ubuntu linux

[rasczak]

i followed the guide. i think that my laptop might be too old? it's and old compaq presario with a matrox video card. i'm not sure if it supported?

stumped
joe

 

[Nothinman]

It should work, even if the A/V is out of sync because it's too slow, it should still show you the video.

I have never seen an app get a SIGINT except for when you hit ctrl+c. How about you try 'mplayer -ao oss movie.wmv' and see what happens?

 

[bersl2]

Yeah, sounds like something's borked about that install's ALSA support.

Also, you might want to try adding the -nocache option, to rule that out. Probably not what's causing problems, but it is crashing during caching, after all.

 

[rasczak]

nothing worked, i decided to scrap the whole thing and start from scratch. i installed the base version of ubuntu, and now am wholly and totally in the command line interface. question is i don't know where to go from herre heh. i did sudo apt-get install gnome ubuntu-desktop and it setup up but when i rebooted the laptop, the login scrren was all black. so i started over again and i would could use some advice to kinda point me in the right direction.


thanks very much for your guys' imput and willingness to help a newbie out. makes me appreciate the linux world a litttle more and makes me truly want to learn this and other linux systems.

joe

 

[drag]

Ouch. Start from scratch again?

It's possible to install gnome and such without installing X Windows. This is because since X windows is a network system and not just local to a computer it's possible to install a bunch of applications on one computer and then display the output on another... so for a few people you don't want to have to have X windows installed.

Just do a regular normal Ubuntu install like you did before. The problem isn't you, I don't beleive, the problem is your system and the drivers for it. Basic junkiness in Linux/mplayer/etc.


I am thinking along with bersl2, that there is a problem with the sound card and/or drivers.

Different sound cards accept different formats. Mplayer is sending it 16bit PCM @ 32000 Hz. (cd audio in comparision is 16bit @ 44100 Hz) It's probably getting this idea to do that from the system drivers or the file itself.

It's a distinct possiblity that your sound card can't handle this format, but your drivers think it can. There is a work around for this using Dmix and your user's alsa config, but that's to complicated to go into until we isolate the problem.

Try getting back to were you were before and try a file that is a AVI file that we know will work. You can deal with propriatory formats like wmv when you at least know well supported formats will work.

There are different versions of WMV files aviable. Latest versions of codecs from Microsoft won't display video in Linux, only audio since the support is poor.

I am betting these files were made in linux: http://www.gnome.org/~seth/blog/xshots. There are a few samples there you can try. Theora is nice, but it's very cpu intensive on playback... try the mpeg4 (which is divx-like) or mpjepg. Mpjepg is least cpu intensive.

try mplayer like this:

mplayer -vo x11 whatever.avi
mplayer -vo x11 -ao null whatever.avi

hrm... Now that I think about it, I don't think those sample videos include audio. Oh well. At least you know that video will work then.

If you have a "DIVX" or mpeg4 avi files or whatnot, you can try those. Those should be well supported.

Maybe somebody has a link to a avi file that they know will work in mplayer for absolutely certain. I am at work now and can't test this stuff out.

 

[Brazen]

did you install the win32 codecs? I'm not sure about Ubuntu/Debian, but in Fedora I believe it is called win32codec and is installed separately from mplayer.

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: Brazen
did you install the win32 codecs? I'm not sure about Ubuntu/Debian, but in Fedora I believe it is called win32codec and is installed separately from mplayer.

they are called w32codecs for ubuntu.

sudo apt-get install w32codecs

that should install that, it is in the guide that I posted a little further up on the page.

 

[Seeruk]

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

Anyway the best place to start is make sure you are using 5.04 Hoary Hedgehog (latest stable version) and NOT 5.10 Breezy Badger as that is still in the RC (effectively BETA still).

Then start at the top of this page and work your way down all the relevant parts but making sure you dont skip the part about adding the extra unsupported repositories.

www.ubuntuguide.org

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: Seeruk
A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

Anyway the best place to start is make sure you are using 5.04 Hoary Hedgehog (latest stable version) and NOT 5.10 Breezy Badger as that is still in the RC (effectively BETA still).

