Adding OS X ogg playback support.
Ok, I know what you're thinking - OS X is a user friendly, creative person's ideal choice of operating system. Sadly, this isn't the case.
Mac OS X not only doesn't have native Ogg support, it makes it a royal pain in the a#s to install it. Ogg is a high quality audio codec, that is also a free codec - in other words, Ogg will NEVER have patent or licensing requirements, and it will, even more important, NEVER have drm (drm is the Orwellian term for 'digital rights management', which is a perversion of english, what that term really should be is Digital Restrictions Management) So I know you're asking, OK, why would the legendarily user friendly system of Mac OS X make installing the required software codecs not only not native, but actually HARD? The answer, sadly, is found in the massively profitable iTunes/iPod franchise, which uses drm encumbered AAC+ (a relabeled MP4 format from what I understand). That's right kids, ipod/iphone/ipads do NOT support ogg. This is, by the way, why I will never buy an iPod or iPad, I need a system that actually plays free music codecs. So let's get on with it, How to add OGG support to OS X This will take a few steps, sorry about that, but don't blame me, this stuff is simple as pie on Windows (foobar2000 plays everything, of course), or Linux.
Now for those of you who don't follow usability issues, this procedure is a huge FAIL. Not a slight failure, this is a total full on failure. And also is totally inexcusable given the fact that Mac OS X promotes itself as a media friendly user friendly system. Apparently that's only friendly if you are paying them or buying their stuff. Now let's see if we need to add flac support. And in fact, NO LUCK for iTunes users. You can rest absolutely assured however that this is by design, to make it that much harder for you to not be able to play your free and lossless audio music collection. Apple is about the most reprehensible company out there in my opinion when it comes to how they are handling multimedia playback, they make Microsoft look like pure saints in comparison. So to playback the flac audio we need to use VLC for Mac. Just give up the non-free Mac garbage altogether, in other words. Back to top |
|||||
All times are GMT - 8 Hours
|