[all variants] Comprehensive Multimedia & Video Howto

[ubuntu-freak]

REVISED ON TUESDAY 26TH MAY, 2009


TRANSLATIONS


Russian: Parts 1-2, 3-4 & Part 5 -- by Leech333

Spanish: Parts 1-5 -- by Kabezon

SECTIONS


--PART 1/5, ESSENTIAL PACKAGES--
--PART 2/5, AUDIO & VIDEO STREAMING--
--PART 3/5, AUDIO & VIDEO CONVERSION--
--PART 4/5, DVD PLAYBACK/RIPPING/BURNING--
--PART 5/5, MISCELLANEOUS & TROUBLESHOOTING--

INTRODUCTION

Reason for Howto: This howto, guide, tutorial, or whatever you wish to call it, was written to help those who struggle to, and/or become frustrated while trying to get streaming media, Java, DVD playback (and so on) to work properly, and those who are having general multimedia and video issues. Please keep in mind, however, that Ubuntu has a helpful feature, where if you click on a certain file, or try to view Flash videos, a dialog should pop-up and ask if you want to install proprietary packages that are neccessary to play those formats. This howto is for users who are still having issues, or simply want as many different formats working as possible with just a few commands.

Please Note: Part 1 of this howto will be sufficient for some of you, so have a check after completing that section to see if you need more of my non-default recommenations. Also, you may notice a reaccurance of certain packages in different parts of this howto (Audio & Video Conversion for example), but don't worry, this is just to make certain that you have the necessary packages installed to enable whichever feature you're looking to have available to you on your system. Anything you already have installed will be skipped, it will not cause any problems.

Desktop Effects: Not related to multimedia and video, but I've noticed quite a few newbies have been watching YouTube videos, and are curious about how to enable the 3D rotating desktop cube feature, and other such effects. Here is a guide to help you get the most out of it.

--PART 1/5, ESSENTIAL PACKAGES--

PREPARATION

IMPORTANT: If you haven't already, you need to enable the Medibuntu repository. The first command below is compatible with any version of Ubuntu, but the manual instructions are aimed at Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope users, so if you are using a different version of Ubuntu, you will have to edit the sources accordingly. If you do have to edit the sources, you can do so by changing the word "jaunty" to whatever version of Ubuntu you are running.

Quick Method: Open the terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal or KMenu > System > Terminal Program (Konsole) in Kubuntu and Applications > System > Terminal in Xubuntu) and paste the following command into it:

sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/`lsb_release -cs`.list --output-document=/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list; sudo apt-get -q update; sudo apt-get --yes -q --allow-unauthenticated install medibuntu-keyring; sudo apt-get -q update

Manual Method: If the above method didn't work, and you received an error, you will have to add the repository manually, which is actually quite easy. First of all, open the sources file with your default or favourite text editor (replace "gedit" with "kwrite" in Kubuntu and "mousepad" in Xubuntu):

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add the following two lines to the bottom of the list, remembering to change the Ubuntu version accordingly:

deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ jaunty free non-free
deb-src http://packages.medibuntu.org/ jaunty free non-free

Finally, close and save the sources file and install the Medibuntu key by copying and pasting the following command into the terminal:

wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

Ubuntu Users: It's also a good idea to make sure the Multiverse and Universe repositories are enabled, although they should be enabled by default in the latest versions of Ubuntu. To make sure they are, or to choose a local server for downloads, navigate to "System > Administration > Software Sources" and tick whichever sources you wish to use, perhaps including unofficial updates (backports) in the "Updates" tab, as that will enable you to receive newer versions of some applications. While you're there, you can also untick the CD/DVD-ROM source and choose a local server (both now default in current releases) instead of using the main server. There are two good reasons for this - first of all, you will be giving the main server a break because you're using a local mirror, and secondly, it will improve download speeds when updating the system, or when installing software and packages.

Kubuntu Users: To enable Multiverse and Universe in Kubuntu, navigate to "KMenu > System > Adept" and launch it. On the menu of that application, navigate to "Adept > Manage Repositories" and enable the Multiverse and Universe repositories in the first tab. You might also want to enable unsupported (backports of newer software) updates in the "Updates" tab, disable the CD/DVD-ROM source, and choose a local server for all system-related downloads.

Xubuntu Users: Navigate to "Applications > System > Software Properties" and make sure the Multiverse and Universe repositories are enabled by ticking the relevant boxes. As with Ubuntu and Kubuntu, you may want to enable unsupported (backports of newer software) updates for your system, disable the CD/DVD-ROM source, and choose a local server for all your system-related downloads.

INSTALLATION


UBUNTU FAMILY 8.10 AND HIGHER USERS ONLY

A quick and easy way to install most of the packages you need (Flash, Java, codecs for playing/ripping/converting music and video etc) is to use the command line. If you would rather use a graphical application with descriptions of packages, you can either use Add/Remove, Synaptic in Ubuntu and Xubuntu ("System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager" in Ubuntu and "Applications > System > Synaptic Package Manager" in Xubuntu), and Adept in Kubuntu ("KMenu > System > Adept"). For the sake of speed, I suggest using the terminal for most of this howto. Open up the terminal, then copy and paste the relevant command for your particular Ubuntu variant and architecture into it:

Note: Those of you installing Sun Java will be asked to accept an end-user license agreement (EULA) before the installation of the Sun Java packages begins. Press the tab key on your keyboard (above the caps lock key), followed by the enter key to accept the EULA and complete the installation.

32-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse gstreamer0.10-pitfdll libmp3lame0 non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Kubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree libk3b2-extracodecs libmp3lame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse gstreamer0.10-pitfdll libmp3lame0 non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

64-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea6-plugin libmp3lame0 non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

64-Bit Kubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea6-plugin libk3b2-extracodecs libmp3lame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

64-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea6-plugin libmp3lame0 non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

Note: Please refer to the errors section below if you're having installation problems with the packages above, or the troubleshooting section at the end of this howto if it's a performance-related problem that you're experiencing.

DID YOU HAVE ERRORS?

Note: You may have to perform "sudo apt-get update" twice after recovering from any of the errors below.