Then start at the top of this page and work your way down all the relevant parts but making sure you dont skip the part about adding the extra unsupported repositories.

www.ubuntuguide.org

I agree, definitely make sure you did not download 5.10 (Breezy Preview). I have a few different installs going, and they all have some weird quirks to them. I will go live tomorrow, but I really don't think it is ready unless they have something up their sleeve, or know how to fit more than 24 hours into a day.

5.04 (Hoary Hedgehog) is where it is at. I have had no problems with this version on all hardware from a P2-266 to a P4-2.8HT to a AMD64-3000+. The "guide" is a great resource, as are the forums that are provided by ubuntu. Use them, register, and ask questions. The people there are very willing to help, and know about ubuntu, because well... it's ubuntu forums =P

Ubuntu Forums
Ubuntu Guide

 

[rasczak]

Originally posted by: rmrf

Originally posted by: Seeruk
A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

Anyway the best place to start is make sure you are using 5.04 Hoary Hedgehog (latest stable version) and NOT 5.10 Breezy Badger as that is still in the RC (effectively BETA still).

Then start at the top of this page and work your way down all the relevant parts but making sure you dont skip the part about adding the extra unsupported repositories.

www.ubuntuguide.org

I agree, definitely make sure you did not download 5.10 (Breezy Preview). I have a few different installs going, and they all have some weird quirks to them. I will go live tomorrow, but I really don't think it is ready unless they have something up their sleeve, or know how to fit more than 24 hours into a day.

5.04 (Hoary Hedgehog) is where it is at. I have had no problems with this version on all hardware from a P2-266 to a P4-2.8HT to a AMD64-3000+. The "guide" is a great resource, as are the forums that are provided by ubuntu. Use them, register, and ask questions. The people there are very willing to help, and know about ubuntu, because well... it's ubuntu forums =P

Ubuntu Forums
Ubuntu Guide

hehe thanks guys. i did install hoary, but it gave me an option to install the regualr installation and an advanced installation, i chose to install the advanced installation (base system) in order to do it from the very beginnning, i figure i might as well do it now since i didn't have anything too important. i have a little understanding of the CLI and that is exactly why i decided to do this all from command line. so i could learn as much as i can.

**edit** heeh just saw your links to ubuntu forums, sorry rmrf, i would go there but while i'm at work (which is where i'm doing most of my experimenting) i am unable to get to those sites as they are blocked. hence my heavy dependence on anandtech. i have posted in thier forums but haveing to wait 9 - 10 hours to get to any information is a bit maddening. espcially when i have the laptop on hand and am working on it thru the day.

and seeruk, yes you are correct it's not for a consumer ready desktop.

it's a bit more difficult for me but i am tired of windows blowing up on me and having to take out my backups to reinstall and regain all of my data. i also have a lot of time and patience to learn this. google has been a good friend to me as i'm learning, but i find that coming here as provided me witha lot of valuable information i found hard to find googling.

so back to my question where's a good place to start?
i did apt-get build-essential and that got me started,
then i did sudo apt-get install checkinstall but it couldn't find the package.


is there a way to add repositories via CLI?

thanks again guys!!! learning this and finding out new things is turning out to be a blast

joe

 

[Nothinman]

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

Have you ever seen a consumer try to install Windows? It's not any prettier.

thanks very much for your guys' imput and willingness to help a newbie out. makes me appreciate the linux world a litttle more and makes me truly want to learn this and other linux systems.

If you want some realtime help stop by #linux on irc.arstechnica.com, most of the people there run Ubuntu and are very willing to work through just about anything.

 

[rasczak]

thanks for the quick response nothinman, unforutnately, they have blocked port 6667 as well :/ much appreciated tho ^^

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: jpbelauskas
thanks for the quick response nothinman, unforutnately, they have blocked port 6667 as well :/ much appreciated tho ^^

do you have ssh access to a machine outside of your companies network? if so, you can just use a client such as bitchx for irc, once you are logged in.

 

[zbalat]

Have you ever seen a consumer try to install Windows? It's not any prettier

Sorry to barge in here but that is an idiotic statement.

