also helpful. Thank u all the same.

macDIESEL · Post by **macDIESEL** » Fri Dec 07, 2007 9:20 pm

I think a FAQ is a great idea stanley!

May I also suggest that there should be a stickie for each type of conversion. Those who have had great success with quality conversions could post their settings for all to see. And for those who want to use these settings and make a preset extension for their mediacoder.

A stickie for common conversion maybe:

-AVI to VOB (like the one itspete aka Charles posted, thanks)
-VOB to AVI
-MPEGs to AVI
-MKV to AVI... bla bla bla, I can go on forever

I know something like this would help me out. What do you guys think.

Cheers

Post by **stanley** » Sat Dec 08, 2007 5:36 am

Thanks for your suggestions. But there may be too many posts to stick.

matelot · Post by **matelot** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:02 pm

errh

Can you add to FAQ on how to upgrade ?
(like should previous version be uninstalled ?)

some of us just hate to assume/guess

thanks

BigPuppy · Post by **BigPuppy** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:13 pm

Personally I was able to get the result I needed, but I had to discover some workarounds (complete two days of hard working).

For both, the FAQ and the application interface you better take the simple set of features with a lot of "Advanced" options. It called "well-developed tree structure" in terms of FAQ and manual. You don't need so many options (branches) on the root.

There were no way to get the essential task I needed from your
Extensions > Digital Media Players > ...
So it's not the solution (at least not yet)

Here is the short list of the essential problems I overcome:
viewtopic.php?p=13979#13979

Here I'll give you my suggested work flow © my, the FAQ should/could mimic it:

I think the start interface should accept any input file and have only 5 output formats: "AVI", "MP4", "WMV", "Audio Only", "Other..."

Going to AVI will bring them 4 options: "Choose For Me", "N.264", "XviD", "Other..." Pretty same choice for other options...

Then 4 "Quality/Size" options: "Choose For Me", "Size", "Quality-BitRate", "Other..."
Yes, "Quality-BitRate" should be one option with two numbers.

FPS should have only 2 options: "From the source file (recommended)" and "Other..."

By the way, now you don't have the essential option FPS "From the source file". You don't have this one AT ALL.

Then "ScreenSize and Cropping" - yes, it should be one and the same stream.
Really nobody needs exact pixels, like 320x240.
Yes, I mean it!
If you don't change the Kbps value, then 320x240 file will have pretty same size as the 640x480 one.
Almost any mini-player will play both of them without noticeable difference, including performance - number crunching depends of Kbps and compression method only (almost).

So basically it should be Cropping only, but You call it "ScreenSize and Cropping".
You need only 3 initial options there: "TV 640x480 320x280 etc", "HDTV", "Other..."

First two options should do cropping only, the automatic cropping of the very middle part of the screen. Keep one of the dimensions unchanged.
Now you don't have this essential feature of automated middle part cropping.

Now is the very last part - Audio. By default it should be MP3 VBR Joint Stereo Normalized (personally I prefer WMA, but it's my problem). You have to fix all the bugs there (it has enough now) and almost nobody will have any compatibility issue.
So you need only 3 initial options there: "Choose For Me, MP3" (the default values I described above), WMA, "Other..."

This way we'll make everybody happy

Geeks will quietly go to "Other..." and newbies will stop spam you and every brain on this forum...
Finally they will start screaming on every corner of the world how good and reliable this miracle application is (then don't forget why developed this interface work flow for you)

FAQ and Manual should be done accordingly.

Later on I can give detailed work flow for the volume control and volume normalization (almost everybody does it wrong)

PS
If I did not convince you yet, just build second simple interface for the same core, and you'll see a tremendous relief in FAQ and support.

There gonna be millions of happy customers all over the world and no troubles for all of us!

Mon1018 · Post by **Mon1018** » Wed Jun 18, 2008 9:59 pm

I think the start interface should accept any input file and have only 5 output formats: "AVI", "MP4", "WMV", "Audio Only", "Other..."
Very informative indeed!
Thank you for the info. you seem to be a nice guy.

Delandsa · Post by **Delandsa** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:01 pm