COMMON ERRORS

If you had errors while trying to do the above, one of these following commands may help. Did the terminal tell you to run "dpkg --configure -a"? All you have to do is add "sudo" to the front of that command, like so:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

or if it was the install -f command:

sudo apt-get install -f

Then make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

NON-EXISTANT PACKAGES

Do you keep getting messages that certain packages don't exist and can't be installed? First of all, make sure you have enabled the Medibuntu, Universe and Multiverse repositories. If you're certain that you have the necessary repositories enabled, then you may have a currupt apt list due to an interrupted "apt-get update", which would then make the package manager think certain packages don't exist on the server. Execute both of these commands in the terminal:

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/*

sudo apt-get update

NEWLINE ERROR/PACKAGE ERROR

An error which can prevent ANY system update/upgrade or package installation is the troublesome "final newline error", but there are also other errors and curruptions which can prevent upgrades and installations. If you notice the same package or application being mentioned when you're trying to upgrade or install something completely unrelated to it, take a note of which package the error is referring to, copy and paste the command below into the terminal, replace the "filename*" example with the name of the package that's giving you grief, then execute the edited command to remove the currupt file(s):

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/info/filename*

sudo apt-get update

This doesn't mean the package has been removed, just the pre/post-install scripts, md5sums, and file lists related to it. You should reinstall the package - even if you plan to remove it, as those deleted and currupted files related to it will be replaced with non-currupted ones.

FORBIDDEN 403 ERROR

Those of you receiving the "Forbidden 403" error should change your sources from "http" to "ftp". You can change it by opening the sources file with your default or favourite text editor (substitute "gedit" for "kwrite" in Kubuntu and "mousepad" in Xubuntu) from within the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Change all instances of "http" to "ftp", then close and save the changes made. You should now be able to update the list of available packages:

sudo apt-get update

Once your errors are fixed, try repeating the command to install the restricted packages for your particular Ubuntu variant.

...INSTALLATION CONTINUED


UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04 HARDY HERON USERS ONLY

A quick and easy way to install most of the packages you need (Flash, Java, codecs for playing/ripping/converting music and video etc) is to use the command line. If you would rather use a graphical application with descriptions of packages, you can either use Add/Remove, Synaptic in Ubuntu and Xubuntu ("System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager" in Ubuntu and "Applications > System > Synaptic Package Manager" in Xubuntu), and Adept in Kubuntu ("KMenu > System > Adept"). For the sake of speed, I suggest using the terminal for most of this howto. Open up the terminal, then copy and paste the relevant command for your particular Ubuntu variant and architecture into it:

Note: Those of you installing Sun Java will be asked to accept an end-user license agreement (EULA) before the installation of the Sun Java packages begins. Press the tab key on your keyboard (above the caps lock key), followed by the enter key to accept the EULA and complete the installation.

32-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common icedtea-gcjwebplugin libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash openjdk-6-jre openjdk-6-jre-headless openjdk-6-jre-lib swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse gstreamer0.10-pitfdll liblame0 non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Kubunu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common icedtea-gcjwebplugin libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash openjdk-6-jre openjdk-6-jre-headless openjdk-6-jre-lib swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree libk3b2-extracodecs liblame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common icedtea-gcjwebplugin libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash openjdk-6-jre openjdk-6-jre-headless openjdk-6-jre-lib swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree liblame0 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

64-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-gcjwebplugin liblame0 non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

64-Bit Kubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-gcjwebplugin libk3b2-extracodecs liblame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

64-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-gcjwebplugin liblame0 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs openjdk-6-jre unrar

Note: Please refer to the errors section below if you're having installation problems with the packages above, or the troubleshooting section at the end of this howto if it's a performance-related problem that you're experiencing.

DID YOU HAVE ERRORS?

Note: You may have to perform "sudo apt-get update" twice after recovering from any of the errors below.

COMMON ERRORS

If you had errors while trying to do the above, one of these following commands may help. Did the terminal tell you to run "dpkg --configure -a"? All you have to do is add "sudo" to the front of that command, like so:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

or if it was the install -f command:

sudo apt-get install -f

Then make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

NON-EXISTANT PACKAGES

Do you keep getting messages that certain packages don't exist and can't be installed? First of all, make sure you have enabled the Medibuntu, Universe and Multiverse repositories. If you're certain that you have the necessary repositories enabled, then you may have a currupt apt list due to an interrupted "apt-get update", which would then make the package manager think certain packages don't exist on the server. Execute both of these commands in the terminal:

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/*

sudo apt-get update

NEWLINE ERROR/PACKAGE ERROR

An error which can prevent ANY system update/upgrade or package installation is the troublesome "final newline error", but there are also other errors and curruptions which can prevent upgrades and installations. If you notice the same package or application being mentioned when you're trying to upgrade or install something completely unrelated to it, take a note of which package the error is referring to, copy and paste the command below into the terminal, replace the "filename*" example with the name of the package that's giving you grief, then execute the edited command to remove the currupt file(s):

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/info/filename*

sudo apt-get update

This doesn't mean the package has been removed, just the pre/post-install scripts, md5sums, and file lists related to it. You should reinstall the package - even if you plan to remove it, as those deleted and currupted files related to it will be replaced with non-currupted ones.

FORBIDDEN 403 ERROR

Those of you receiving the "Forbidden 403" error should change your sources from "http" to "ftp". You can change it by opening the sources file with your default or favourite text editor (substitute "gedit" for "kwrite" in Kubuntu and "mousepad" in Xubuntu) from within the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Change all instances of "http" to "ftp", then close and save the changes made. You should now be able to update the list of available packages:

sudo apt-get update

Once your errors are fixed, try repeating the command to install the restricted packages for your particular Ubuntu variant.

...INSTALLATION CONTINUED


PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04 HARDY HERON USERS ONLY

A quick and easy way to install most of the packages you need (Flash, Java, codecs for playing/ripping/converting music and video etc) is to use the command line. If you would rather use a graphical application with descriptions of packages, you can either use Add/Remove, Synaptic in Ubuntu and Xubuntu ("System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager" in Ubuntu and "Applications > System > Synaptic Package Manager" in Xubuntu), and Adept in Kubuntu ("KMenu > System > Adept"). For the sake of speed, I suggest using the terminal for most of this howto. Open up the terminal, then copy and paste the relevant command for your particular Ubuntu variant and architecture into it:

Note: Those of you installing Sun Java will be asked to accept an end-user license agreement (EULA) before the installation of the Sun Java packages begins. Press the tab key on your keyboard (above the caps lock key), followed by the enter key to accept the EULA and complete the installation.

