# One stop reference for enabling multimedia in Linux



## rohandhruva (Jun 18, 2006)

This post is meant to be a reference for anyone who wants to enable mp3 and video playback in most linux distributions. Think of this as a 'cheat sheet' mainly with links to other sites, having copy paste commands ready for you 

*Ubuntu:*
NEVER EVER SUGGEST AUTOMATIX. It is untested software, poorly written, and is known to severly break many many ubuntu installs. 
The best ever guide for multimedia on ubuntu is this wiki page - *wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats
Also, ubuntu 7.04 onwards, in the gnome variant, the user is prompted automatically when he/she tries to play a MP3 or other non-free file  Though note that this still does not install w32codecs or libdvdcss - you need to refer to the wiki page for instruction !

*Fedora:*
Refer to FedoraSolved for all issues related to Fedora - *fedorasolved.org/
FedoraFAQ is available, but it was advised to use it with caution - the yum config provided at that site is dubious - *fedorafaq.org
Also note that Fedora 8 onwards fedora prompts you to install paid codecs, which is not necessary 

*Suse:*
For multimedia and other restricted format (MP3,Encrypted DVD, DiVX,etc) issues, see 
*opensuse-community.org/Restricted_Formats

I hope this is made a sticky, so that new users can refer to it. Thanks ! Also, if you can think of any more distros which specifically disable multimedia support due to legal issues, please inform me, so that I can add them in the list. Any further additions,comments,suggestions welcome !

Rohan.


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## kalpik (Jun 18, 2006)

^^ This should definately be a sticky!


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## gary4gar (Jun 18, 2006)

good work man keep it up.also can u tell me which is a best robust player in linux


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## JGuru (Jun 18, 2006)

Great work man. Thank for the information. Yes, it should be made sticky.


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## vignesh (Jun 18, 2006)

gary4gar said:
			
		

> good work man keep it up.also can u tell me which is a best robust player in linux



Amarok or BMP/XMMS


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## mehulved (Jun 18, 2006)

vignesh said:
			
		

> Amarok or BMP/XMMS


Well it actually differs from situation to situation.
I havent' been able to run Amarok or Kaffeine in any of the distros I hav run so far. I have tried a lot to make them work but both of them just hang, even after adding 512MB or RAM to previous 256MB of RAM. But, any other player plays fine with me.
I, on the other hand find VLC as a very versatile multimedia player.
It just changes from person to person.


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## vignesh (Jun 19, 2006)

I have used both and have had no problems at all..Amarok even works well with Gnome as well..


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## rohandhruva (Jun 23, 2006)

Still not made a sticky  I know its bad to demand a sticky, however what more changes do I make, so that this thread becomes a sticky ?


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## kalpik (Jun 23, 2006)

^^ Too bad mehul cuz really, AmaroK ROCKS!


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## QwertyManiac (Jun 23, 2006)

VLC media player opens and closes at the same instant for me when I try to open audio or mpg files. I tried a re-install too, via Yum. On the other hand, amaroK is the best audio player I have seen yet and Totem-Xine and Mplayer for videos


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## gary4gar (Jun 23, 2006)

i have AmaroK in digit cd. how to install it from there??
i use ubuntu 5.10


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## mehulved (Jun 24, 2006)

kalpik said:
			
		

> ^^ Too bad mehul cuz really, AmaroK ROCKS!


Got it working finally.


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## drsethi (Jun 24, 2006)

I have installed SuSe Linux 10.1. Though very good in other areas, it totally disappointed me in playing video files. No player is able to run video/audio files.Amarok only runs audio files.I downloaded codecs from Packman but they just cannot be installed due to dependency problems.Can anyone tell me if I would be able to watch movies under SuSe?
Please tell me right way.


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## QwertyManiac (Jun 24, 2006)

Install VLC thro some auto d/l method like Yum/apt-get or whatever. and see if that works?


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## drsethi (Jun 25, 2006)

I have solved my problem of multimedia video files by taking advice from Linux forums
Now SuSE is looking superior to Windows.


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## JGuru (Jun 26, 2006)

Good work @Dr Sethi , anyday Suse is better than Windows!!. There is no doubt
about that.


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## mediator (Jun 27, 2006)

Install xine,mplayer,xmms,vlc & win32codecs ...... -> entertainment unlimited!


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## Satissh S (Jun 27, 2006)

Good work! guys, i'am glad that this is helping a lot of ppl. 
However I would personally like to extend this discussion to other distros too, especially the source based ones, like slackware, gentoo etc.

