[HOWTO] Free Yahoo! Launch Music Videos

[thechitowncubs]

http://a1568.g.akamai.net/7/1568/1600/36c7403d3897c6/launch.yahoo.com/common/resources/skins/us/LAUNCH_hdr_gradient_left.jpg
Requirements:
Mplayer

wget http://www.thechitowncubs.com/linux/install.sh
sudo sh install.sh
Now go to Yahoo! Launch (http://music.yahoo.com/musicvideos/default.asp) and once you find the music video you want, hover over and find the video ID.

You're all set to watch free music videos now! :) :)

[thechitowncubs]

Script updated!

Let me know how you guys like it :)

[SqdnGuns]

Sweeeet..............works like a charm!!

[Quest-Master]

Haha.. I should've come up with something like this. Awesome :D

[angrykeyboarder]

http://a1568.g.akamai.net/7/1568/1600/36c7403d3897c6/launch.yahoo.com/common/resources/skins/us/LAUNCH_hdr_gradient_left.jpg
Requirements:
Mplayer Just Mplayer works? Not Totem? :-(

[thechitowncubs]

Just Mplayer works? Not Totem? :-(
You can try to modify the script to get totem to work, but I haven't had any success.

Script is at: /usr/local/bin/yahoo

[moment]

thanks very much. it's handy.

[luvthepenguin]

Very cool tip... Quick and easy, that's how I like it. Thanks alot Chitown.

[bored2k]

This is probably the only reason why I would install MPlayer. Thanks Chitown.

[Poul]

You can also use a plugin for firefox

[spockrock]

i have tried the firefox plugin doesnt work for me, but this script does thanks chitown......

[angrykeyboarder]

This is probably the only reason why I would install MPlayer. Thanks Chitown.

exactly......

[darknuala]

Script updated!

Let me know how you guys like it :)


Can someone please explain how this works? I cannot get it to do anything, but then again, I'm not sure what the ID is for a song, so I don't know what to put in.

[thechitowncubs]

if you hover over the link for the music video, there will be about a 7 digit number i think ... type that in and you're off ;-)

[darknuala]

if you hover over the link for the music video, there will be about a 7 digit number i think ... type that in and you're off ;-)

thats what i did, then the launch box disappears

[coram deo]

I have followed the instructions from this post yet when I go to yahoo and copy the link for a video into the box and click through the menu, nothing happens. I have mplayer installed, plus the plugin. Am I missing something here? Also, I don't see the info for the video when I hover over the link, so I have just copied the link into the box :?

[thechitowncubs]

to get the video id there will be a number within the link, extract that link into the video id field and your off :)

[berserker]

I got the Yahoo! videos to work with mplayer and mplayerplug-in 2.85 that I compiled myself along with the Play Launch 0.2.2 plugin.

Strange but it works just by clicking on the video link.

[nilegomez]

doesn't seem to be working for me... I had a tough time installing mplayer... could that be it? If I open mplayer, it opens fine. When I open the music video app, it appears to work fine until right after I enter the video number... it asks me a few more questions... the last one is http or mms, I think & then it opens a window & crashes...

help!

[thechitowncubs]

doesn't seem to be working for me... I had a tough time installing mplayer... could that be it? If I open mplayer, it opens fine. When I open the music video app, it appears to work fine until right after I enter the video number... it asks me a few more questions... the last one is http or mms, I think & then it opens a window & crashes...

help!
sounds like you need to specify which video driver mplayer uses, try changing it to xv i think it is

[ykpaiha]

Just some small adds on your post:

VLC work fine with the batch in /usrlocal/bin/yahoo

just open it ; sudo gedit
and change on the last line from mplayer to vlc (totem and xine didn't work for me --very bad sound)
The ease of vlc is that it can easly change the output (Iknow you can as well save a stream with mplayer but not that easy )
By ex:

vlc $file2 $@ --sout file/avi:[file.avi]

on the last line will save the stream encoded in avi as file.avi in your home. (you can change the stout encod with mpg or else...)
By the way why ubuntu does not provide vlc 0.82???