32-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse gstreamer0.10-pitfdll liblame0 non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Kubunu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree libk3b2-mp3 liblame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

32-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree liblame0 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unrar

64-Bit Ubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree faad gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-java7-jre icedtea-java7-plugin liblame0 non-free-codecs unrar

64-Bit Kubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-java7-jre icedtea-java7-plugin libk3b2-mp3 liblame0 libtunepimp5-mp3 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs unrar

64-Bit Xubuntu Users:

sudo apt-get remove gnash gnash-common libflash-mozplugin libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install alsa-oss faac faad flashplugin-nonfree ia32-libs ia32-sun-java6-bin icedtea-java7-jre icedtea-java7-plugin liblame0 libxine1-ffmpeg non-free-codecs unrar

Note: Please refer to the errors section below if you're having installation problems with the packages above, or the troubleshooting section at the end of this howto if it's a performance-related problem that you're experiencing.

DID YOU HAVE ERRORS?

Note: You may have to perform "sudo apt-get update" twice after recovering from any of the errors below.

COMMON ERRORS

If you had errors while trying to do the above, one of these following commands may help. Did the terminal tell you to run "dpkg --configure -a"? All you have to do is add "sudo" to the front of that command, like so:

sudo dpkg --configure -a

or if it was the install -f command:

sudo apt-get install -f

Then make sure your system is up to date:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade && sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

NON-EXISTANT PACKAGES

Do you keep getting messages that certain packages don't exist and can't be installed? First of all, make sure you have enabled the Medibuntu, Universe and Multiverse repositories. If you're certain that you have the necessary repositories enabled, then you may have a currupt apt list due to an interrupted "apt-get update", which would then make the package manager think certain packages don't exist on the server. Execute both of these commands in the terminal:

sudo rm /var/lib/apt/lists/partial/*

sudo apt-get update

NEWLINE ERROR/PACKAGE ERROR

An error which can prevent ANY system update/upgrade or package installation is the troublesome "final newline error", but there are also other errors and curruptions which can prevent upgrades and installations. If you notice the same package or application being mentioned when you're trying to upgrade or install something completely unrelated to it, take a note of which package the error is referring to, copy and paste the command below into the terminal, replace the "filename*" example with the name of the package that's giving you grief, then execute the edited command to remove the currupt file(s):

sudo rm /var/lib/dpkg/info/filename*

sudo apt-get update

This doesn't mean the package has been removed, just the pre/post-install scripts, md5sums, and file lists related to it. You should reinstall the package - even if you plan to remove it, as those deleted and currupted files related to it will be replaced with non-currupted ones.

FORBIDDEN 403 ERROR

Those of you receiving the "Forbidden 403" error should change your sources from "http" to "ftp". You can change it by opening the sources file with the default text editor (substitute "gedit" for "kwrite" in Kubuntu and "mousepad" in Xubuntu) from within the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Change all instances of "http" to "ftp", then close and save the changes made. You should now be able to update the list of available packages:

sudo apt-get update

Once your errors are fixed, try repeating the command to install the restricted packages for your particular Ubuntu variant.

--PART 2/5, AUDIO & VIDEO STREAMING--

OPTION 1, GECKO MEDIA PLAYER

Gecko Media Player is similar to mplayerplug-in, as it uses GNOME MPlayer to play virtually all formats, but works well without the need of adding any configuration options. Installation and setup is simple, just copy and paste the following commands into the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove kaffeine-mozilla mozilla-helix-player mozilla-mplayer mozilla-plugin-vlc totem-mozilla xine-plugin

sudo apt-get install gnome-mplayer gecko-mediaplayer

or if you're running Kubuntu, you might want the KDE front-end for MPlayer/Xine:

sudo apt-get install kmplayer gecko-mediaplayer

Restart your web browser and test the plug-in here. If you have problems viewing the trailers, please refer to the troubleshooting section.

Note: Please REBOOT if you are not carrying on with the rest of the howto, as you have made lot's of changes to your system and could have some strange problems until you start a fresh session. If you still have problems after rebooting, please read the troubleshooting section at the bottom.

OPTION 2, MPLAYERPLUG-IN

This plug-in will stream virtually all media formats, both audio and video, and is the best solution for older versions of Ubuntu. First of all, copy and paste the following commands into the terminal:

sudo apt-get remove kaffeine-mozilla mozilla-helix-player mozilla-plugin-vlc totem-mozilla xine-plugin

sudo apt-get install mplayer mozilla-mplayer

or if you're running Kubuntu, you might want the KDE front-end for MPlayer/Xine:

sudo apt-get install kmplayer mozilla-mplayer

Please Note: New users of Ubuntu or MPlayer should open the main MPlayer application after installing it for the first time, this will then cause it to create it's default folder in your home directory. Also, please navigate to "Preferences > Audio" in MPlayer, and make sure the "Enable Software Mixer" option is ticked.

Next, copy and paste either of these commands into the terminal:

gedit $HOME/.mplayer/mplayerplug-in.conf

or if you have multiple users and want them all to use this method for streaming:

gksudo gedit /etc/mplayerplug-in.conf

If you chose to edit the "/etc/" file, please remove the settings already present, and make sure that the "$HOME" version is blank or deleted in all user accounts. Now you need to paste the following settings into the configuraton file:

download=1
cachesize=1024
cache-percent=25
keep-download=0
dload-dir=$HOME
noembed=0
autoplay=1
enable-wmp=1
enable-qt=1
enable-rm=1
enable-gmp=1
enable-dvx=1
enable-mpeg=1
enable-mp3=1
enable-midi=0
enable-pls=1
enable-ogg=1
enable-smil=1
enable-helix=1
nomediacache=0
nopauseonhide=1
black-background=1
rtsp-use-http=0
rtsp-use-tcp=0

Close and save the file, then restart your web browser.

Note: Firefox 2x users may need to execute the following command in the terminal:

rm $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat

Restart Firefox. The above file has been deleted and recreated with the updated plug-in information. If the command didn't work for you, navigate to "Places > Home > View" and tick the "Show Hidden Files" option. Finally, navigate to "/.mozilla/firefox" in your home directory, then look for and delete the file named "pluginreg.dat". Restart Firefox.

