Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

[DeathKitten]

So, I've been having trouble with some of my media files lately and I figured at first it was just some proprietary crap from windows that was causing me the problems, but when I went in and started looking around I found that the version of mplayer I have installed is not the Medibuntu package it should have been, but instead something from the Ubuntu MOTU Developers.

After some googling, checking bug reports for medibuntu and the like, I found out this was happening in Feisty because of backports being enabled, and found out that in order to disable them, it's a little illogically labeled in adept manager. However, once I have unenabled the backports and fetched updates, the mplayer packages still say Ubuntu MOTU Developers instead of Medibuntu, is there something I'm missing?

I almost exclusively use Adept Manager to install, uninstall and upgrade everything on my system, but I will use apt-get from the command line if something's being weird and I can't fix it from Adept Manager. I was told unselecting "Unsupported Updates" under "Updates" tab in the "Manage Repositories" dialog window disables the backports.

If anyone has any ideas on what else I can do to fix this, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Edited to add: I opened my /etc/apt/sources.list in a text editor, and did confirm that the backports entries are commented out, so I know that's not the problem. Also, to be clear, after disabling backports I uninstalled the packages I was having the problems with, and told Adept Manage to fetch updates, but they're still showing the Ubuntu MOTU Developers are the maintainers of the packages.

[gnowak]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

Hmm, if you have problems with your media files, you can try out:

sudo apt-get install mplayer-nogui

The GUI version doesn't always work properly..

[SheeEttin]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

Hm. Same here. I have backports and Medibuntu, and the Ubuntu package appears.

Ah. Heh heh. Mplayer isn't in Backports, it's in Multiverse.

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

Hmm, if you have problems with your media files, you can try out:

sudo apt-get install mplayer-nogui

The GUI version doesn't always work properly..

mplayer-nogui is also the version maintained by the Ubuntu MOTU Developers, and I know I need the medibuntu packages, as the windows codecs I need aren't available in the standard packages.

Hm. Same here. I have backports and Medibuntu, and the Ubuntu package appears.

Ah. Heh heh. Mplayer isn't in Backports, it's in Multiverse.

Is there any easy way to see if/what I have installed from Multiverse, so I can decide if I should try disabling that too? Otherwise, I'm looking for suggestions on how to tell Adept Manager that I'd like to favor Medibuntu over anything else for mplayer.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

I think there's something wrong with one of the four Medibuntu servers. It doesn't allow me to access the repos (403 forbidden).

Anyway, why not just install the package directly from the Medibuntu repos? There's only one mplayer deb, this one. (If you get 403d, just refresh until you get it.)

(As for the multiverse/backports thing, ignore that. I'm an idiot. Multiverse is a section of backports.)

[gnowak]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

mplayer-nogui is also the version maintained by the Ubuntu MOTU Developers, and I know I need the medibuntu packages, as the windows codecs I need aren't available in the standard packages.

Hmm, I use the Binary Codec Packages you can find here http://www.mplayerhq.hu/design7/dload.html.

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

I think there's something wrong with one of the four Medibuntu servers. It doesn't allow me to access the repos (403 forbidden).

Anyway, why not just install the package directly from the Medibuntu repos? There's only one mplayer deb, this one. (If you get 403d, just refresh until you get it.)

(As for the multiverse/backports thing, ignore that. I'm an idiot. Multiverse is a section of backports.)

When I tried that, the next time I went into Adept Manager it tells me the package is broken, that I need to install a bunch of other packages with it, and won't let me stop it from upgrading the mplayer package to the Ubuntu MOTU Developer's version without also stopping me from installing the packages it says I need.

I am so hating this.

[claydoh]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

That's one of the problems with third part repos. If there is a problem on their end, it can cause problems like this. Have you tried contacting the medibuntu folks somehow to see if they are aware of this?

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

Today I dug through Medibuntu's bug report pages at Launchpad (https://launchpad.net/medibuntu/) and there are no direct statements about it that I saw, but I ran across a couple people answering questions mentioning that the standard mplayer from ubuntu now supports windows media files, so Medibuntu stopped offering it.

I do have other medibuntu packages working still, as amarok has been playing mp3s happily the whole time, but this supposed support of windows formats doesn't seem to include avi files with wma sound tracks, as that's what specifically caught my attention to the problem.

So, should I file a bug report with k/ubuntu about this, or should I file one with Medibuntu saying that their choice to discontinue the package has left me unable to watch some files? Anyone know?

[claydoh]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

no, if ubuntu's version has support, I doubt it is causing you not to be able to view certain files (they most likely built the package using the same compile settings as medibuntu's)

Are there any online links to avis that you are having this issue with?

I only use medibuntu's w32codecs, and use ubuntu repos for everything else and have yet to have problems playing any video format, other than stage 6 divx video (but that is more a streaming/browser plugin issue I believe and not the video itself)

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

There is one particular file I'm having trouble with, and it's the only avi file in a torrent that covers three seasons of a cartoon show that gives me the problem. All the rest of them say they're mp3 audio, but this one says wma2 audio. What's weird about it is there were problems with other files in the torrent, and there were torrents made of replacement episode files, but no one else seems to be having a problem with this episode as I can't find a torrent of the episode alone anywhere.

I'll compress the file and dump it on my domain tonight if anyone else wants to check it out. The video plays, but the audio is completely useless as it skips and runs fast.

Unfortunately I don't have cable or satellite where I'm living now, and even if I did, I don't have any sort of TV/video inputs on my computer to attempt to capture the episode myself, and of course it would be one I didn't catch when I still have the satellite tv access.

[SheeEttin]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

What does VLC think of it?

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

I haven't tried vlc before, wasn't even aware of it, but I'll give it a go.

Meanwhile, if anyone else wants to check out the problematic file, it's available at: http://link.deathkitten.net/kp0117-thetwinfactor.tar.gz

I'll probably take it down when this problem is resolved or something, but meanwhile it's there.

[DeathKitten]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

Well, VLC doesn't fix it 100%, but at least the audio is correctly timed, even if it does still occasionally break up a little. So we're doing much better now. Also, totally dig the traffic cone logo. ^_^

If anyone has any ideas on what's making mplayer be so stupid though, I'd still at least like to submit a proper bug report on the package in hopes of fixing it for someone else, even if VLC is making a good first impression on me and may win the role of default media player if it keeps up the good work.

[claydoh]

Re: Medibuntu + backports means that the medibuntu packages are ignored?

I also could be some settings in mplayer you could tweak.

depending on your hardware, you may want to try changing the audio/video drivers.
for me, mplayer works best (specifically for sound sync) using xv for video, alsa for audio. Other settings may work better for your particular hardware