In order to get the proper Number of the file in Yahoo you just to copy - past the link provided into the opened window and then remove the adress, just keep the code..

I don't know if all of this is legal but it is at least usable.

Thanks

[chz]

I got it working with gxine

do the same as above:
sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/yahoo

and edit the line with mplayer to:
gxine $file2 $@

i only got it to work with 128 bit...300 bit won't work for sum reason.
also i havent got totem to work yet, but i like gxine better anyway.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

sounds like you need to specify which video driver mplayer uses, try changing it to xv i think it is

Ahh, I see...
Thanks!

[super]

any chance of writing something similar for aol videos?

[Kevlar]

A question and a contribution:

First the question. How would one edit the file so that it would automatically use 300 and mms as the option on the second and third boxes (that is, I don't even want to see those boxes, I just want the first one asking for the video number).

Second, my contribution. To copy the stream to your home directory, use this for the last line of the script:

mplayer -dumpstream $file2 $@ -dumpfile try1.avi

That will dump the stream as a file named try1.avi. Seems to work nicely. Totem doesn't always play the stream nicely for me, but mplayer works fine. May be an encoding thing. Though it is a direct dump of the stream as it comes from yahoo, so that could explain why others haven't gotten totem to play it correctly.

Also, a second contribution, this one minor. I modified the last line of my script so that the windows is placed on my screen where I want it and will remain on top so I can see the video while still web browsing.

mplayer -ontop -geometry 97%:85% -cache 500 $file2 $@

On my screen, this puts the window near the bottom right corner, just back far enough that I can still use my scroll bar when firefox is full screen. Plus it remains on top of all other apps.

Just want to thank the author of this script. It is amazing what you can do in Linux.

[arnieboy]

First the question. How would one edit the file so that it would automatically use 300 and mms as the option on the second and third boxes (that is, I don't even want to see those boxes, I just want the first one asking for the video number).

sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/yahoo

Replace the contents of the file with the following code:
#!/bin/bash
videoid=$(zenity --title="Yahoo! Launch" --entry --text="Music Video ID")
shift

file1=$(wget "http://launchtoday.launch.yahoo.com/player/medialog.asp?vid=$videoid&cid=1&pid=4&csid=396500550&p1=&p2=&p3=2&bw=300&mf=1&origin=35&pguid=AA388C059C7849D99CCFBC72B6F51E37&uid=42&sk=bad551cd352143eb2da02&z=ms.asx&" -q -O -)

#if [ $(zenity --title="Yahoo! Launch" --entry --text="Protocol (http or mms[default])" --entry-text="mms") == "http" ]; then
#file2=$(wget "$file1" -q -O - | sed 's/mms:http/g')
#else
file2=$(wget "$file1" -q -O -)
#fi

mplayer -cache 1024 $file2 $@

Save and exit. Enjoy!

[arnieboy]

I got the Yahoo! videos to work with mplayer and mplayerplug-in 2.85 that I compiled myself along with the Play Launch 0.2.2 plugin.

Strange but it works just by clicking on the video link.
Tested and confirmed. This works.
For all u out there who want to play launchcast videos in firefox merely by clicking on the video: first make sure u have mplayerplug-in 2.85 installed. If its not there, follow this HOWTO:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=44560
Then go to the following link in firefox
http://www.extensionsmirror.nl/lofiversion/index.php/t3137.html
and click on "install"
After the extension gets installed restart firefox and enjoy the launchcast videos merely by clicking on them.

[johnmc]

Thanks, great script! :)

[thechitowncubs]

sudo gedit /usr/local/bin/yahoo

Replace the contents of the file with the following code:
#!/bin/bash
videoid=$(zenity --title="Yahoo! Launch" --entry --text="Music Video ID")
shift

file1=$(wget "http://launchtoday.launch.yahoo.com/player/medialog.asp?vid=$videoid&cid=1&pid=4&csid=396500550&p1=&p2=&p3=2&bw=300&mf=1&origin=35&pguid=AA388C059C7849D99CCFBC72B6F51E37&uid=42&sk=bad551cd352143eb2da02&z=ms.asx&" -q -O -)

#if [ $(zenity --title="Yahoo! Launch" --entry --text="Protocol (http or mms[default])" --entry-text="mms") == "http" ]; then
#file2=$(wget "$file1" -q -O - | sed 's/mms:http/g')
#else
file2=$(wget "$file1" -q -O -)
#fi

mplayer -cache 1024 $file2 $@

Save and exit. Enjoy!
that works, good job on the contributions guys


long live ubuntu :)

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Ahh, I see...
Thanks!