Please REBOOT if you are not carrying on with the rest of the howto, as you have made lot's of changes to your system and could have some strange problems until you start a fresh session. If you still have problems after rebooting, please read the troubleshooting section at the bottom.

--PART 3/5, AUDIO & VIDEO CONVERSION--

AUDIO CONVERSION

It is not recommended to convert one group of compressed music files of a certain format to another type of compressed format. However, if you wish to do so, you can accomplish most tasks with Sound Converter, OggConvert or Sound Konverter. Some GNOME users prefer Sound Konverter, despite the fact it is a KDE application, due to it historically having better support for AAC audio, such as iTunes music files. Lastly, I've added the audio editing application Audacity to both install commands, as you may need it for some tasks, plus it's a useful application to have installed.

Ubuntu/Xubuntu users who wish to install Sound Converter to see if it suits their needs should execute the following command:

sudo apt-get install soundconverter audacity oggconvert

Those of you running Kubuntu, or Ubuntu/Xubuntu users who simply prefer Sound Konverter should execute this command instead:

sudo apt-get install soundkonverter aacplusenc audacity alac-decoder cdparanoia ffmpeg flac lame vorbis-tools

If you want to try and convert a large number of iTunes m4a files, and keep as much tag information as possible, please refer to this page.

Tag editing can be done in various music applications, but if you want to try a dedicated tag editor, install Ex Falso:

sudo apt-get install exfalso

You may also want to try EasyTag:

sudo apt-get install easytag easytag-aac

Kubuntu users might want to install KID3 instead:

sudo apt-get install kid3

VIDEO CONVERSION


UBUNTU FAMILY 9.04+ USERS ONLY

To make converting, editing and extracting audio from videos easy, install the following packages:

sudo apt-get install avidemux ffmpeg winff

WinFF is probably the most user-friendly tool for converting videos and extracting audio from videos in Ubuntu. Avidemux is a popular and useful video editing application, which makes it quite simple to cut and crop videos to your liking - and much more.

Tip: When creating a video for a mobile phone in WinFF, you may need to change the file extension from ".3g2" to ".3gp" when the video is complete. To increase the audio quality of the video, click on "Options" within WinFF, and in the option labelled "Audio Bitrate", type "96000" (default is 64000, which is 64kbps). However, your phone may not play it properly with the audio at 96kbps, depends really. Test it yourself.

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 9.04 USERS ONLY

For video conversion and editing capabilities, you will first need to add a new repository to your software sources, as it will enable you to install the very useful WinFF, which is a GUI front-end for the command-line video conversion tool, FFmpeg. The command I want you to copy and paste for adding the actual repository is intended for Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex, so if you're using a different version of Ubuntu, you will need to edit the "intrepid" part accordingly, then move the cursor back to where it was before executing the edited command.

Copy and paste the following command into the terminal to add the new WinFF repository:

echo "deb http://winff.org/ubuntu intrepid universe" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/winff.list

This second command will merely install something called a GPG Key, so will not need editing by anyone:

wget --quiet --output-document=- "http://winff.org/ubuntu/AAFE086A.gpg" | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

Finally, execute the command below to install the applications needed for video conversion and editing:

sudo apt-get install avidemux ffmpeg winff

WinFF is probably the most user-friendly tool for converting videos and extracting audio from videos in Ubuntu. Avidemux is a popular and useful video editing application, which makes it quite simple to cut and crop videos to your liking, and much more.

Tip: When creating a video for a mobile phone in WinFF, you may need to change the file extension from ".3g2" to ".3gp" when the video is complete. To increase the audio quality of the video, click on "Options" within WinFF, and in the option labelled "Audio Bitrate", type "96000" (default is 64000, which is 64kbps). However, your phone may not play it properly with the audio at 96kbps, depends really. Test it yourself.

--PART 4/5, DVD PLAYBACK/RIPPING/BURNING--

DVD PLAYBACK

UBUNTU FAMILY 9.04+ USERS ONLY

Note: I recommend disabling the CD/DVD-ROM source before completing this section, as you will receive numerous prompts if you need to run the "install-css.sh" command. If you're not sure whether it's disabled or not, take a look at the preparation instructions in Part 1.

For the best DVD playback in Ubuntu, including menu support, install the following packages:

sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 libdvdread4 libdvdnav4 vlc

You can also use the Xine engine in Ubuntu (the default engine in Kubuntu) for video/DVD playback. This can be done without having to change the back-end of Totem - just install an alternative GNOME front-end for Xine called Gxine (this is optional, VLC will do just fine):

sudo apt-get install gxine libxine1-ffmpeg

Now you can test a DVD with VLC, Kaffeine, Gxine or whatever your favourite media player is. Enable deinterlacing ("VLC > Video > Deinterlacing > Blend") if playback is choppy or if you notice artifacts.

Note: Those of you still having DVD playback issues after installing the above packages should try the solutions in the troubleshooting section, which you can find at the end of this howto.

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 9.04 USERS ONLY

Note: I recommend disabling the CD/DVD-ROM source before completing this section, as you will receive numerous prompts if you need to run the "install-css.sh" command. If you're not sure whether it's disabled or not, take a look at the preparation instructions in Part 1.

For the best DVD playback in Ubuntu, including menu support, install the following packages:

sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 libdvdread3 libdvdnav4 vlc

You can also use the Xine engine in Ubuntu (the default engine in Kubuntu) for video/DVD playback. This can be done without having to change the back-end of Totem - just install an alternative GNOME front-end for Xine called Gxine (this is optional, VLC will do just fine):

sudo apt-get install gxine libxine1-ffmpeg

Now you can test a DVD with VLC, Kaffeine, Gxine or whatever your favourite media player is. Enable deinterlacing ("VLC > Video > Deinterlacing > Blend") if playback is choppy or if you notice artifacts.

Note: Those of you still having DVD playback issues after installing the above packages should try the solutions in the troubleshooting section, which you can find at the end of this howto.