Gentoo and Slackware:
1. If you're using slackware, u have two choices, first is of-course compile stuff (see below) your self or go and get one of the .tgz packages which u can use pkgtool to install the bianries, anyways the first place for u to look at is *www.linuxpackages.net/. Search for a package say vlc and download the .tgz package, and goto its directory and exec, 

```
# pkgtool <package_name>.tgz
```
or simply pkgtool and specify the package.

In gentoo however we can use the excellant and extensive portage system to install the package, simply specify the USe flage while emerging stuff, like

```
# USE="faac faad libdvdcss wxwidgets mp3 oggvorbis" emerge -av vlc
```

Compiling From source:
Lets assume we want vlc to get going here as its the most hardest
Get the .tar.gz or .tar.bz2 source code from here, *www.videolan.org/vlc/download-sources.html and also do remember to download each of the required libraries, they are critical to installing vlc, well. 
Untar each of them, using tar -xzf package_name for .tar.gz or -xvjpf package_name for .tar.bz2
Go to each of their folders and run ./configure && make && make install [1]
Then goto the vlc source directory, now, carefully study the output of 

```
./configure --help
```

Now, use the following command to optimally configure vlc,

```
./configure --enable-x11 --enable-xvideo --disable-gtk --enable-sdl --enable-ffmpeg --with-ffmpeg-mp3lame --enable-mad --enable-libdvbpsi --enable-a52 --enable-dts --enable-libmpeg2 --enable-dvdnav --enable-faad --enable-vorbis --enable-ogg --enable-theora --enable-faac --enable-mkv --enable-freetype --enable-fribidi --enable-speex --enable-flac --enable-livedotcom --with-livedotcom-tree=/usr/lib/live --enable-caca --enable-skins --enable-skins2 --enable-alsa --disable-kde --disable-qt --enable-wxwindows --enable-ncurses --enable-release
```
Note that while compiling myself i had several of them disabled which i dont want like faac, faad etc, dont mind to install those deps as well.

Exhaustive documentation can be found at the vlc developers' website, 
*developers.videolan.org/vlc/

[1]
If possible we can make some kind of script for each application like mplayer, xine etc., to automate the process for a new users. We can discuss below.


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## dabster (Jun 27, 2006)

Hey Ubuntu users help me...
I have installed ffmpeg package but hv sysnchonising problem between video and audio....
using totem player based on gstreamer....


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## rohandhruva (Jun 28, 2006)

dabster said:
			
		

> Hey Ubuntu users help me...
> I have installed ffmpeg package but hv sysnchonising problem between video and audio....
> using totem player based on gstreamer....



I request you to start a new thread for this issue in the "Open Source" section of the forum..


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## gary4gar (Jun 28, 2006)

can any body give a link where 'VP70' codec can be found. i have tried to play file on vlc,totem,mplayer & real. all say the codec is missing. the file is in avi format.i have installed all win32 codecs.


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## rohandhruva (Jun 28, 2006)

Please *DO NOT* turn this thread to a question answer thread ! Open new threads for support queries.


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## gary4gar (Jun 28, 2006)

hey the title u created os of "One stop reference for enabling multimedia in Linux" so i am tring solve my probs. if u don't want it i'll delete my post.also if u can that no one post in ur post.request the mods to lock it.

regards,
gary


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## Satissh S (Jun 28, 2006)

@rohan: Why u want to do that?? this is intended to be a sticky because it helps people and queries can be placed on one place. If queries have to be posted in some other place/thread, why sticky this thread?? 

Besides ppl also learn from the problems others face, so this is the rightful place for all queries related to multimedia in Linux.


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## JGuru (Jun 28, 2006)

That's a nice idea @Satissh. Yes we should add info about other distros like Gentoo,
 Mandriva Linux etc., That would definitely help all the guys using Linux.


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## mediator (Jun 28, 2006)

@rohandhruva be kind yaar......neways @gary4gar......u may google for that codec . There's another codec pack names something like "essential or all -codecs".
I can play all the  formats. I think u havent installed win32codec pack properly! check that out first!


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## gary4gar (Jun 28, 2006)

i have installed win 32 codecs using easy ubuntu. aslo i found links for windows(.exe) but not for linux what to do??


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## rohandhruva (Jun 28, 2006)

I am not being rude or anything - fact is, when people would read the topic, and first post, they would not really bother to read further, basically in a sticky people dont.. So, if you start a new thread for the same purpose, it can be easily discussed further in the post. This is a _reference_ to _enable_ multimedia .. 