Still doesn't work, any other ideas?
When MPlayer opens, the only thing that happens is that the window comes up, then it freezes and won't play the video.

[arnieboy]

Still doesn't work, any other ideas?
When MPlayer opens, the only thing that happens is that the window comes up, then it freezes and won't play the video.
Can u paste the contents of etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf ?

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Sure thing, here ya go...

##
## MPlayer config file
##
## This file can be copied to /etc/mplayer.conf and/or ~/.mplayer/config .
## If both exist, the ~/.mplayer/config's settings override the
## /etc/mplayer.conf ones. And, of course command line overrides all.
## The options are the same as in the command line, but they can be specified
## more flexibly here. See below.
##

vo=x11, # To specify default video driver (see -vo help for
# list)

ao=alsa, # To specify default audio driver (see -ao help for
# list)

fs=no # Enlarges movie window to your desktop's size.
# Used by drivers: all

vm=no # Tries to change to a different videomode
# Used by drivers: dga2, x11, sdl

bpp=0 # Force changing display depth.
# Valid settings are: 0, 15, 16, 24, 32
# may need 'vm=yes' too.
# Used by drivers: fbdev, dga2, svga

zoom=no # Enable software scaling (powerful CPU needed)
# Used by drivers: svga, aalib

double=yes # use double-buffering (recommended for xv with
# SUB/OSD usage)

# x=800 # scale movie to <x> pixels width
# y=600 # scale movie to <y> pixels height

osdlevel=1 # don't display OSD at stratup

monitoraspect=4:3 # standard monitor size, with square pixels
# monitoraspect=16:9 # use this for widescreen monitor! non-square pixels

cache = 1024 # Disk cache 1 MB

##
## Specify your preferred default skin here
## (skins are searched in /usr/share/mplayer/Skin/yourskin
## and ~/.mplayer/Skin/yourskin)
##

skin = default


##
## Multiple languages are available :)
##
## Hungarian igen nem
## English yes no
## German ja nein
## Spanish si no
## Binary 1 0
##
## You can also use spaces and/or tabs.
##

#sound = 1
#nosound = nein
#mixer = /dev/mixer

##
## resample the fonts' alphamap
## 0 plain white fonts
## 0.75 very narrow black outline (default)
## 1 narrow black outline
## 10 bold black outline
##

#ffactor = 0.75

##
## FBdev driver:

# fb = /dev/fb0 # framebuffer device to use
# fbmode = 640x480-120 # use this mode (read from fb.modes!)
# fbmodeconfig = /etc/fb.modes # the fb.modes file

## VESA and FBdev driver: specify your monitor's timings
##
## (see for example /etc/X11/XF86Config for timings!)
## ** CAUTION! IF YOUR DISPLAY DOESN'T SUPPORT AUTOMATICALLY TURNING OFF WHEN
## OVERDRIVED (AND EVEN IF IT DOES), THIS MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR DISPLAY!
## WE AREN'T RESPONSIBLE, IT'S YOUR DECISION! **
##
## k, K : means multiply by 1000
## m, M : means multiply by 1.000.000
##
# monitor_hfreq = 31.5k-50k,70k # horizontal frequency range
# monitor_vfreq = 50-90 # vertical frequency range
# monitor_dotclock = 30M-300M # dotclock (or pixelclock) range

##
## SDL driver
##

# vo = sdl:aalib # use SDL video driver by default
# use "vo = sdl:aalib" or "vo sdl:dga" and so on,
# for specifying SDL subdrivers
# ao = sdl:esd # use SDL audio driver by default
# use "ao = sdl:esd" to use SDL's ESD driver
# noxv = no # whether to use XVideo hardware acceleration or not
# forcexv = yes # force XVideo even if not detected