DEFAULT DVD PLAYER


UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04+ USERS ONLY

To change the default DVD player to VLC (not Kubuntu, possible issues with Xubuntu), copy and paste this command into the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/gnome/defaults.list

Press Ctrl+f and search for "x-content/video", then change the "totem.desktop" entries to "vlc.desktop". Close and save. Next, navigate to "Places > Computer > Edit > Preferences > Media > DVD Video", and make sure VLC is selected, then test whether automatic launch and playback with VLC works for you by inserting a DVD. If playback doesn't work properly, navigate to "Video > Deinterlace" within VLC and select mode "Blend". If that still doesn't solve your issue, or you just want more features enabled upon launch (such as fullscreen upon launch), follow the intructions in the next paragraph.

Right-click on "Applications" in the top panel and select "Edit Menus" to open the default menu editor. Navigate down to "Sound & Video" in the left pane and click on it to show all those applications in the pane to the right. Scroll down the list of applications displayed until you see "VLC media player", right-click on it, then click on "Properties" in the context menu to open "Launcher Properties", and change the launch command from "wxvlc %F" to:

vlc --volume 512 %m

or to have DVD playback automatically launch in fullscreen:

vlc --volume 512 --fullscreen %m

Close the VLC properties dialog and exit the menu editor.

Note: Remember to enable deinterlacing in "VLC > Video > Deinterlace" if you see any artifacts during playback, or if playback doesn't work correctly (the same is true with some AVI files also). To exit and enter fullscreen in VLC, just press the "f" key.

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04 USERS ONLY

To set VLC as your default DVD player in a pre-Hardy Heron (not Kubuntu) system, navigate to "System > Preferences > Removable Drives and Media > Multimedia" ("Applications > Settings > Settings Manager > Removable Drives and Media" in Xubuntu) and replace the existing “Video DVD Discs” command ("totem %m" by default in Ubuntu) with:

vlc --volume 512 %m

or to have DVD playback automatically launch in fullscreen:

vlc --volume 512 --fullscreen %m

You can now close the window as the process is now complete.

Note: Remember to enable deinterlacing in "VLC > Video > Deinterlace" if you see any artifacts during playback, or if playback doesn't work correctly (the same is true with some AVI files also). To exit and enter fullscreen in VLC, just press the "f" key.

DVD RIPPING

You can rip a standard disc image by right-clicking on the disc icon and then selecting the "Write to Disk" option in the context menu. Alternatively, you can open it with your file browser and drag the ISO image to your desktop. For more advanced options, give dvd::rip a try:

sudo apt-get install dvdrip

Kubuntu users might be interested in this application instead:

sudo apt-get install k9copy

Note: Please refer to the troubleshooting section if you are having trouble ripping and backing up foreign and/or commercial DVDs.

DVD BURNING

Basic burning of DVDs can be accomplished by right-clicking on an ISO image and then selecting the "Write to Disc" option in the context menu. If you want to author and burn DVDs for use in standard DVD players, then your best bet is to install Tovid, DeVeDe, and Avidemux. Tovid is an all-in-one video authoring suite with a GUI in early devolopement, DeVeDe is another popular DVD authoring application, and Avidemux is a very useful video editing application. Experiment with both video authoring applications to see which suits your needs the most:

sudo apt-get install avidemux devede todiscgui tovidgui

Those of you still using Gutsy should go to the Tovid Wiki, download the deb file, then just double or single-click to install, or use the right-click context menu. Type your password when prompted. Also, read this guide on using the Tovid GUI and another guide on the basics of using Tovid.

--PART 5/5, MISCELLANEOUS & TROUBLESHOOTING--


VARIOUS TIPS & TRICKS

FIREFOX ADD-ONS

There are an incredible amount of Firefox add-ons, including themes, but I'm not going to be recommending themes. I will, however, recommend two Firefox extensions that are a favourite of mine and that I think you will appreciate.

The first and especially useful one is NoScript. This extension will block all website scripts by default, which means no Flash adverts, annoying pop-ups, or content floating around on the page making it difficult to read something. NoScript lets you decide yourself which sites are allowed to run scripts, either temporarily or permanently. However, I find the default behaviour too strict, so I recommend you go into NoScript's options and tick the box entitled "Temporarily allow top-level sites by default", then select one of the three options to define the rule.

Another useful extension is ReloadEvery. This simple, but useful extension allows you to have pages automatically reloaded every few seconds, minutes, or you can set a custom time period between reloads. There's not much to explain, really. A new menu entry will be placed in the right-click context menu, plus the option to automatically reload will be added to the main reload icon on the navigation toolbar.

FIREFOX FONTS

I always insist my fonts are used instead of webpage defaults ("Firefox > Preferences > Content > Fonts & Colours > Advanced"), and I also increase the minimum font size to "12", that might interest some of you. Make sure you're using DejaVu (Ubuntu default) in Firefox, msttcorefonts are pointless and redundant in my opinion now, so no need to install and use them. I also recommend setting all the font sizes to 9 in "System > Preferences > Appearance > Fonts".

UBUNTU FAMILY 8.10+ USERS ONLY

LAPTOP TOUCHPAD

Using a laptop? If your cursor shoots off all over the place when you type and seemingly clicks on things without your consent, have no fear, you can disable it's click function while typing in a few simple steps. First of all, execute the following command in the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/hal/fdi/policy/shmconfig.fdi

Next, copy and paste the following text into the empty document:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
<device>
<match key="input.x11_driver" string="synaptics">
<merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">True</merge>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>

Ubuntu/Xubuntu Users: Navigate to "System > Preferences > Sessions" ("Applications > Settings > Autostart Applications" in Xubuntu) and click on "Add". Name it something like "Touchpad Syndaemon", the description can be "Disables touchpad while typing", and the all important command you need is "syndaemon -i 1 -d -t -K". For it to take effect, either logout or reboot.

Kubuntu Users: Create a text document in your home directory called "syndaemon", then open it with a text editor and add the following lines to it:

#!/bin/sh
syndaemon -i 1 -d -t -K

Close and save the file, then move it to the autostart folder with:

mv syndaemon ~/.kde/Autostart

Finally, make the file an executable script with the following command:

chmod u+x ~/.kde/Autostart/syndaemon

Why isn't it enabled by default for laptop users? Well, it's insecure. If you share your laptop with mean geeks, they could disable your touchpad.

