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CHAMP
Create GStreamer Codec's Website
It probably comes as no shock, but, Songbird's plugin support in areas is currently lacking, and there is no good way to find and install new Gstreamer components/Codecs. This makes it difficult for users with files that may rely on codecs not yet shipped with Songbird.
I propose:
1) We separate Gstreamer from Songbird in Windows. Put the codecs and such in c:\programfiles\Gstreamer instead of buried in the Songbird directory. This way we share them with all Gstreamer based programs, which will encourage developers to use it more instead of the windows only Media foundation solution.
2) Create a Gstreamer plugins website for all platforms (similar to addons.songbirdnest.com).This website should provide an easy means of searching for the right codec for a specific file, and a means of allowing a program to automatically install them (don't just tell the user how to get and install the codec, but provide a URL to the codec, and a means of managing the codecs which a media player can process).
This way, instead of supporting only Monkey Audio, or Shorten, there is a common solution in place (for all Gstreamer apps) that makes music playback of every file magic (the user wont even need to know which type of codec they need). This will also allow plugins such as APE for windows, which need another licence, to be easily accessible.
This also demonstrates to other projects that Songbird is a leader not a follower, and encourage cooperation ;)
I propose:
1) We separate Gstreamer from Songbird in Windows. Put the codecs and such in c:\programfiles\Gstreamer instead of buried in the Songbird directory. This way we share them with all Gstreamer based programs, which will encourage developers to use it more instead of the windows only Media foundation solution.
2) Create a Gstreamer plugins website for all platforms (similar to addons.songbirdnest.com).This website should provide an easy means of searching for the right codec for a specific file, and a means of allowing a program to automatically install them (don't just tell the user how to get and install the codec, but provide a URL to the codec, and a means of managing the codecs which a media player can process).
This way, instead of supporting only Monkey Audio, or Shorten, there is a common solution in place (for all Gstreamer apps) that makes music playback of every file magic (the user wont even need to know which type of codec they need). This will also allow plugins such as APE for windows, which need another licence, to be easily accessible.
This also demonstrates to other projects that Songbird is a leader not a follower, and encourage cooperation ;)
I’m confident
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Tell me when this idea gets some attention.
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The more people who like this idea, the more it gets noticed.
The company has not planned to implement this.
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Inappropriate?We put extensive work into making sure GStreamer works well with each release of Songbird.
If instead GStreamer was a separate system-wide thing that we had no control over, we wouldn't be able to fix bugs as they came up.
This isn't a practical answer at all.
Instead, we encourage our community to build additional GStreamer plugins, and create addons to install them - then users can simply download and install the addon.
Mike
3 people think
this is one of the best points
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Inappropriate?
Put the codecs and such in c:\programfiles\Gstreamer instead of buried in the Songbird directory. This way we share them with all Gstreamer based programs, which will encourage developers to use it more instead of the windows only Media foundation solution.
I'm familiar with this concept. I believe it is known as "DLL hell". Been there, tried that.
The real problem here is the gstreamer is not as stable (development-wise) as you may think. Songbird is actively using unstable, non-frozen portions of gstreamer such as playbin2. Trying to share a version of gstreamer between programs can only cause problems. Indeed, search these forums and you'll see many questions/complaints about just this problem from linux users.
About your website idea, I think you may run into legal problems very quickly by distributing codecs that are patented in some parts of the world.
2 people think
this is one of the best points
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Inappropriate?You can compile your own GStreamer codec and bundle it on an add-on,
examples : http://addons.songbirdnest.com/search...
1 person thinks
this is one of the best points
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