Chromium Embedded Framework MP3 support

Question

I've downloaded Chromium Embedded Framework r306 for Windows and built it. Unfortunately, it shows, that it doesn't support mp3:

<script>
var a = document.createElement("audio");
document.write(a.canPlayType('audio/mpeg'));
</script>

Output is empty and when I try to open an mp3 file, it can't be played (ogg is playable).

The same time Google Chrome writes "maybe" (and it actually plays).

How can I add support for MP3 in CEF?

Answer 1

the options to enable proprietary codecs (i.e. H.264 and MP3) have been moved since the last answer.

you can read my answer with all the details on how to compile CEF with enabled proprietary codecs

the magic now happens here:

set GN_DEFINES=is_official_build=true proprietary_codecs=true ffmpeg_branding=Chrome

there is 2 batch files that you should update/create (as found here):

c:\code\chromium_git\update.bat:

set CEF_USE_GN=1
set GN_DEFINES=is_official_build=true proprietary_codecs=true ffmpeg_branding=Chrome
set GN_ARGUMENTS=--ide=vs2015 --sln=cef --filters=//cef/*
python ..\automate\automate-git.py --download-dir=C:\code\chromium_git --depot-tools-dir=C:\code\depot_tools --no-distrib --no-build

c:\code\chromium_git\chromium\src\cef\create.bat:

set CEF_USE_GN=1
set GN_DEFINES=is_win_fastlink=true proprietary_codecs=true ffmpeg_branding=Chrome
set GN_ARGUMENTS=--ide=vs2015 --sln=cef --filters=//cef/*
call cef_create_projects.bat

There is 2 wiki articles that explain how to build CEF/Chromium:

1. https://bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef/wiki/MasterBuildQuickStart.md
2. and BranchesAndBuilding in the same wiki

Answer 2

Marshall Greenblatt (the maintainer of the Chromium Embedded Framework) addresses the lack of support for MP3 (and AAC) in Chromium and CEF in this bug report (see comment #7, copied below):

Codecs like MP3 and AAC are included in Google Chrome releases but not Chromium builds. This is because these formats are not open and require licensing. Distributing these codecs with your application without a licensing agreement may violate the law in certain countries. You should discuss with a lawyer if appropriate.

Answer 3

NOTE: PLEASE CONSIDER LEGAL ISSUES BEFORE PROCEEDING

There is a way to enable MP3 support in CEF, but you'll have to modify the cef.gypi in the source distribution, regenerate the visual studio projects and rebuild.

Step by step instructions:

a a

Answer 4

There is a way to enable MP3 support in CEF, but you'll have to modify the cef.gypi in the source distribution, regenerate the visual studio projects and rebuild.

Detailed build instructions:
https://bitbucket.org/chromiumembedded/cef/wiki/BranchesAndBuilding

Enabling proprietary codecs support:
http://code.google.com/p/chromiumembedded/issues/detail?id=371

Add 'proprietary_codecs': 1 to your cef.gypi configuration so that USE_PROPRIETARY_CODECS will be defined as required by net/base/mime_util.cc.

You'll also need proper builds of the avcodec, avformat and avutil DLLs. Luckily, you can just get these from the installation directory of Google Chrome itself ($User/AppData/Local/Google/Chrome/$Version).