AVCHDCoder for Linux (Ubuntu)

****Warning: no movies can be converted yet****

****Testing only, use at your own risk!!!****

You won't be notified of a new version to test with unless you email me. Then I put you on a list and if I have something new I'll let you know.

Download

AVCHDCoder for Linux.7z (50MB)

Before you can extract the AVCHDCoder download you need to have 7zip installed. The reason for this is because 7zip gives me much better compression (almost 50% smaller compaired to tar.gz and about 25% smaller compaired to tar.lzma) 7zip is available in the "Ubuntu Software Center", just search for "7zip" and hit the "Install" button.

After you downloaded "AVCHDCoder for Linux.7z" right click on the file and choose "Extract Here". Now you can continue with the Manual below.

List of currectly working features

Currently only the following features are working (and nothing else):

  • Opening files
  • Opening BDMV folders and choosing playlists
  • Opening files and folder by Drag and Drop
  • Calculating bitrate
  • IntroEditor
  • Add Item
  • Add Disc To Queue
  • Open saved project
  • Options --> Settings (Except Misc. and Tools)
  • Options --> Subtitles Preset Editor
  • Tools --> AVCHDCalculator
  • Tools --> ImgBurn (will be launched via Wine)
  • Tools --> tsMuxeR
  • Tools --> BDSup2Sub
  • Help --> Enter serial number
  • Help --> About AVCHDCoder

This are only the first elements that work. While the project progresses all features will be added 1 by 1.

Installation Guide Ubuntu (Debian and Mint should also work but the installation may differ)

I made a manual on how to get AVCHDCoder for Linux working. For now there is no .deb package available and you have to do everything yourself. When I have enough knowledge and everything is working I will try to make a deb package for easy installation.

This manual is only tested on Ubuntu 11.04

Installing Java and Wine

AVCHDCoder is written in Java so we need to install "OpenJDK 6 Runtime". BDSup2Sub and AVCHDCalculator als requires java. OpenJDK can be found in the "Ubuntu Software Center", just search for "OpenJDK" and click on the "Install" button.

Because several applications AVCHDCoder uses are Windows only we need "Wine Windows Program Loader" to do the job. If you don't install Wine many conversions will fail. Wine can also be found in the "Ubuntu Software Center", just search for "Wine" and choose "Wine Windows Program Loader". Then click on the "Install" button.

Installing MediaInfo

MediaInfo will be used to analyse all media files. MediaInfo cannot be found in the "Ubuntu Software Center". I delivered the required files with the AVCHDCoder download. First open the "Installation Files" folder inside the "AVCHDCoder for Linux" folder. Now open up the "MediaInfo" folder. Then double click on "libzen0_0.4.20-1_i386.Ubuntu_11.04.deb" and the "Ubuntu Software Center" will show up. Now click on the "Install" button. Then do the same with "libmediainfo0_0.7.48-1_i386.Ubuntu_11.04.deb" and "mediainfo_0.7.48-1_i386.Debian_5.deb"

Installing x264 and ffmpeg

Because FFdshow doesn't work on Linux I'v chosen ffmpeg as our decoder. To get the same encoding results as on Windows x264 is required. Both x264 and ffmpeg are available in the Ubuntu repositories but they are missing some essential elements. So we need to compile our own version of x264 and ffmpeg. I'll explain the procedure step by step. This part is based on the manual on the ubuntu forums. Before we proceed we have to make sure that any existing versions of x264 and ffmpeg are removed. Open up the Terminal by clicking on "Applications" --> "Accessories" --> "Terminal".

Install the Dependencies

1. Uninstall x264, libx264-dev, and ffmpeg if they are already installed.

sudo apt-get remove ffmpeg x264 libx264-dev

2. Get all of the packages you will need to install FFmpeg and x264.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential checkinstall git libfaac-dev libjack-jackd2-dev libmp3lame-dev libopencore-amrnb-dev libopencore-amrwb-dev libsdl1.2-dev libtheora-dev libva-dev libvdpau-dev libvorbis-dev libx11-dev libxfixes-dev libxvidcore-dev texi2html yasm zlib1g-dev

Install x264

3. Get the current source files, compile, and install x264.

cd
git clone git://git.videolan.org/x264
cd x264
./configure --enable-static
make
sudo checkinstall --pkgname=x264 --pkgversion="3:$(./version.sh | awk -F'[" ]' '/POINT/{print $4"+git"$5}')" --backup=no --deldoc=yes --fstrans=no --default

Install FFmpeg

4. Get the most current source files, compile, and install FFmpeg.

cd
git clone git://git.videolan.org/ffmpeg
cd ffmpeg
./configure --enable-gpl --enable-libfaac --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libopencore-amrnb --enable-libopencore-amrwb --enable-libtheora --enable-libvorbis --enable-libx264 --enable-libxvid --enable-nonfree --enable-postproc --enable-version3 --enable-x11grab
make
sudo checkinstall --pkgname=ffmpeg --pkgversion="5:$(date +%Y%m%d%H%M)-git" --backup=no --deldoc=yes --fstrans=no --default
hash x264 ffmpeg ffplay ffprobe

Installing subcli

For any High Quality subtitles conversion we need subcli to convert our srt files to ass. Normally I use VSFilter in combination with Avisynth, but this combination doesn't always work with wine. Now I will use assrender with Avisynth.

Open up the Terminal again and enter the following commands:

cd "AVCHDCoder for Linux"
cd "Installation files"
cd subcli
chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh

Starting AVCHDCoder

Before we are be able to execute AVCHDCoder we need to make the jar file Executeable. Rightclick on "AVCHDCoder.jar" and choose "Properties". Now go to the "Permissions" tab and enable "Allow executing file as program". Now go to the "Open With" tab and select "OpenJDK Java 6 Runtime" (Click on the radiobutton in front). Now click on "Close".

If you double click on "AVCHDCoder.jar" the application will start.


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