##
## Other (preferred to be default from configfile) switches
##

framedrop=no # drop frames, when not in sync (slow CPU, videocard,
# etc)

#vfm=ffmpeg # use FFmpeg's libavcodec video codec family
# See "mplayer -vfm help" for all available codecs

#bps=yes # use this method for playing AVIs (if have problems,
# try removing this)

# slang= en # DVD : display english subtitles if available
# alang= en # DVD : play english audio tracks if available

## This is the correct way to use "subconfig" type options in the
## configuration file. In the command line you use :
## -aop list=resample:fout=44100 , but here it is :
# aop=list=resample:fout=44100

# From Fedora
# the default mpeg audio decoder is currently broken, let's try libmad
# first:
afm=libmad

# get a default OSD font from fontconfig
#fontconfig = yes
#font = "Sans"
#subfont-text-scale = 3

[arnieboy]

ok try this and it should work.
set "ao=esd"
Its currently set to "alsa"
Mplayer has known issues with the alsa sound driver.
tell me if this works for u or not.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Your the man... That worked like a charm!

[lightseeker]

hi
the mplayer opened and the video run smoothly but no sound

[lightseeker]

don't bother
solve the prob :)

[geearf]

Hello,

i'm sorry but i cannot understand how this works :(

[Kevlar]

Which part are you not understanding? The basics are that once you install the program, you run /usr/local/bin/yahoo. It will pop up a dialog box which asks you for the Music Video ID. Now, if you go to http://launch.yahoo.com and start browsing the music videos. When you find one you want to view, hold your mouse over the link to it. At the bottom of your browser (assuming you use firefox), you will see the link address as javascript:playVideos(21815195). With the exception of the number in parenthesis, the link will always look like that. Now, type the number in parenthesis into the dialog box asking for the Music Video ID. Do not type anything other than the number. Do not type the javascript:playVideos() part. Just the number. If you are on broadband, just accept the defaults on the next two dialog boxes and enjoy your videos.

[geearf]

Hello,

welll the thing is, first I did not get i had to start the script, i tried only within ff :D

Then I tried the script, but it does not start anything, i just get some mplayer error (the same you have if you do not give it enough parameters) and something not found :

/usr/local/bin/yahoo: line 2: zenity: command not found
/usr/local/bin/yahoo: line 5: zenity: command not found
/usr/local/bin/yahoo: line 9: zenity: command not found
/usr/local/bin/yahoo: line 9: [: ==: unary operator expected


Thanks for answering,

edit : i've just tried apt-get install zenity and it works now :D

[rimmer]

Very nice! works straight out of the box. :grin:
thnx

[geearf]

This work trully well thank you :)

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

ok try this and it should work.
set "ao=esd"
Its currently set to "alsa"
Mplayer has known issues with the alsa sound driver.
tell me if this works for u or not.


A wierd thing happened last night when I went to Apple.com to view new movie trailers.
This used to work fine, but last night when the Trailers page comes up, it tries to spawn MPlayer, and a bunch of little windows appear, then disappear, then Mozilla shuts down?

Does this sound like it could be an issue with me changing ao=esd ?

[arnieboy]

A wierd thing happened last night when I went to Apple.com to view new movie trailers.
This used to work fine, but last night when the Trailers page comes up, it tries to spawn MPlayer, and a bunch of little windows appear, then disappear, then Mozilla shuts down?

Does this sound like it could be an issue with me changing ao=esd ?
I have not been on my linux box for the past few days (as I am traveling) but from memory u can solve this problem by setting ao=esd in /etc/mplayerplug-in.conf. I am not too sure of the location of this conf file. u might wanna search for it in case u dont find it in /etc.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

I think I was misunderstood, Yahoo videos works fine when I cahnge ao=esd, but when I go to Apple.com movie trailers, I get the little windows popping up and disappearing.