Windows is a piece of cake to install but most "consumers" will never have to do it because it's already installed on the system they bought. The thing "consumers" like about Windows is how easy it is to use (and upgrade).

I'm kind of geeky and I have been playing around with Linux lately (SUSE 10.0 dual booted with XP currently) and there is definitely a serious learning curve to get it to do all the things that you want it to do. Hours of googling and asking questions on forums where the answeres are still way too vauge can become frustrating to the point that many new Linux users (consumers?) may just say "screw it" I'm sticking with Windows because it is SO EASY TO USE.

I'm still plugging along because I want to learn but there is no way in hell that you can say that installing/running Linux is anywhere near as user (consumer?) friendly as running a Windows machine.

 

[Nothinman]

Windows is a piece of cake to install but most "consumers" will never have to do it because it's already installed on the system they bought.

But that's the point, they never see the installation process so it's irrelevant. I mean seriously, have you ever tried to make a 'regular computer user' install Windows? Even if they make it past the initial bootup wizard that does the base install, they'll never get all of their hardware's drivers installed unless they're extremely lucky.

I'm kind of geeky and I have been playing around with Linux lately (SUSE 10.0 dual booted with XP currently) and there is definitely a serious learning curve to get it to do all the things that you want it to do.

Well no sh!t. You're trying to use something new, of couse you'll have to spend some time learning how the system works. If you had no idea how Windows works you'd be going through the same thing.

may just say "screw it" I'm sticking with Windows because it is SO EASY TO USE.

But it's not, it only seems easy because you already know how to use it. Hell I've seen many people complain about how much they hate XP because they took the time to learn Win2K and then MS decided to turn the UI upside down on them and they had to relearn everything again.

I'm still plugging along because I want to learn but there is no way in hell that you can say that installing/running Linux is anywhere near as user (consumer?) friendly as running a Windows machine.

Installing it? Sure it is, in most cases it's also easier since more of the drivers are already on the CD and included in the installation process. Using it? Maybe. It depends on what you're trying to do, basic web browsing, email, etc is nearly the same. Some things like installing new software are easier as long as you use the package manager that came with the system. And there are obviously places that need work, printing is probably the worst right now. But I still prefer CUPS to dealing with the proprietary driver/software combos that come with those cheapo HP do-it-all printers.

 

[zbalat]

Nothinman,

Fist of all, I agree that installing Linux is as easy as installing Windows. Every distro that I have tried (YOS, MEPIS, Xandros, Linspire, Gentoo, Kubuntu, Ubuntu and PCLinux) installed easily. You won't get an argument from me there.

Linux is just a struggle for me (and countless others) to get everything to work right (see: this thread). I'm just a newb and I will put the time in to learn it but in the 3 months that I have been playing around with Linux I have spent SEVERAL more hours figuring it out than I did with any version of Windows (including 3.1) and I still don't have Linux running the way I would like it to.

If you would like to help me/us get one step closer to using Linux as the primary OS can you explain how to make streaming video from the internet work on any disto? If you can you will be my hero.

 

[Seeruk]

My idiot user to compare with is my dad (sorry dad ).

The first time he installed windows - he called me for help on partitioning, but that was it!

The whole of the rest of the process he did himself and that includes then getting Media stuff installed, video editing and all the rest if the bits and pieces he needed.

He did not have to spend DAYS battling with with codecs and various buggy media players just to listen to some music.

Remember this is a guy who has called me up to ask which way round the paper should go in his printer

 

[Nothinman]

Linux is just a struggle for me (and countless others) to get everything to work right (see: this thread). I'm just a newb and I will put the time in to learn it but in the 3 months that I have been playing around with Linux I have spent SEVERAL more hours figuring it out than I did with any version of Windows (including 3.1) and I still don't have Linux running the way I would like it to.

That's just because you already know Windows. With me it's the exact opposite because I spend all of my time in Linux, everytime I have to use a Windows box for something it's a huge process to get everything I need installed and working properly while in Linux it's usually as simple as installing a package via aptitude.

If you would like to help me/us get one step closer to using Linux as the primary OS can you explain how to make streaming video from the internet work on any disto? If you can you will be my hero.