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 8.10 USERS ONLY

LAPTOP TOUCHPAD

Using a laptop? If your cursor shoots off all over the place when you type and seemingly clicks on things without your consent, have no fear, you can disable it's click function while you're typing by opening your terminal and (carefully) doing the following:

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Next, find the section concerning your touchpad and copy the bold text below into your Xorg configuration file, so it looks similar to the example below:

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
Driver "synaptics"
Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"
Option "HorizEdgeScroll" "0"
Option "SHMConfig" "true"
EndSection

Make sure it all looks okay and that the "EndSection" text is in the right place, then close and save.

Ubuntu/Xubuntu Users: Navigate to "System > Preferences > Sessions" ("Applications > Settings > Autostart Applications" in Xubuntu) and click on "Add". Name it something like "Touchpad Syndaemon", the description can be "Disables touchpad while typing", and the all important command you need is "syndaemon -i 1 -d -t -K". For it to take effect, either logout or reboot.

Kubuntu: Create a text document in your home directory called "syndaemon", then open it with a text editor and add the following lines to it:

#!/bin/sh
syndaemon -i 1 -d -t -K

Close and save the file, then move it to the autostart folder with:

mv syndaemon ~/.kde/Autostart

Finally, make the file an executable script with the following command:

chmod u+x ~/.kde/Autostart/syndaemon

Why isn't it enabled by default for laptop users? Well, it's insecure. If you share your laptop with mean geeks, they could disable your touchpad.

SCREEN RESOLUTION

To enable the correct display resolution in Ubuntu, you have several options. First of all, there is the fairly useless tool in "System > Preferences", the soon-to-be-dead (unavailable for 8.10+) displayconfig-gtk tool, and finally, RandR - the newest method. There will be a graphical front-end (GUI) for RandR soon (keep an eye out for it in "System > Administration"), but for now you will need to use the command line. Let's say you wanted to change your resolution to 1280x800, you would need to execute the following command:

sudo xrandr -s 1280x800

If that fails, bring up a list of "supported" resolutions with this command:

sudo xrandr -q

Use the first command again and set the highest resolution that RandR claims is supported. Once that is set, try setting the resolution you know is correct, as it may now accept that resolution.

If you're still having issues, and you're not running an 8.10+ version of Ubuntu, press Alt+F2 and type "gksudo displayconfig-gtk" (without "gtk" in Kubuntu), type your password and execute, then select the resolution you want from the list. Some of you may have to select a different screen/monitor in the list before you can successfully change the resolution. Reboot or logout if necessary.

Go to Launchpad and report a bug if you've struggled to set your screen resolution, as it should be automatically detected.

APPLICATIONS & GAMES

View and fill in PDF forms online with Adobe Reader and it's browser plugins:

sudo apt-get remove mozplugger && sudo apt-get install acroread acroread-plugins mozilla-acroread

Give these audio players a try:

sudo apt-get install exaile audacious

Exaile is a GTK fork of Amarok and Audacious is a nice small and simple Winamp style audio player. You might also like to try a newish and unfinished jukebox-like media player called Songbird. Just download the correct version for your architecture and give it a whirl. To install the downloaded deb package, just double or single-click on it, or install using the right-click context menu. Type your password when prompted to do so.

You might be interested in having Google Earth too:

sudo apt-get install googleearth

For P2P file sharing, give FrostWire a try. Always worked pretty well for me. To install the deb package, just double or single-click on it , or use the right-click context menu. Type your password when prompted.

If you want an easy way to edit usplash (Ubuntu loading screen) then you have to try this application:

sudo apt-get install startupmanager

It installs into "System > Administration". Keep the colour depth to 16-bits or you may experience strange shutdown behaviour.

Don't forget to check out some of the games in Synaptic. Briquolo is fun, try that. Some games will not create menu entries, so make them yourself (the name of the game is often the command to launch it) by right-clicking on "Applications" and selecting "Edit Menus".

CONCLUSION

Please feel free to leave some feedback, ask for help, make suggestions, and of course, point out any mistakes or broken links. There is a troubleshooting section below for anyone experiencing problems/strange behaviour with certain applications (or the system in general) since you installed all the various packages. The first thing I would advise you to do is REBOOT - you have made lots of changes to your system and you would be surprised how many times a simple logout or reboot can help settle the system down again.

Regards,

Nathan

--TROUBLESHOOTING--

ADOBE FLASH PLAYER

On occasion, installing Adobe Flash Player and/or watching online Flash streams successfully isn't as simple as it might ordinarily be. If you have tried installing it already, and are having issues, read on. First of all, please disable any ad-blocking Firefox extensions you have installed, such as Adblock Plus, as they can sometimes interfere with the Flash content you actually want to see. If you are still having issues after disabling the extension(s), you should now completely purge Adobe Flash Player from your system, along with any other packages which may be interfering with it, reinstall only Adobe Flash Player, restart your web browser, and then test Flash performance again. Will both 32-bit and 64-bit users copy and paste this command into the terminal:

sudo apt-get purge adobe-flashplugin flashplugin-nonfree gnash gnash-common libflashsupport mozilla-plugin-gnash nspluginwrapper swfdec-mozilla && sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

Still no joy? I would suggest following the instructions below for your particular Ubuntu version and architecture.

UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04+ USERS ONLY

Note: You can safely install the Ubuntu package (flashplugin-nonfree), or a Deb archive over the top of the Tar installation method at a later date - I've tested it several times. There's absolutely no need to remove any of the manually installed files, as they will simply be overwritten.

First of all, copy and paste the following command into the terminal and remove the package installed by Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get purge flashplugin-nonfree

32-Bit Users Only: Those of you running the 32-bit version of Ubuntu can install the Flash Player plug-in by selecting and downloading the Deb archive in the drop-down menu on this page of Adobe's site, then executing it and entering your root password when prompted.

32/64-bit Users: Alternatively, 32-bit users can download the Tar archive from the same link provided above and follow my instructions below. If you're a 64-bit Ubuntu user, download the Tar archive of the 64-bit Flash Player plug-in from the bottom of this page to your desktop.

Once downloaded, simply open the Tar archive, look for a file named "libflashplayer.so", copy that file to your desktop, then both 32-bit and 64-bit users execute the following command in the terminal:

sudo mkdir /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree && sudo cp -f ~/Desktop/libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/ && sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/libflashplayer.so /etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin && sudo ln -sf /etc/alternatives/firefox-flashplugin /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins/flashplayer-alternative.so

You may now restart your web browser and use the plugin.