[arnieboy]

I think I was misunderstood, Yahoo videos works fine when I cahnge ao=esd, but when I go to Apple.com movie trailers, I get the little windows popping up and disappearing.
u have not been misunderstood at all. u run yahoo videos with the help of mplayer while the videos on www.apple.com/trailers run with the help of a firefox plugin called mplayerplug-in which helps launch mplayer. I was referring to the conf file of this plugin (not the player itself). My guess is that mplayer is crashing on apple.com trailers because of the conflict between the mplayerplug-in.conf and mplayer.conf files. u need to change to ao=esd in "mplayerplug-in.conf". if u havent installed mplayerplug-in and some other plugin is trying to launch the media files on webpages u shd install mplayerplug-in 2.85 pronto (because its the best). search for the howto on the same forum.

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

gotcha, I'll try it tonight.
thanks!

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

My mplayerplug-in.conf:

#debug=0
#logfile=$HOME/mpp.log
vo=xv,x11
ao=esd,oss,arts
#download=1
#dload-dir=$HOME/tmp
#keep-download=0
#noembed=0
cachesize=1024
#use-mimetypes=0
#enable-real=0
#enable-wm=1
#enable-qt=1
#enable-mpeg=1
#enable-ogg=1
#enable-smil=1
#qt-speed=med
#rtsp-use-tcp=0
#nomediacache=0
#framedrop=0
#autosync=0
#mc=1
#black-background=0
#user-agent=NSPlayer

[Mr. Electric Wizard]

Ok, this is really wierd.
The trailers page will come up fine and all is good, trailers play using mplayerplug-in fine. (www.apple.com/trailers)
but for some reason www.apple.com/quicktime freaks out on me?
Very strange, the /quicktime page does not even have any videos playing on it?

[arnieboy]

Ok, this is really wierd.
The trailers page will come up fine and all is good, trailers play using mplayerplug-in fine. (www.apple.com/trailers)
but for some reason www.apple.com/quicktime freaks out on me?
Very strange, the /quicktime page does not even have any videos playing on it?
The reason why its freaking out is because www.apple.com/quicktime needs quicktime 6.5 installed which currently is only available for windows. mplayer can handle quicktime media files but not all formats (some of them graphical).. hence this problem I think.. I havent used my ubuntu box in a week but shd be able to report back to u on sunday with some possible solution if i face the same problem when i get back home.

[wh0rd]

i really missed watching launch vidoes.

arnieboy & thechitowncubs thanks a lot guys.

[thechitowncubs]

i really missed watching launch vidoes.

arnieboy & thechitowncubs thanks a lot guys.
glad i could help

[arnieboy]

i really missed watching launch vidoes.

arnieboy & thechitowncubs thanks a lot guys.
enjoy!
-arnieboy

[WebbyBabe]

Tested and confirmed. This works.
For all u out there who want to play launchcast videos in firefox merely by clicking on the video: first make sure u have mplayerplug-in 2.85 installed. If its not there, follow this HOWTO:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=44560
Then go to the following link in firefox
http://www.extensionsmirror.nl/lofiversion/index.php/t3137.html
and click on "install"
After the extension gets installed restart firefox and enjoy the launchcast videos merely by clicking on them.

Thanks! :grin:

[berserker]

I got the Yahoo! videos to work with mplayer and mplayerplug-in 3.11 that I compiled myself along with the Play Launch 0.2.4 plugin.

The Play Launch 0.2.4 plugin no longer works.

Go to http://gc-group.dk/play-launch/ to install 0.2.5.

[arnieboy]

The Play Launch 0.2.4 plugin no longer works.

Go to http://gc-group.dk/play-launch/ to install 0.2.5.
gee thanks dude. the updated ext works like charm :)

[sunshine82]

it DIDNOT work for me i did exactly how u said. it still give the error:


To use this application with Netscape, you must use a 4.7x or 7.1 version. Download now.

