Tuesday, June 7, 2016

New PPC Media Center Version 6

It seems like just yesterday that I was bitching about Vevo videos on Youtube breaking my Greasemonkey downloaders, and Adam Albrec came to the rescue with PPC Media Center, a GUI frontend for youtube-dl written in all AppleScript. Now he's back with another update and we're all the way at version 6 now. Through that time, the app has evolved from a simple streamer and downloader to a full-featured package that's added multi-segment video support, MP3 creation, Universal binary support, etc., and now with version 6 adds even more to the festivities.

New to this version (quoted from the Read Me):

1. Now supports List (Youtube) / Album (Vimeo) Play & Download.

2. AutoDownloading (Batch) - In the background; separate from Primary Play/Download/MP3-creation functions.

3. Enhanced WebM-avoidance for PPC systems and only downloads as a last-resort - with a prompt (Intel Mac are
unaffected).

4. Dynamically check Python version, and can even work in Intel systems with system-Python problems.

5. New Smart Installer, deletes all install-packages on completion (reclaiming 50+MB of disk-space).



The big addition here is the batch AutoDownloader, allowing you to copy multiple links to the clipboard (links can be separated by commas, spaces, or line breaks) and download them in the background while still being able to play other videos in the foreground.


Also added are Spanish and German localizations. Viva PowerPC!

So give it a download. And when you do, don't forget the Extras/Goodies/Legal folder where you'll find some experimental apps and the localizations.

Of course all the previous features we've come to know and love return for this version, and I'm seriously impressed by the work that went into this and that Adam could do it all with AppleScript. The more likely scenario is he already developed this when I made my original complaint about Vevo videos, but I'll still cling to the belief that my bitching and moaning opened the floodgates of inspiration and led directly to the creation of PPC Media Center. None of this would have happened without PPC Luddite. This blog is all powerful. I am ruler and surveyor of my realm.

PPC Media Center 6 supports both PowerPC and Intel, OS X 10.4 - 10.8. You may download it here:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/a7oo6v27ilma29r/PPC_Media_Center_6.zip

MD5: fa675015ad7f78b82f5fb8affea3247e
SHA1: f371b922a856d48518c33277beb4f8eb2ce023f9


SLIGHTLY UPDATED version with Pasquale Barbaro's Italian localization in addition to the German and Spanish ones:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/r5wqp9y40p88r95/PPC_Media_Center_6.0.zip

MD5: 04188b4e00b69eae8c667dfc0cf2701c
SHA 1: d56e5d721fc3d6d85c54a28121194d3945b3edc8

As always, my original post introducing PPC Media Center will be updated with a download link to the latest version.

(UPDATE: A couple of people have reported getting stuck in a loop at the end of the installer. If this happens, you can download PPCMC_6.0-App_ONLY.zip. It's the app only and doesn't install any missing programs like mp3 binaries or Spark, which you probably already have if you've used previous versions of PPC Media Center.)

22 comments:

  1. Actually Dan - it kinda' was you who gave me the excuse! Was just itching to put my code-training from college to work and youtube-dl was an awesome project, that was almost unusable by regular people - good candidate for automation.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Still getting asked about two things - so will answer them now. Using other apps for playback (other than QuickTime) and saving to different locations.

    • This spring spent several days researching playback with MPlayer, VLC, NicePlay and the newly-cracked CorePlayer. YES - did get it to work in each case BUT - only after videos had completely downloaded (so not much advantage over normal download). Also, since the video might take however long to download - then start on its own, was a bit strange from a usage standpoint. Also, none of the advanced features of TheatrĂ© Mode could be implemented. ApplescriptAPIs for these other apps (even with GUI-scripting) are just not good enough in the older versions. My brother is looking at doing a Mavericks/Yosemite/El Capitan port in the Spring and will likely revisit this with newer versions.

    • The download issue is HIGHLY problematic. First, it must be hard-coded into the script because of the hand-off that occurs between PPCMC and the AutoDownloader and also, if the newly-selected area is not ALWAYS available, the videos will go to a virtual folder within the hidden "Volumes" folder. Also, unless the Temp-Directory in Application Support is also moved (and it's auto-clearing code), then you are not really saving any wear/tear or space-demands.


    Just because we 'Can' doesn't mean we 'Should'. ;0P

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Have you considered RealplayerSP? I'm just trying it out now - very versatile, does streaming video and is as efficient at video playback as VLC - maybe a little more.

      Delete
    2. Wayne - I haven't done a lot with RP since OS9, because it is usually a bit bloated/slower, but might be worth a try - I can't put any more time into this beyond adding language packs, but am happy to assist you if you'd like to try it (you can find my email in the Source-Code script files at the top)!

      Before trying you need the following to be scriptable in RealPlayer:

      • Get URL,
      • Start,
      • Fullscreen,
      • get video time-length,
      • get current time within video.

      A way to check this is to do "Open Directory" in Applescript and select RealPlayer's app. It will show all the scriptable components.

      The biggest thing you will be up against is how old the SP version is, and that it will not be able to lean on Perian, the way QuickTime can - so format support will likely be more limited. Also, if it checks security certificates on HTTPS URLs - that could be a real problem (this prevented CorePlayer from opening hardly anything). Let me know if you want to take a crack at it!!

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  2. ** IMPORTANT NOTE ** You MUST Drag to your hard-drive before first-run/install.

    If you don't, it will just keep running the installer over and over again (showing the Messages about Keyboard Shortcut Support on each of the subsequent runs).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the clarification! I'm experiencing this "installer loop" issue - what is the best way to correct this?