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04 USERS ONLY

Note: You can safely install the Ubuntu package (flashplugin-nonfree), or a Deb archive over the top of the Tar installation method at a later date - I've tested it several times. There's absolutely no need to remove any of the manually installed files, as they will simply be overwritten.

First of all, copy and paste the following command into the terminal and remove the package installed by Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get purge flashplugin-nonfree

Install the Flash Player plug-in manually by selecting and downloading the Tar archive in the drop-down menu on this page of Adobe's site if you're a 32-bit Ubuntu user, and from the bottom of this page if you're a 64-bit Ubuntu user.

Once downloaded, simply open the Tar archive, look for a file named "libflashplayer.so", copy that file to your desktop, then execute the following command in the terminal:

sudo mkdir /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree && sudo cp -f ~/Desktop/libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/ && sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/flashplugin-nonfree/libflashplayer.so /usr/lib/firefox/plugins/libflashplayer.so

You may now restart your web browser and use the plugin.

NO SOUND

If you're running an earlier version of Ubuntu and Firefox (pre-Hardy and Firefox 2x), and you don't have any sound in Flash videos, or you notice strange random behaviour by Firefox, you should try this next solution. Make sure you have the package "alsa-oss" from Part 1 and then paste this command into the terminal:

gksudo gedit /etc/firefox/firefoxrc

Edit the line "FIREFOX_DSP=”none”" and change "none" to "aoss". Then close and save the file. Restart Firefox.

DVD PLAYBACK

ZERO DVD PLAYBACK

Installed the necessary applications and packages but still cannot play/rip commercial DVDs? Perhaps you should make sure the DVD drive has been set to the correct region. If you have never successfully played DVDs in Ubuntu or Windows, install the following command line based application:

sudo apt-get install regionset

Please be aware that most drives limit you to about 5 changes (regionset should tell you how many you have left), so if you plan to watch foreign DVDs, it would be best to have a secondary external DVD drive, and have it set to a different region to the one in your machine. To set or change your DVD drives region, put any disc into your drive, and type "sudo regionset" into the terminal, then simply select the relevant region code. Here is the list of region codes and which countries they cover:

RC1 = North America (USA and Canada)
RC2 = Europe, Middle East, South Africa and Japan
RC3 = Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Korea
RC4 = Latin America, Australia, New Zealand
RC5 = Former Soviet Union (Russia, Ukraine, etc.), rest of Africa, India
RC6 = China

For those of you who previously played DVDs in GNU/Linux or Windows, but for some reason are unable to now, it could be related to faulty leads/connectors, but give this one last software-related method a try:

sudo apt-get install build-essential debhelper fakeroot

then:

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh

or if you get an error with that command:

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/examples/install-css.sh

SOME DVD PLAYBACK

If unlike above you have followed Part 4 of my howto and most DVDs play fine, but you're having trouble with some newer DVDs, please refer to this link, and concentrate on the solution for VLC (this bug was apparently fixed in February 2008).

GECKO MEDIA PLAYER/MPLAYERPLUG-IN

Note: If you're experiencing audio or video problems with ALL streams, please refer to the GNOME Mplayer/MPlayer section.

APPLE TRAILERS

For those of you recieving the message "Get the latest Quicktime", when you try to view some trailers (or other non-apple.com Quicktime videos), navigate to "Places > Home", then in the file browser menu, navigate to "View > Show Hidden Files", and tick that option. Within your home directory, navigate to ".mozilla > firefox > ??????.default" and find the file named "pluginreg.dat". Right-click on that file and then choose to open it with a text editor. Alternatively, you could open the terminal and enter a command like the following:

gedit ~/.mozilla/firefox/??????.default/plugingreg.dat

Note: Make sure you replace "??????.default" with the exact name of that folder.

Once you have opened that file with a text editor, search for "QuickTime Plug-in 6.0 / 7:$", then copy and paste "QuickTime Plug-in 7.0 / 7:$" directly above it, but without the quotation marks of course. Close and save, then restart your web browser.

BUFFERING...

Sometimes it looks like the stream is about to start playing, but it does not. Try pressing the play, pause, and stop buttons, perhaps reload the page also, but don't just give up and navigate away too soon. The BBC's Windows Media radio streams take longer to start playing, the Real Media streams start quicker and sound better. Also, make absolutely sure you don't have other plug-ins interfering with Gecko Media Player or MPlayerplug-in, and that you don't have these two plug-ins installed together either. Finally, ask other users of Gecko Media Player or MPlayerplug-in if the stream works for them.

DEFAULT ACTIONS

Now and then you will click on a audio or video link and Firefox will ask if you want to download it or open it with a certain application. Many times though, you will want to play or open it with a different application to the one offered, or you may have expected it to open with the browser plugin. Click to choose your own application, then navigate to "/usr/bin", and you will find your audio and video apps there, or navigate to "Firefox > Edit > Preferences > Applications", and select the application or browser plug-in you want Firefox to use for whatever file extension it was.

PLUG-IN REQUIRED

If Firefox 2x doesn't recognise that you have changed your plug-ins and says "Plug-in Required", or something like that, then you need to:

rm $HOME/.mozilla/firefox/pluginreg.dat

Restart Firefox. The above file has been deleted and recreated with the updated plug-in information. If the command didn't work for you, navigate to "Places > Home > View", and tick the "Show Hidden Files" option. Finally, navigate to "/.mozilla/firefox" in your home directory, then look for and delete the file named "pluginreg.dat". Restart Firefox.

Note: Are you using a non-default web browser? You may need to link your plug-ins folder to that browser. To create a symbolic link, you need to do something like this "sudo ln -s /usr/lib/firefox-addons/plugins /full/path/to/browser". Rename or delete the plug-ins folder it already has, or use the "ln -sf" symlink command as it forces the link to replace whatever plug-ins folder is already present.