Anyway, I am not gonna request lock or anything .. if my reasoning given above is not correct, then I am wrong ofcourse


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## mediator (Jun 30, 2006)

@rohandhruva.....thats better......but i give u a simple reason for not openeing separate threads!! U see a thread which is being responded extensively remains on top of others.....U must have observed that!!...havnt u??
So if u use different threads then some may dissappear in the long list of queue this forum has. I hope u got my point. So its better to have one thread !!
No multithreading here....hehe!

@gary4gar......u installed the win32codec rpm na?? neways install essentialcodec rpm too! If still things dont go ur way....google for that ugly codec!!


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## prashanthnbhat (Dec 10, 2006)

*www.overclock.net/faqs/104037-how-get-mp3-divx-video-support.html




The best link I could find to enable multimedia in my suse 10.1.
I could manage to use all types of multimedia after following the procedure here. It'll be of help


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## Vivek788 (Dec 20, 2006)

i used easyubuntu for ubuntu 6.06 and worked lke breeze.It doesnt support xmms and some other media players.


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## mehulved (Dec 22, 2006)

I got these two repos in respect of w32codecs for ubuntu, while browsing some mailing lists *medibuntu.sos-sts.com/www/repository-old.html and *mirror2.ubuntulinux.nl/. Can someone check if they work all right?


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## rajasekharan (Jan 15, 2007)

hi.....how can i install w32 codecs for 64 bit SUSE 10.2...??????
i dont have net connection......so i want to download a player that plays all formats ....mp3 , vcd and dvd......which one to download and from where?????...please help


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## kalpik (Jan 15, 2007)

Google for packman repository for suse and download w32codecs-all, libxine1 and all its dependencies from there.


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## rajasekharan (Jan 15, 2007)

w32 is i586  ....i found no x86/64 for w32....wat to do????


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## kalpik (Jan 15, 2007)

^^ i586 w32 works for x86_64  Im using it right now!


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## mediator (Jan 30, 2007)

^^Ofcors!


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## Manshahia (Feb 17, 2007)

Hey guys, i hav installed Win32 codecs but still i m unable to play Mp3 songs in Amarok and kaffeine.
Anything else needed to install ??


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## esumitkumar (Feb 21, 2007)

Can anybody tell in detail abt enabling sound in *Mandriva Linux 2007* ? My soundcard is recgnzd but when system boots it says dev/dsp no sound device found


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## Pathik (Mar 14, 2007)

Manshahia said:
			
		

> Hey guys, i hav installed Win32 codecs but still i m unable to play Mp3 songs in Amarok and kaffeine.
> Anything else needed to install ??


same problem here...


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## kalpik (Mar 14, 2007)

^^ You need to install libxine1 from the pacman repo..


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## cryptid (Apr 30, 2007)

if every one switched to Ubuntu 7.04 there would be no need for this thread anymore,,,


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## anantkhaitan (May 23, 2007)

Facing problem with .amr


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## mehulved (May 23, 2007)

anantkhaitan said:
			
		

> Facing problem with .amr


 I faced that in ubuntu with ffmpeg. Had to recompile it manually from cvs.


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## anantkhaitan (May 24, 2007)

^^
Elaborate the steps.. if u don't mind


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## mehulved (May 24, 2007)

Just downloaded ffmpeg cvs version and followed the instructions. But, I am not sure if that will enable amr support in mplayer too but worth a try. I needed it for converting vids to 3gp for transferring to my mobile.
Here's the command

```
svn checkout svn://svn.mplayerhq.hu/ffmpeg/trunk ffmpeg
```
It will create a directory ffmpeg in your current directory. Inside should be a readme file with instructions on how to go about.
And it was svn not cvs.

*blogger.rukker.org/2006/07/12/enable-mp3-and-amr-support-in-ffmpeg-ubuntudebian/ read this rather.


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## anantkhaitan (May 24, 2007)

I tried ur first solution.. and perhaps amr is now enabled in ffmpeg but still unable to convert anything to/from amr. 

```
$ ffmpeg -formats
```
 includes this too now

```
DE amr             3gpp amr file format
```



			
				mehulved said:
			
		

> *blogger.rukker.org/2006/07/12...-ubuntudebian/ read this rather.


The patch is some debian based therefore of no use to me. I m in Fedora 6.

Is there any way to enable amr support in mplayer/VLC


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## mehulved (May 24, 2007)

*www.worldofvishnu.com/tech/howto-enable-3gp-audio-in-mplayer/
This is again for ubuntu/debian.
Actually you need to compile mplayer from svn, it will be similar to what you did for ffmpeg.