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    2. So let me get this straight - you copied the app to your hard-drive FIRST, then ran the installer, and are still seeing the problem?

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    3. Yes! I copy onto my applications folder, then run. It installs perfectly, and will contiinue to do so every time i click it or use the Spark hotkey. On top of that, my computer was unable to download PPCMC directly. I had to use a newer computer and then passed it. Please help!!

      Delete
    4. Yes! I copied it to my applications folder, then i ran it and it worked perfectly. The next time it just happened again, forever. It does show the spark pop up. On top of that I was unable to download from the site you put up, so I had to download it from a newer computer. Please help!!

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  3. Hi Adam, really thanks for your wonderful application! thank you! i would like to do an italian localization, do i must know how to write code or it is enough that i am italian and i know english? (it is not sarcasm, i really don't know and i wanted to do this)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Pasquale: Thanks so much for your interest in doing a translation. Please Email me at game_creator (at) hotmail.com

    I will send you the list of text items in the app - and once you return it to me, I will get an Italian patch.

    ReplyDelete
  5. So this might be the very last change (unless more language packs come in). Included Pasquale Barbaro's Italian translation to the installer and added a bit that prevents running the app from the Installer image (seems to be the main cause of the 'Installer Loop' problem).

    If any more language packs come in will do my best to get them made ASAP.

    A few people including my brother, are working now on Mavericks+ versions - keep an eye out for them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great read! Very informative post about new tool!

    ReplyDelete
  7. hi. i started using it also on my intel macbook pro with snow leopard but i can't find any options to download different quality settings like i do it with my powerbook G4 under tiger/leopard ?
    Is this normal behaviour ?
    If yes do you know to what resolution/quality it's set for downloading under snow leopard ?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found this in the ReadMe file:

      The menu and options vary depending on your system's architecture. PPC Macs will have SD/HD options, where Intel Macs will attempt HD in all situations.

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  8. My version of PPCMC won't work in Mavericks (Terminal says "-bash: /usr/local/bin/python3.4: no such file or directory" .. however, after I upgraded from 10.6.8 to 10.9.5 Python3.4 is still in /Library/Frameworks, but everything relating to it has gone from /usr/local/bin.) How do I get around this so PPCMC still works properly?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Further to my previous question, I've done some digging around, and I note that Mavericks installed Python2.7 into usr/bin for use by the system. However, PPCMC seems to need Python3.4 which should be in usr/local/bin (and was in 10.6.8, as I see from my old Snow Leopard Time Machine, but isn't there now). There are various threads and topics in Google which talk about using something called "homebrew" to install Python3 into usr/local/bin. Will doing this solve my PPCMC woes or will I encounter other problems too?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Read Me files says PPCMC supports 10.4-10.8, so even if you install Python 3.4 with Homebrew, there may be other issues. If you try it, you'll have to live dangerously :)

      Or perhaps you can edit the PPCMC script to point to /Library/Frameworks?

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    2. Would PPCMC work off Python2.7 (the default Python installed by Apple in Mavericks)? I couldn't overwrite that with Python3.4 as there are clearly system components that use Python2.

      However, if PPCMC would work using Python2, I could try your suggestion - where is the script located in the Package Contents?

      (Note - I still have Snow Leopard (Server) running in the Parallels virtualiser; I thought about moving PPCMC there, but then decided there are too many components in different places to do that, so I downloaded PPCMC6 there as a fresh installation. Unfortunately, each time I try to launch it - from the Dock - I get the Acknowledgements and Thanks windows, then a message saying it's detected I'm on an Intel Mac ... then it quits!! Each time. I can't get past this. What's wrong with PPCMC6 that it won't get past the first-time acknowledgements? Please note - although I ran PPCMC in Snow Leopard, I never ran it in the Server version which was a fresh installation; if you have the previous version of PPCMC (5) available, I might be able to make it work in 10.6.8 Server in Parallels.)

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    3. You can download version 5 here:

      http://www.mediafire.com/file/46tbqanuql0s0ut/PPC_Media_Center_-_5.0_Universal.zip

      But one thing I noticed, version 6 failed for you after you updated to Mavericks. Since the PPCMC 6 installer installs Python 3, maybe you need to rerun the full installer.

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  10. I already have Python3.4 in the Library/Frameworks folder - Mavericks only cleaned out the usr/local/bin folder. I spent quite a time today copying or creating the full list of aliases that WERE in usr/local/bin then trying PPCMC again. The first time I got "Permission denied" on Python3.4, so I changed permissions to be the same as the original. Then it seemed to run in Terminal but there was nothing between "Downloading video..." and "Download complete". Needless to say, there was actually no download.

    I will try the version 5 download in Parallels - as I already got Python3.4 via PPCMC6, that part should be ok. I'll let you know how I get on.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Success! PPCMC v5 works fine in 10.6.8 Server running in Parallels. It was obviously quite happy with the components installed by v6, but didn't get stuck with those repeating Acknowledgements windows - it opened up the dialogue with the "Save Play MP3" options which I tested on a YouTube video.

    One last question before I leave you in peace (& thanks for your help :-) ) - are you thinking of creating a version to run in Mavericks and beyond, or is it the youtube_dl program itself that is the problem?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a question for Adam Albrec. He's the author, I just host the download links (you can also find downloads available on Macintosh Garden). His email is game_creator at hotmail d0t com if you'd like to follow up.

      I'm glad you got version 5 working.

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