That one I can't really help with, generally if there's a video on the Internet that I want to see I just download it and watch it locally. I've never had much patience for streaming anything.

The first time he installed windows - he called me for help on partitioning, but that was it!

Then I would say that your dad probably isn't as big of an idiot as you're saying or he just got lucky =)

He did not have to spend DAYS battling with with codecs and various buggy media players just to listen to some music.

Neither did I, my sound card worked out of the box in Linux and xmms, bmp, etc all play my media just fine without any tweaking.

 

[hooflung]

quoting from Seeruk

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

<shoots dirty IT Professional gaze at Seeruk and shakes head in pity>

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. First let me say that Linux IS NOT a operating system OR desktop. Moreover, OS X is a full consumer-ready desktop, as everyone but the most pompus arse would agree to. However, it uses software that windows users would never touch outside of having a Apple box on their desktop. Why is it that Popular Linux Distributions, such as Ubuntu, gets treated like a red-headed step child because it doesn't cater in every way to Windows users. That is just plain arogant. Windows isn't a standard it is a product. Linux is a product. OS X is a product. Windows just happened to be illegally pushed onto the market but that is a discussion best left for another day.

When did consumer-ready ever mean Microsoft-enabled? It doesn't and never did, free market remember. Ubuntu does well what Linux does. It does it usually better than Windows. What does Microsoft do for consumers that makes it a consumer ready OS? It doesn't provide, in itself, good drivers nor support new hardware, it doesn't come with any productivity software other than wordpad ( which is a joke ), it has a browser that is 5 years behind the time and fustrates web developers to no end, it has severe security violations from start up, is has a 4+ year old kernel, comes bloated in standard setup.

Windows reaps rewards of years of illegal distribution so that it has more 3rd party support by IPO's but Linux kernel devolpers are getting MASSIVE support to push it onto the desktop from the likes of IBM, SUN, Novell. How again, is a distrobution such as UBUNTU not ready for the desktop? Because it doesn't offer an equal product out of the box for WMV or Realplayer? If the bundle of Windows, in what I assume you mean that Windows IS a consumer ready OS, is any clear depiction of what makes an os consumer-ready then Ubuntu is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Windows.

 

[bettlebrox]

Originally posted by: jpbelauskas
ok i tried this but it can't find mplayer package. am i missing something?

btw thanks for your replies

mplayer is not bundled by Ubuntu. You need to add some additional repositories so you can DL mplayer.

Go to http://ubuntuguide.org/ and read the whole thing, starting with Repositories.

Also, if you have problems look at http://ubuntuforums.org .

Best of Luck!

 

[Seeruk]

Originally posted by: hooflung
quoting from Seeruk

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

<shoots dirty IT Professional gaze at Seeruk and shakes head in pity>

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. First let me say that Linux IS NOT a operating system OR desktop. Moreover, OS X is a full consumer-ready desktop, as everyone but the most pompus arse would agree to. However, it uses software that windows users would never touch outside of having a Apple box on their desktop. Why is it that Popular Linux Distributions, such as Ubuntu, gets treated like a red-headed step child because it doesn't cater in every way to Windows users. That is just plain arogant. Windows isn't a standard it is a product. Linux is a product. OS X is a product. Windows just happened to be illegally pushed onto the market but that is a discussion best left for another day.

When did consumer-ready ever mean Microsoft-enabled? It doesn't and never did, free market remember. Ubuntu does well what Linux does. It does it usually better than Windows. What does Microsoft do for consumers that makes it a consumer ready OS? It doesn't provide, in itself, good drivers nor support new hardware, it doesn't come with any productivity software other than wordpad ( which is a joke ), it has a browser that is 5 years behind the time and fustrates web developers to no end, it has severe security violations from start up, is has a 4+ year old kernel, comes bloated in standard setup.

Windows reaps rewards of years of illegal distribution so that it has more 3rd party support by IPO's but Linux kernel devolpers are getting MASSIVE support to push it onto the desktop from the likes of IBM, SUN, Novell. How again, is a distrobution such as UBUNTU not ready for the desktop? Because it doesn't offer an equal product out of the box for WMV or Realplayer? If the bundle of Windows, in what I assume you mean that Windows IS a consumer ready OS, is any clear depiction of what makes an os consumer-ready then Ubuntu is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Windows.