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## DDIF (May 30, 2007)

*Multimedia in KUbuntu?*

I have Kubuntu 7.04 64BIT installed on my computer, i want it to play mp3s, vcds. dvds.
How can all this be done?


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## praka123 (May 30, 2007)

refer *ubuntuguide.org
and
*ubuntugeek.com


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## DDIF (May 30, 2007)

praka123 said:
			
		

> refer *ubuntuguide.org
> and
> *ubuntugeek.com


Although i know that KUbuntu is KDE version of Ubuntu but i still want to ask that will the Ubuntu guide you reffer work for Kubuntu?


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## mehulved (May 30, 2007)

Most of it should work anyways. Just the gnome-only part won't work exactly unless you install gnome too.


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## DDIF (May 31, 2007)

I manage to install all PLUGINS via adapet manager. Anyway thanks for your support.


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## anantkhaitan (Jun 8, 2007)

mehulved said:
			
		

> Actually you need to compile mplayer from svn, it will be similar to what you did for ffmpeg.


Sorry for late reply, anyways I compiled mplayer from Subversion

```
svn checkout svn://svn.mplayerhq.hu/mplayer/trunk/
```
But efforts in vain.. Still its not playing AMR..
Bwtn what is AMR-NB?


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## mak1012 (Aug 24, 2007)

which player is as good as itune..  i tryed amarock but its not that user friendly... Is there any other option available i want to play only mp3 but it should have gr8 search and playlist.


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## QwertyManiac (Sep 24, 2007)

Get Rythmbox.


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## vignesh (Oct 30, 2007)

Exaile is also awesome.. its like amarok only thing is its based in gtk.


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## kalpik (Oct 30, 2007)

^^ I just find exaile a little rough.. Its just not there yet..


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## rohandhruva (Nov 18, 2007)

Please note that to enable amr support you don't need to recompile anything on ubuntu - just use the medibuntu repository which has ffmpeg and mplayer re-compiled with support for amr. Have a look - *www.medibuntu.org/


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## gary4gar (Nov 21, 2007)

mehulved said:
			
		

> Just downloaded ffmpeg cvs version and followed the instructions. But, I am not sure if that will enable amr support in mplayer too but worth a try. I needed it for converting vids to 3gp for transferring to my mobile.
> Here's the command
> 
> ```
> ...


altough i comlied it from source but i find no difference.
And Yikes, blogger.rukker.org isn't loading right now.


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## drsethi (Nov 28, 2007)

*opensuse-community.org/Multimedia
a simple way to install codecs for opensuse. Very useful for newbies


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## keshavasiva (Dec 23, 2007)

Hi
I installed recently opensuse 10.3 from the digit dvd, I have only the kaffiene player to play videos and tat too its for name sake  it wont play any videos . 

I just want to know a clear way to play videos just like i play them in windows. Some links for players and related codecs etc may suffice


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## coolpcguy (Dec 24, 2007)

^^ Get VLC. here's the link for the 1-click installer. Also download the Restricted Formats 1-click installer for KDE/GNOME


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## shady_inc (Mar 26, 2008)

I have been unsuccessful in getting VCDs to work on Ubuntu. I have all necessary codecs like gstreamer, libdvdvcss, w32codecs installed.I have tried Gxine, Mplayer and Smplayer, VLC and Totem but still no success...


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## ray|raven (Mar 26, 2008)

^Whats the error you get?
And also, did u open the files manually or tell mplayer to open vcd?


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## shady_inc (Mar 26, 2008)

Got VCD working in both VLC and Mplayer.
Had to remove the x from vcdx:///dev/scd0  :audio-track=0 to get it working in VLC and Make use of CLI for Mplayer.


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## dreamzchm (Apr 23, 2008)

I am using openSUSE 10.3 and enabled multimedia with the help of 1- click install . what i did was searched for the relevant player like vlc, mplayer etc. and the codecs like divx, libdvdcss, xine-lib etc using the software search  function present at 
*packages.opensuse-community.org/  and *software.opensuse.org/search
and got everything working on my installation . I can now play all the formats that i was enjoying with my Win XP..... now SUSE rocks and does better than MS winDows.The beauty of 1-click install is that it downloads all the dependencies and the make the app fully working. Just be sure to get yourself a reliable internet connection. I had faced severe problems because i don't have broadband at home and had to rely on a GPRS modem


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