Category Archives: APPLE

Extracting MP3 audio from video files

Here is a small Bash script that converts any supported ffmpeg video format; such as .MKV, .MP4 or .MOV and extracts the audio to an .MP3 file, It will also split that MP3 file into chunks and put them in a convenient directory. You will need to install ffmpeg and mp3splt for your particular platform.

Example Usage:

This uses ffmpeg to convert “big fat file.mkv” to “big fat file.mp3” and then uses mp3splt to create a directory “big fat file” containing the files 01 – big fat file.mp3, 02 – big fat file.mp3, etc. The MP3 files will be encoded at 128k Constant Bit Rate and each file will be around 50 minutes in length. To install in Debian/Ubuntu use: sudo apt-get install ffmpeg mp3splt

mp3splt can find the audio in a quiet region near where the split is desired rather than midway through a word, this should make for much cleaner playback across tracks.

Alternative Method

This script gives the same results but uses ffmpeg to split the large MP3 file and then adds track numbering metadata using id3v2. To install in Debian/Ubuntu use: sudo apt-get install ffmpeg id3v2

Creating an Audiobook

Taking this further, I was thinking that it would be nice to have these converted into the M4B Audiobook format for use on my elderly iPod. The script below assumes that you have processed the files as above and have added metadata tags using a tool like mp3tag (yes I know this is for Windows).

To complete this we need to: Combine the multiple MP3 files into one big file, or read the original big file then convert that to M4B format at 96K bit and add chapter marks every ten minutes. For this I have used ffmpeg v3.2.12 and libmp4v2 (for the mp4chaps utility), to install in Debian/Ubuntu use: sudo apt-get install libmp4v2-dev mp4v2-utils ffmpeg

This script works best from a single MP3 file rather than from those that have been re-combined back into a single file, recombining the files caused ffmpeg to exclaim “invalid packet size” and “invalid data” errors. It is able to tell the difference between a directory and a single MP3 and processes the file accordingly, don’t forget to add metadata tags and cover art before you run the script.

When encoding to the M4B using a re-combined file I saw a few of these errors from ffmpeg:

These appear to be caused by the mp3splt program from when the original MP3 file was being split into 50 minute chunks, but I can’t hear any effect on the output.

Lots of information about the file can be gotten using mediainfo, to install in Debian/Ubuntu use: sudo apt-get install mediainfo, example use:

Links and References

Fixing the Arduino incoming network connections error on the mac

On the Apple Mac if you use the Teensy micro-controller with the Arduino IDE you may have come across a persistent firewall error message when starting the IDE, I have seen this error for quite a while over a range of system and software upgrades. I have applied this fix to:

  • OS X 10.10 Yosemite and above / macOS 10.12 Sierra
  • Arduino IDE 1.6.13 – all versions, at least 1.5 and above.
  • Teensydunio 1.33 – and older versions

The Arduino IDE is installed in the default applications folder, as is the Teensyduino. Some knowledge of using the terminal is required.

Symptoms

On your Apple Mac, you installed the Teensyduino software for the Teensy and now when you start the Arduino IDE this error message appears:

Do you want the application “Arduino.app” to accept incoming network connections?
Clicking Deny may limit the application’s behaviour. This setting can be changed in the Firewall pane of Security & Privacy preferences.

Incoming Network Connections Error

Cause

When the Arduino IDE is installed it includes a certificate to assure the system that everything is correct, the Teensyduino installation makes changes to the IDE configuration and this causes a mismatch and the signature in the certificate does not match the installation.

You can verify the failed certificate in the terminal with the spctl command:

Without the Teensyduino software installed, the certificate shows correctly:

Another check is to use codesign

Fix

To fix this, first we need to create a self-signed certificate. In finder Keychain Access can be found in Applications > Utilities > Keychain Access

Keychain Access certificates

From the menu choose: Keychain Access > Certificate Assistant > Create a Certificate… and set the following:

  • Name: anything useful, without spaces. You will be using this name later to apply the certificate – I used ‘arduino’
  • Identity Type: Self Signed Root
  • Certificate Type: Code Signing
  • Check the box “Let me override defaults”, this is important
Certificate Creation

click continue, and continue again past the security warning, then over the next few pages:

  • Serial Number: 1 – The serial and certificate name combination must be unique
  • Validity Period: 3650 – this will give you ten years
  • Email, name, etc: anything you like, or leave blank
  • Key pair info: set to RSA, 2048 bits
  • On the next four screens, from “Key usage extension” to “Subject Alternate Name Extension” accept the defaults
  • Location: login keychain.

Once created and back in the list, choose your certificate and from the menu go to File > Get Info (Cmd-i). In the Trust section at the top change: When using this certificate to Always Trust.

Trusted Certificate

Now that the certificate has been created, you need to apply it to the application, in terminal use the codesign command, this takes a few moments:

You’ll be asked to verify this, click ‘always allow’. To verify that your certificate has worked, check with codesign, using spctl will not work as this is a self-signed certificate.

Now, when you start the IDE on first run it will give you the allow/deny message again, click Allow and on subsequent use it will open as expected.

Links and Sources