GNOME MPLAYER/MPLAYER

VIDEO

Those of you who are having general issues with video playback being blank with just sound, either don't have the right codecs installed (see Part 1), or have graphics driver issues. Some of you may be able to solve it by disabling desktop effects in "System > Preferences > Appearance > Effects". If you're one of those who wants to keep desktop effects active at the expense of video quality, you may want to do the following:

Open GNOME MPlayer and navigate to "Edit > Preferences > Player > Video Output", then select "x11" from the list and close. MPlayer users should launch the application, then right-click on the video window, navigate to "Preferences > Video", and select the "x11" driver there. You may now close MPlayer.

Have you not enabled desktop effects, but still can't use the "xv" (Xvideo) driver despite your best efforts? See if the "gl" (OpenGL) video driver works well for you in GNOME MPlayer/MPlayer, at least it's accelerated.

Please Note: If you are having trouble using the "xv" video driver, you should search the forums and Google, as it's highly unlikely that your card doesn't support it. Some users have to make a few changes to get it working.

SOUND

Common sound issues with GNOME MPlayer/MPlayer can be solved by enabling the software mixer in both their preferences. In GNOME MPlayer, navigate to "Edit > Preferences > Advanced", and tick the "Software Volume Control" box. As for MPlayer users, right-click on the video window and navigate to "Preferences > Audio", then tick the "Enable Software Mixer" box. If you launched a video before carrying out these steps, open the video again with the new sound setting in place, or restart GNOME MPlayer/MPlayer.

JAVA & JAVA PLUGIN

Java not working correctly? Execute the command below, and make sure you select Sun Java if you're a 32-bit user, then restart your web browser:

sudo update-alternatives --config java

Still no? If you are using the 32-bit build of Ubuntu, and are trying to use Sun Java, you may want to make sure that you don't have IcedTea/OpenJDK Java and it's plug-in installed, as it will conflict with the Sun Java plugin:

sudo apt-get remove icedtea6-plugin icedtea-java7-bin icedtea-java7-jre icedtea-java7-plugin icedtea-gcjwebplugin openjdk-6-jre-headless openjdk-6-jre openjdk-6-jre-lib

Those of you running the 64-bit version of Ubuntu with OpenJDK Java installed may struggle with compatibility at times. Sun Java is opening up Java to the free and open source community, but it will take a while before it's performance is on-par with Sun Java. Until then, some desktop applications (such as FrostWire) will work better with the Sun JRE installed:

sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre

Then select it as the Java you want applications to use:

sudo update-alternatives --config java

Note: The following instructions are for Gutsy users only.

If you have followed the above steps and still can't get IcedTea Java applets working properly, it may be worth adding the unofficial repository for Gutsy, which can be done in "System > Administration > Software Sources" in Ubuntu, or the command line way:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Then copy and paste these two lines into it:

deb http://people.ubuntu.com/~doko/ubuntu/ gutsy/
deb-src http://people.ubuntu.com/~doko/ubuntu/ gutsy/

Make sure you save your changes, then perform a "sudo apt-get update", or alternatively, just reload Synaptic/Adept. After you have updated your list of packages, you can perform a "sudo apt-get upgrade", or just wait for the update manager to realise there are updates available. IcedTea Java will be updated and hopefully work much better than previously.

REALPLAYER

PRE-UBUNTU FAMILY 8.04 USERS ONLY

PERFORMANCE

If your RealPlayer's playback is terrible (mine was), you have to do some manual editing. First of all, you need to copy and paste the following command into the terminal:

gksudo gedit /usr/bin/realplay

Next, find the line "echo "Warning: LD_PRELOAD=\"$LD_PRELOAD\"", and underneath "fi", paste these two lines:

LD_PRELOAD="$LDPRELOAD:/usr/lib/libaoss.so"
export LD_PRELOAD

Save and close. Also, open RealPlayer's preferences and go to "Transport", once you're there, select "Use specified transport". Then go into the two configuration options beneath that and untick everything except "http". You can also select your connection speed in preferences, and tell RealPlayer not to send connection info back to real.com.

LANGUAGE PACKS

Those of you who are having problems with SCIM (the popular input method for multiple languages), and are receiving the "segmentation fault" error, should carry out instructions similar to those above, and execute the following command in the terminal:

gksudo gedit /usr/bin/realplay


Finally, add the following instruction to the top of the RealPlayer script:

export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim

Close and save the changes, then restart RealPlayer.

[ubuntu-freak]

Created new post as suggested by LaRoza and matthew.

Nathan

[matthew]

This thread supersedes the original, which is still in the archives.

Thanks again.

[aldeby]

Thank you reassuringlyoffensive,
your tutorial is really perfectly done!

[gfahey]

Excellent. Well done. I might add that this solved my "choppy video" problem with Hardy and now all video looks great (even full screen).

Thank you.

Update:I had forgotten that I disabled the ATI driver under "Hardware Drivers" prior to this. I have desktop effects "off" as well. So, it looks like this:

Disable the driver and get smooth video playback. But, you can't play games, and Google Earth will cause a crash upon opening (at least for me). Compiz? Forget it.

Enable the driver and you get choppy, horrible video playback. You can play games and Google Earth works fine. Of course, I still have desktop effects "off".

Enable desktop settings (visual effects) under "normal" and you can't play games and of course, video playback is still horrible. Google Earth won't function with them enabled either.

[ubuntu-freak]

Originally Posted by gfahey Excellent. Well done. I might add that this solved my "choppy video" problem with Hardy and now all video looks great (even full screen). Thank you.

No problem.

Do you know which package or advice solved your issue?

Nathan

[aldeby]

please note that your tip concerning DVD playback

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh

actually downgrades libdvdcss2 from 1.2.9-2medibuntu4 to 1.2.5-1

1.2.9-2medibuntu4 is from official medibuntu repositories

[ubuntu-freak]

Originally Posted by aldeby please note that your tip concerning DVD playback sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh actually downgrades libdvdcss2 from 1.2.9-2medibuntu4 to 1.2.5-1 1.2.9-2medibuntu4 is from official medibuntu repositories

That's normal, it upgrades again after the downgrade.

Nathan

[starryeyedboy]

thank you for such a comprehensive guide... really really helped a lot - answered a billion questions n issues =) thanks!!!

.

[Islington]

Actually I would like to suggest purging swfdec-mozilla when installing flash. This being the third option offerred up by firefox. Installing this package gives a big play symbol over the flash vid, but its impossible to maximise, volume control etc.. I accidentaly installed it, and was raging at myself until I found it in synaptic and got rid of it.