1. I dont need the history lesson, I have been running Unix / Solaris servers for 10 years in conjunction with Windows, maybe I meant Ubuntu not Linux then if you are feeling so pedantic, to be honest I am always typing in a rush sat bored in work because all our systems are running so smoothly

2. Simple fact - Windows > Linux (whatever flavour) in terms of user-friendliness and ease of configuration

3. Simple fact - *nix > Windows in ANY server environment

End of.

What does it take to play most media formats in Windows? Download and double click Media player.

What does it take to play most media formats in Linux?? Well specifically in Ubuntu to even get started you have to:
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-plugins
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-lame
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install w32codecs
sudo apt-get install libdivx4linux
sudo apt-get install lame
sudo apt-get install sox
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install mjpegtools
sudo apt-get install vorbis-tools
gst-register-0.8


And in the cases of maybe 1/3 of those codecs, there is still further f**kin around to get stuff to work in a non-stuttering, non-flaky way


4. Where did you buy your tin-foil hat from?

 

[rmrf]

Originally posted by: Seeruk

Originally posted by: hooflung
quoting from Seeruk

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

<shoots dirty IT Professional gaze at Seeruk and shakes head in pity>

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. First let me say that Linux IS NOT a operating system OR desktop. Moreover, OS X is a full consumer-ready desktop, as everyone but the most pompus arse would agree to. However, it uses software that windows users would never touch outside of having a Apple box on their desktop. Why is it that Popular Linux Distributions, such as Ubuntu, gets treated like a red-headed step child because it doesn't cater in every way to Windows users. That is just plain arogant. Windows isn't a standard it is a product. Linux is a product. OS X is a product. Windows just happened to be illegally pushed onto the market but that is a discussion best left for another day.

When did consumer-ready ever mean Microsoft-enabled? It doesn't and never did, free market remember. Ubuntu does well what Linux does. It does it usually better than Windows. What does Microsoft do for consumers that makes it a consumer ready OS? It doesn't provide, in itself, good drivers nor support new hardware, it doesn't come with any productivity software other than wordpad ( which is a joke ), it has a browser that is 5 years behind the time and fustrates web developers to no end, it has severe security violations from start up, is has a 4+ year old kernel, comes bloated in standard setup.

Windows reaps rewards of years of illegal distribution so that it has more 3rd party support by IPO's but Linux kernel devolpers are getting MASSIVE support to push it onto the desktop from the likes of IBM, SUN, Novell. How again, is a distrobution such as UBUNTU not ready for the desktop? Because it doesn't offer an equal product out of the box for WMV or Realplayer? If the bundle of Windows, in what I assume you mean that Windows IS a consumer ready OS, is any clear depiction of what makes an os consumer-ready then Ubuntu is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Windows.

1. I dont need the history lesson, I have been running Unix / Solaris servers for 10 years in conjunction with Windows, maybe I meant Ubuntu not Linux then if you are feeling so pedantic, to be honest I am always typing in a rush sat bored in work because all our systems are running so smoothly

2. Simple fact - Windows > Linux (whatever flavour) in terms of user-friendliness and ease of configuration

3. Simple fact - *nix > Windows in ANY server environment

End of.

What does it take to play most media formats in Windows? Download and double click Media player.

What does it take to play most media formats in Linux?? Well specifically in Ubuntu to even get started you have to:
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-plugins
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-lame
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install w32codecs
sudo apt-get install libdivx4linux
sudo apt-get install lame
sudo apt-get install sox
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install mjpegtools
sudo apt-get install vorbis-tools
gst-register-0.8


And in the cases of maybe 1/3 of those codecs, there is still further f**kin around to get stuff to work in a non-stuttering, non-flaky way


4. Where did you buy your tin-foil hat from?

There are scripts that you can get at the ubuntu forums that will do all of this for you. You just issue a sudo <insert script name here> and it updates your repositories, installs the necessary programs and plugins to get video in your browser, play mp3's, and the other codecs required to play media.

