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Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
04-09-2014, 16:07
Post: #1
Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
I'd like to be able to set the stream.transcode property for the MinimServer installation on my ReadyNAS Duo (which has an ARM processor). The problem is that neither FFmpeg nor Libav appear to be installed on this NAS.

The browser-based user interface for the ReadyNAS (Frontview) does not provide any means of installing packages other than those produced in the .bin format required by its installer. Even some of those (though allegedly ARM-compatible) will not install under the current versions of the firmware.

The relevant guidance in the MinimStreamer User Guide is as follows:
"For many transcoding combinations (noted in the list below), the stream.converter property needs to be set. This property can be set to avconv to use Libav as a transcoding converter or ffmpeg to use FFmpeg as a transcoding converter. The transcoding converter program specified in this property must be installed on the computer or NAS that is running MinimStreamer, and it must be available in one of the directories in the PATH environment variable."

Unfortunately, I don't know how to (or whether I can) apply this to the Linux installation on my NAS. I can log on to the CLI of the NAS as root using SSH (and getting that far was something of a journey of discovery), but I'm not going to get any further without specific information on which FFmpeg package to use and how to install it. Does anyone have this information?

Thanks in advance.

David
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04-09-2014, 16:46
Post: #2
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(04-09-2014 16:07)DavidHB Wrote:  I'd like to be able to set the stream.transcode property for the MinimServer installation on my ReadyNAS Duo (which has an ARM processor). The problem is that neither FFmpeg nor Libav appear to be installed on this NAS.

The browser-based user interface for the ReadyNAS (Frontview) does not provide any means of installing packages other than those produced in the .bin format required by its installer. Even some of those (though allegedly ARM-compatible) will not install under the current versions of the firmware.

The relevant guidance in the MinimStreamer User Guide is as follows:
"For many transcoding combinations (noted in the list below), the stream.converter property needs to be set. This property can be set to avconv to use Libav as a transcoding converter or ffmpeg to use FFmpeg as a transcoding converter. The transcoding converter program specified in this property must be installed on the computer or NAS that is running MinimStreamer, and it must be available in one of the directories in the PATH environment variable."

Unfortunately, I don't know how to (or whether I can) apply this to the Linux installation on my NAS. I can log on to the CLI of the NAS as root using SSH (and getting that far was something of a journey of discovery), but I'm not going to get any further without specific information on which FFmpeg package to use and how to install it. Does anyone have this information?

Thanks in advance.

David

I haven't found a solution for this. The Debian version of ffmpeg (available via apt-get) won't install because some of its dependent libraries have been replaced by "hacked" NETGEAR versions instead of the standard Debian versions.
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04-09-2014, 17:14
Post: #3
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(04-09-2014 16:46)simoncn Wrote:  I haven't found a solution for this. The Debian version of ffmpeg (available via apt-get) won't install because some of its dependent libraries have been replaced by "hacked" NETGEAR versions instead of the standard Debian versions.

Thank you, Simon. I rather feared that this might be the case, given NETGEAR's less than stellar record in providing for the installation of external apps on its NAS devices. It is interesting that, in the recent comparative test of NASs published in Computer Shopper, the current NETGEAR offering fared rather poorly, with the reviewer commenting adversely on the poor provision of and for third partly apps.

From my own perspective, I could not now recommend even a compatible NETGEAR device (say a second hand Duo or NV+ v2) to a prospective MinimServer user, despite the fact that my own device has functioned well for two years and continues to give good service. The NETGEAR models are well made and mechanically and electronically reliable, but the firmware and software lets them down badly.

David
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04-09-2014, 19:11
Post: #4
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(04-09-2014 17:14)DavidHB Wrote:  Thank you, Simon. I rather feared that this might be the case, given NETGEAR's less than stellar record in providing for the installation of external apps on its NAS devices. It is interesting that, in the recent comparative test of NASs published in Computer Shopper, the current NETGEAR offering fared rather poorly, with the reviewer commenting adversely on the poor provision of and for third partly apps.

From my own perspective, I could not now recommend even a compatible NETGEAR device (say a second hand Duo or NV+ v2) to a prospective MinimServer user, despite the fact that my own device has functioned well for two years and continues to give good service. The NETGEAR models are well made and mechanically and electronically reliable, but the firmware and software lets them down badly.

David

I agree with the above (including my positive impression of the hardware).