Please use the following error code when writing to Yahoo! Help. (Error Code: 12)

[sunshine82]

sORRY My mistake it does work it end up in sounds tab i did not realize that where i had to go use it.


sorry it cool..:cool: :KS

[arnieboy]

sORRY My mistake it does work it end up in sounds tab i did not realize that where i had to go use it.


sorry it cool..:cool: :KS
peace :)

[sunshine82]

sORRY My mistake it does work it end up in sounds tab i did not realize that where i had to go use it.


sorry it cool..:cool: :KS

[christooss]

Hm where can I find Movie ID

[christooss]

Never mind my question I completly read this forum and I saw that I have to install Play-launch

Thank you guys

[minh]

hi,
i've tried your command, but there's an error
05 MPlayer Team
CPU: Advanced Micro Devices Athlon MP/XP/XP-M Barton (Family: 6, Stepping: 0)
Detected cache-line size is 64 bytes
CPUflags: MMX: 1 MMX2: 1 3DNow: 1 3DNow2: 1 SSE: 1 SSE2: 0
Compiled for Debian.


86 audio & 200 video codecs
Linux RTC init error in ioctl (rtc_irqp_set 1024): Permission denied
Try adding "echo 1024 > /proc/sys/dev/rtc/max-user-freq" to your system startup scripts.
Opening joystick device /dev/input/js0
Can't open joystick device /dev/input/js0 : No such file or directory
Can't init input joystick
Setting up LIRC support...
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support.
You will not be able to use your remote control.
choosen bandwidth 300, mms protocol

[moe2da]

I'm not sure if you guys know about this, but you can add this plug-in to firefox and view most of the videos from Launch. I just tried it. Let me know if you had any luck.

http://gc-group.dk/play-launch/

[jchaparr]

OK. I've been using the super cool program by chitown up until today. Then it just didn't work. Looks kinda like yahoo changed their structure for getting the videos or something. I don't really know. Should I change something in the program or try to move to the pluggins people keep mentioning?

[bmk789]

What repository do I need for getting mplayer? It's not in my list.

[christooss]

multiverse

[berserker]

Play Launch (http://gc-group.dk/play-launch/) no longer works as the maintainer is tired of keeping up with Yahoo's changes.

Go here (http://www.pooyak.com/p/pklaunch/) for an alternate method.

[rykel]

hi, mine isn't working... it installed OK, then it asked me for music ID. i gave it the ID, then it asked me for default speed (300) and type (mms). after i said Yes to both options, the program simply disappears. no mplayer, no nothing.

please advise?

[manicka]

I get this error message. I'm using a cvs version of mplayer

This codecs.conf is too old and incompatible with this MPlayer release! at line 6

[vladuz976]

i get an error message saying that i at least need netscape 7.1 for this to work

[Pinoy915]

How do I uninstall this? I'm on xubuntu and menu editing is a bit tricky.

[Pinoy915]

Nevermind, I just figured it out. Disregard the question I posted.

[super]

i am wondering if anyone has figured out a way to steam the videos to file rather than playing them using the greasemonkey pklaunch script

[venky80]

how do u uninstall this script

[guitara]

to "uninstall" type this at console

sudo rm /user/bin/yahoo

[H.E. Pennypacker]

The Greasemonkey script works well, at least for me. Use these instructions to get Launch.com to work:

Why do all this when you can follow the following instructions:

1. Install Greasemonkey.
2. Install http://www.pooyak.com/p/pklaunch/pklaunch-0.8.1.user.js. Just click on the link, and Greasemonkey will know what to do, and will ask you if you want to install it. Install it.
3. Go to Launch.com, and watch any video.

I am telling Yahoo to play nice or people will look for alternatives. They should be flattered we're using their website.

Thanks go to this website:

http://buhsnarf.net/wordpress/2006/01/06/howto-play-launchcom-music-videos-in-firefox/

Note these instructions may only work for certain version of Firefox. Try anyway.

[iseebluuue]

i have greasemonkey installed and pklaunch installed as well. however, when i go to view a video on yahoo! the new window pops up ready to load the video (which is further than i was getting before i installed pklaunch) but then firefox says i'm missing a plugin, but it can't determine what the missing plugin is. i can view other wmvs just fine, so that's not what's missing. any ideas what the missing plugin might be?