I used this script when Warty came out, and again with Hoary. I'm waiting for Breezy to become a little more stable, and I will probably just make my own variation of the script if it doesn't come out in a timely manner.

 

[hooflung]

Originally posted by: Seeruk

Originally posted by: hooflung
quoting from Seeruk

A perfect example of why Linux is not a consumer-ready desktop!

<shoots dirty IT Professional gaze at Seeruk and shakes head in pity>

That is the most idiotic thing I have ever heard. First let me say that Linux IS NOT a operating system OR desktop. Moreover, OS X is a full consumer-ready desktop, as everyone but the most pompus arse would agree to. However, it uses software that windows users would never touch outside of having a Apple box on their desktop. Why is it that Popular Linux Distributions, such as Ubuntu, gets treated like a red-headed step child because it doesn't cater in every way to Windows users. That is just plain arogant. Windows isn't a standard it is a product. Linux is a product. OS X is a product. Windows just happened to be illegally pushed onto the market but that is a discussion best left for another day.

When did consumer-ready ever mean Microsoft-enabled? It doesn't and never did, free market remember. Ubuntu does well what Linux does. It does it usually better than Windows. What does Microsoft do for consumers that makes it a consumer ready OS? It doesn't provide, in itself, good drivers nor support new hardware, it doesn't come with any productivity software other than wordpad ( which is a joke ), it has a browser that is 5 years behind the time and fustrates web developers to no end, it has severe security violations from start up, is has a 4+ year old kernel, comes bloated in standard setup.

Windows reaps rewards of years of illegal distribution so that it has more 3rd party support by IPO's but Linux kernel devolpers are getting MASSIVE support to push it onto the desktop from the likes of IBM, SUN, Novell. How again, is a distrobution such as UBUNTU not ready for the desktop? Because it doesn't offer an equal product out of the box for WMV or Realplayer? If the bundle of Windows, in what I assume you mean that Windows IS a consumer ready OS, is any clear depiction of what makes an os consumer-ready then Ubuntu is LIGHT YEARS ahead of Windows.

1. I dont need the history lesson, I have been running Unix / Solaris servers for 10 years in conjunction with Windows, maybe I meant Ubuntu not Linux then if you are feeling so pedantic, to be honest I am always typing in a rush sat bored in work because all our systems are running so smoothly

Just because you have experience doens't mean you can't stand to learn something. Especially when its pretty bold to the point of pushing ideas into people. What you said about Linux, even in the context of Ubuntu, is simply not true.

2. Simple fact - Windows > Linux (whatever flavour) in terms of user-friendliness and ease of configuration

I find it just as easy to setup Ubuntu and Mandriva just as easy if not more so than Windows. On the desktop for consumers, which you mentioned, there is no difference from a new user to learn Ubuntu than the same user to learn Windows XP. On the desktop for corporate use, you must not understand the power of *Nix Client Management.

3. Simple fact - *nix > Windows in ANY server environment


End of.

No not ANY, or ALL! Windows has a market place... medium sized companies that need to deliver a highly available service with 'some' enterprise features that are just not available at the same price points or with service contracts that *nix can do. Case : EVE Online MMOG. They had to make the choice to support Windows 2000/2003 and SQL Server based on IBM servers. Their Service, the EVE ONLINE MMOG, could not have penetrated the market if it had of been Oracle or DB2. Not only would have those two been overkill but they couldn't deliver the speed that SQL server can over TCP/IP. Mysql doesn't deliver the robust SQL arch that MSSQL does ( ie subqueries, views, triggers) and Postgresql doesn't have the service contracts and support that IBM could give with Microsoft. The Cluster Manage prepackaged with Windows AD and their version of SQL Server also are in a league of their own for 'their' needs.

What does it take to play most media formats in Windows? Download and double click Media player.