I don't find it surprising that the current NETGEAR range is lacking in third-party apps given the way they have treated third-party app developers (see this post). I remain undecided whether it is worth investing my time and money to create a MinimServer package that runs on the current NETGEAR range.
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04-09-2014, 23:57 (This post was last modified: 05-09-2014 00:07 by DavidHB.)
Post: #5
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(04-09-2014 19:11)simoncn Wrote:  I don't find it surprising that the current NETGEAR range is lacking in third-party apps given the way they have treated third-party app developers (see this post). I remain undecided whether it is worth investing my time and money to create a MinimServer package that runs on the current NETGEAR range.

It seems to me that you have answered your own question. To support all NETGEAR NAS models currently in use requires (I think) at least 4 differently compiled and/or packaged versions of any given app. That can hardly be a cost-effective maintenance workload, particularly when NETGEAR put so little effort into documenting their systems and providing useful app stores and installation facilities.

I don't think that it is an accident that more external apps are still offered for the original SPARC-based ReadyNASs than for the later models. Once NETGEAR showed their true colours in bringing out a succession of devices without forwards or backwards compatibility, developers moved their interest elsewhere, and who can blame them? Even if you were to bite the bullet and support the latest models, as you quite rightly say, there is nothing to prevent NETGEAR from changing tack yet again, and leaving you high and dry once more.

David
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05-09-2014, 00:11
Post: #6
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(04-09-2014 23:57)DavidHB Wrote:  It seems to me that you have answered your own question. To support all NETGEAR NAS models currently in use requires (I think) at least 4 differently compiled and/or packaged versions of any given app. That can hardly be a cost-effective maintenance workload, particularly when NETGEAR put so little effort into documenting their systems and providing useful app stores and installation facilities.

It is worse than this. I would also need to buy and accommodate multiple hardware units for testing/supporting the different packaged versions of the same app on the same hardware platform (ARM or x86).

Quote:I don't think that it is an accident that more external apps are still offered for the original SPARC-based ReadyNASs than for the later models. Once NETGEAR showed their true colours in bringing out a succession of devices without forwards or backwards compatibility, developers moved their interest elsewhere, and who can blame them? Even if you were to bite the bullet and support the latest models, who's to say that NETGEAR won't change tack yet again, and leave you high and dry once more?

David

Exactly. Given past history, this seems quite likely.
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16-12-2014, 18:05 (This post was last modified: 16-12-2014 18:06 by DavidHB.)
Post: #7
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
With the release of MinimStreamer 0.5, I think it is worth reviving this thread, to check whether the situation described above has changed materially.

The MinimStreamer User Guide now states that

"As an alternative to putting the avconv or ffmpeg program in one of the directories in the PATH environment variable, you can set the stream.converter property to the absolute path of the avconv or ffmpeg program. "

This seems to get round one of the main problems associated with installing FFmpeg on my ReadyNAS Duo. Now, hopefully, I can just download the package, unzip the file, copy the contents to an accessible folder on my NAS and reference that location in the stream.converter property.

Is this approach likely to work? If so, which FFmpeg package should I download?

David
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16-12-2014, 18:33
Post: #8
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(16-12-2014 18:05)DavidHB Wrote:  With the release of MinimStreamer 0.5, I think it is worth reviving this thread, to check whether the situation described above has changed materially.

The MinimStreamer User Guide now states that

"As an alternative to putting the avconv or ffmpeg program in one of the directories in the PATH environment variable, you can set the stream.converter property to the absolute path of the avconv or ffmpeg program. "

This seems to get round one of the main problems associated with installing FFmpeg on my ReadyNAS Duo. Now, hopefully, I can just download the package, unzip the file, copy the contents to an accessible folder on my NAS and reference that location in the stream.converter property.

Is this approach likely to work? If so, which FFmpeg package should I download?

David

You would need to find an ARMv5 static binary (self-contained). The only static binaries I have been able to find are for Intel x86 and Intel x64.
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16-12-2014, 19:37
Post: #9
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(16-12-2014 18:33)simoncn Wrote:  You would need to find an ARMv5 static binary (self-contained). The only static binaries I have been able to find are for Intel x86 and Intel x64.

Yes, me too. Foiled again. Thanks for the advice.

David
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07-03-2015, 13:44
Post: #10
RE: Installing FFmpeg on a ReadyNAS Duo
(16-12-2014 18:33)simoncn Wrote:  You would need to find an ARMv5 static binary (self-contained). The only static binaries I have been able to find are for Intel x86 and Intel x64.

Update: you can download an ffmpeg ARMv5 static binary from the link in this post.
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