Enabling Multimedia

[Highboy]

Just switched from running Ubuntu 7.10 (not for very long, only with Linux not even a year, still a baby) and the following programs are greyed out of my Adept Manager: 1.GStreamer Extra Plugins: Codecs to play MP3, SID, mpeg 1, mpeg 2, AC3, DVD (without encryption)
2. GStreamer ffmpeg Video Plugin: codecs to play Mpeg, dvix, Mpeg4, ac3, wmv, and asf files
3. GStreamer plugins for mms, wavpack, quicktime, musepack, codecs to play

Also, the Adept Installer for Kubuntu on my computer is barely working. It took me multiple tries to get it to install Macromedia Flash and I still can't get it to install anything else. It says

There was an error commiting changes. Possibly there was a problem downloading some packages or the commit would break packages.

when I try to check and install programs such Ubuntu Restricted Extras for example, or anything else really. Also, I'm unclear as to how to install Debian files. I only ran Ubuntu 7.10 for about a month now before that I was on Blag and only had to deal with BIN files and RPM files.

[marshallbanana]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

To fix the adept problem try the following in command line

sudo dpkg --configure -a

Re the gstreamer things unless you are adding your own apps to the kde defaults you won't need them in kubuntu. That said they shouldn't be greyed out. If you open adept, then click on the 'adept' menu>manage repositories, are the first four boxes all ticked (these are the main software repositories for canonical and community maintained software).
When you try playing an mp3 the first time in amarok it will prompt you to install mp3 support at the click of a button. The package installed also contains support for many other codecs too.
As for all the other codecs, I'm sure dibl will be along soon to tell you all about medibuntu and which packages from there you want.

To install from .debs just right click on them and something in the list of options says something along the line of 'install' (don't have any handy right now to check what it says exactly, may even be within a submenu of right click). Note make sure you have the suitable one in terms of i386 vs. 64 bit ones.


and welcome to kubuntu.

[Highboy]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

Thanks for the welcome. I tried the command line sudo dpkg --configure -a in Terminal like you said and virtually nothing happened at all. In my Manage Repositories menu the first 4 boxes are all indeed checked. Also, I haven't tried to run an MP3 in Amarok but without the Gstreamer programs I'm trying to install how do I run any Mpeg, wmv, or any of that stuff? My Adept Manager won't even let me install MPlayer.

[claydoh]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

KDE doesn't use gstreamer stuff for multimedia, it uses a couple of different packages for that, included in the package kubuntu-restricted-extras

Now what we need to do is find out what is wrong.

To see more info on what is wrong, you will need to run apt in the command line, which will give the 'best' error messages:

sudo apt-get update

and

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-restricted-extras

one of these will give you the relevant error message on what is wrong
from the original error you got:

There was an error committing changes. Possibly there was a problem downloading some packages or the commit would break packages.

I am guessing a missing package or repository problem

[Highboy]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

This is the error I got from the sudo apt-get update command:

Err http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com feisty/free Sources
404 Not Found
Err http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com feisty/non-free Sources
404 Not Found
Hit http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty-updates/restricted Sources
Get:4 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Packages [4912kB]
99% [4 Packages gzip 0]
gzip: stdin: not in gzip format
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/universe Packages
Sub-process gzip returned an error code (1)
Fetched 4B in 3s (1B/s)
Failed to fetch http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/di...86/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
Failed to fetch http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/di...86/Packages.gz 404 Not Found
Failed to fetch http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/di...rce/Sources.gz 404 Not Found
Failed to fetch http://medibuntu.sos-sts.com/repo/di...rce/Sources.gz 404 Not Found
Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...86/Packages.gz Sub-process gzip returned an error code (1)
Reading package lists... Done
E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

and this is the error I got from the sudo apt-get install kubuntu-restricted-extras command line:

E: Couldn't find package kubuntu-restricted-extras

In my Adept Installer, there is no Kubuntu Restricted Extras program, only Ubuntu Restricted Extras.

[Snowhog]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

Go here for my HOWTO on getting commericial DVD playback working. This will get you a long way towards getting your system set up for playing DVDs and MP3s.

[claydoh]

Re: Enabling Multimedia

the medibuntu repos are now in a different url, snowdog's links works great, just be sure to remove the old one first.