What does it take to play most media formats in Linux?? Well specifically in Ubuntu to even get started you have to:
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-plugins
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-lame
sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install w32codecs
sudo apt-get install libdivx4linux
sudo apt-get install lame
sudo apt-get install sox
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
sudo apt-get install mjpegtools
sudo apt-get install vorbis-tools
gst-register-0.8

Most? The last time I looked I couldn't play MOST of my media in Windows without a nice trip to their respective websites and download and install their codecs and/or clients. Divx doesn't play, OGG doesn't play, Xvid doesn't play, Quicktime doesn't play, Real Media doesn't play, Theora does't play. But YOU ARE RIGHT I do have WMV and WMA. I can't put WMA on an my iPod-like device nor iPod or play on 'my' DVD player.

And in the cases of maybe 1/3 of those codecs, there is still further f**kin around to get stuff to work in a non-stuttering, non-flaky way

WMV is just as flakey. Even AT's shuttle HTPC review today cited something they didn't like and that is just something I can point out off the top of my brain. WMV, hell any codec, that is engineered for something will always be flakey if you deviate too far from it's intended purpose. It is just computer language.

4. Where did you buy your tin-foil hat from?

Fry's Electronics.

 

[hooflung]

Originally posted by: Nothinman

Windows is a piece of cake to install but most "consumers" will never have to do it because it's already installed on the system they bought.

But that's the point, they never see the installation process so it's irrelevant. I mean seriously, have you ever tried to make a 'regular computer user' install Windows? Even if they make it past the initial bootup wizard that does the base install, they'll never get all of their hardware's drivers installed unless they're extremely lucky.

I'm kind of geeky and I have been playing around with Linux lately (SUSE 10.0 dual booted with XP currently) and there is definitely a serious learning curve to get it to do all the things that you want it to do.

Well no sh!t. You're trying to use something new, of couse you'll have to spend some time learning how the system works. If you had no idea how Windows works you'd be going through the same thing.

may just say "screw it" I'm sticking with Windows because it is SO EASY TO USE.

But it's not, it only seems easy because you already know how to use it. Hell I've seen many people complain about how much they hate XP because they took the time to learn Win2K and then MS decided to turn the UI upside down on them and they had to relearn everything again.

I'm still plugging along because I want to learn but there is no way in hell that you can say that installing/running Linux is anywhere near as user (consumer?) friendly as running a Windows machine.

Installing it? Sure it is, in most cases it's also easier since more of the drivers are already on the CD and included in the installation process. Using it? Maybe. It depends on what you're trying to do, basic web browsing, email, etc is nearly the same. Some things like installing new software are easier as long as you use the package manager that came with the system. And there are obviously places that need work, printing is probably the worst right now. But I still prefer CUPS to dealing with the proprietary driver/software combos that come with those cheapo HP do-it-all printers.

Can't remember the first post I have ever agreed on whole with you... so let this be the first. QFE!!!

 

[daniel49]

I dunno but it seems like this is a never ending debate about which is better or easier.

Seems to be more a personal taste thing, but I would be suprised if I can search this forum and find a 3 page thread about how to get windows media player to work.

off to try

nope didnt find anything quite like that however for the OP.. I just downloaded beep-media-player and its streaming great i-2-3 click.
getting it to play wma, seems a little more complex I tried following this from ubuntu forums

All of the commands below should be typed from a terminal. Applications->System Tools->Terminal

If you don't have the beep media player you can get it via synaptic or:

sudo apt-get install beep-media-player

First download the beep development files:

sudo apt-get install beep-media-player-dev

Download the WMA plugin:
wget http://download.berlios.de/bmp-plugins/bmp-wma-0.1.1.tar.gz

Extract the files
tar -xvzf bmp-wma-0.1.1.tar.gz

Build and install the plugin

cd bmp-wma-0.1.1

./configure

make

sudo make install

That's it! You can now play WMA with Beep Media Player, keep in mind that it still cannot play WMA files with DRM.

Let me repeat this, BEEP CANNOT PLAY WMA FILES WITH DRM! It will open the file and show the title in the window but it will not play it.


everything worked up to the make command then I got:

dan@ubuntu:~/bmp-wma-0.1.1$ make
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found. Stop.

so they must have left a step out that seemed obvious to them not sure? some of the linux faithful probably know.