No sound with mp3, avi, mpg files

[Skyguy]

I went back to muddling around with Linux this past weekend but ran into some problems regarding the audio setup...

(My old & faithful Soundblaster card may have finally seen it's last day... After a crash in Windows destroyed it's driver and a fruitless search to find another driver, I pulled it and for the first time I'm using the on-board audio hardware of my MoBo alone... Oh well.. All things must pass I suppose.)

Kubuntu seems to recognize the hardware and I can play CD's, .wav files and the audio files particular to Linux. However, I cannot seem to play any MP3 files or hear any audio from any AVI or MPEG video files.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[cdnLilWolf]

MP3's are in that non-GPL domain, so you have to acquire the decoder on your own. What player are you using? XMMS has the easiest fix. Amarok needs some of the auxillary stuff frequently referred to as "non-free" (which is not to say that you need pay for it, just that it can't be distributed with GPL software).

I can't speak for Kubuntu, but I imagine there is a repository where you can easily get the necessary libraries. Those who use it can likely help you find it faster. If it was for Fedora I would have already posted the link. Google is your friend.

Try this if you're using Amarok..... sudo apt-get install libxine-extracodecs

[Ken_ver_1_5]

I use Xmms as well as vlc player on my kubunto box.
check add and remove program it should be there
under non supported items. it works well.
or if you have it installed search synaptic package manager.

[Skyguy]

I use Xmms as well as vlc player on my kubunto box.
check add and remove program it should be there
under non supported items. it works well.
or if you have it installed search synaptic package manager.Hmm... I'm still stumbling around like a blind man in a maze. I've been to a number of sites that deal with Kubunto specifically, but even so, I still can't seem to install anything - let alone MP3 support - into Kubuntu.
There was a woman in a medical class I took last year who couldn't seem to 'get' Windows - even the most 'simple' things. I'm pretty sure I'm just as lost as she was.

I want to try an experiment... Is there a simple program/file I can try to install? I don't care what it does, as long as I can remove it easily. I just want to start out from first principles.

Y'know... The great irony is that there was a woman where I used to work that swore by Linux. She was a fountain on knowledge about it and a tonne of other things (Brilliant woman actually. She was also studying computer cryptography at the U. of T.) She kept edging me to go into Linux but I was simply too comfortable in XP to switch. Now that I'm finally going the Linux route, I'd kill to find out how to get a hold of her.
She talked a lot about living off the grid in the country, so for all I know, she's gone for a long while. <sigh...>

I've got to find a Linux group in Duram where I can talk to an actual person and get some person-to-person info and feedback.

[cdnLilWolf]

Try this .....

sudo apt-get install xmms

In this thread they swear that it worked first time (though I am perplexed as well).
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=449244

This thread will also give you a little more in depth with some other players as well.
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ubuntu-help/60510-mp3-player-ubuntu.html

Note to the reference to the "akode" and "gstreamer" plugins.


Google is your friend.

[Ken_ver_1_5]

might be easier to get xmms from add and remove programs.
its user interface is gui.

[Skyguy]

might be easier to get xmms from add and remove programs.
its user interface is gui.I've taken a look for xmms, but I can't seem to find it anywhere in the add/remove programs listings. But I do see a listing for 'xmms-wma' for some type of application or directory when I do a general search on my drive. (I can't run wma's though...)

[Skyguy]

Try this .....

sudo apt-get install xmms

In this thread they swear that it worked first time (though I am perplexed as well).
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/showthread.php?t=449244

This thread will also give you a little more in depth with some other players as well.
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/ubuntu-help/60510-mp3-player-ubuntu.html

Note to the reference to the "akode" and "gstreamer" plugins.


Google is your friend.Thanks... I'll try this and see what happens.

[gollychuck]

Thats a good song


http://music.download.com/3612-5_32-0.html

[cdnLilWolf]

I've taken a look for xmms, but I can't seem to find it anywhere in the add/remove programs listings. But I do see a listing for 'xmms-wma' for some type of application or directory when I do a general search on my drive. (I can't run wma's though...)

My guess is that is only the plugin for playing ".wma" files. If you can't find a reliable install package you can download the application from xmms.org directly. Compiling from source is a piece of cake (normally) and I'd be glad to help you if it comes to that as that is not an Ubuntu specific function.

[Ken_ver_1_5]

when you open add and remove make sure you have the settings
I have shown.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3789/kverxmmslinuxsy2.th.jpg (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kverxmmslinuxsy2.jpg)

[linuxguru]

Kubuntu isn't my first choice for full multimedia playback but a search for win32-codecs in one of the Kebuntu forums will guide you to installing the needed files. To get everything working after initial installation Dreanlinux is the best distro to use. It even looks like a Mac.

[Skyguy]

when you open add and remove make sure you have the settings
I have shown.

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/3789/kverxmmslinuxsy2.th.jpg (http://img440.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kverxmmslinuxsy2.jpg)Thanks... But it just seems I can't get that installed...

I can't even get a file compiled - even though I see gcc listed as an installed component...

For example, here's what I get when I tried to install the .deb for Firefox:
checking build system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking host system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking target system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... mawk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... no
checking for gcc... no
checking for cc... no
checking for cc... no
checking for cl... no
configure: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH


I'm really impressed with the asthetics and feel of Linux... And I am a patient guy... but if I can't make some progress of some kind, I might just wipe Linux and give the space back to XP. (For me, that would be a step backwards so I'd like to avoid it if possible.)

[Skyguy]

Kubuntu isn't my first choice for full multimedia playback but a search for win32-codecs in one of the Kebuntu forums will guide you to installing the needed files. To get everything working after initial installation Dreanlinux is the best distro to use. It even looks like a Mac.
Would a move to Ubuntu make any difference?? Or do you think I would just suffer the exact same issues?

[Ken_ver_1_5]

sounds like you have something missing in your install.
I am not sure what it is but I can install ff and xmms.
best I can say is re install linux see if it fixs the problem.

[cdnLilWolf]

Thanks... But it just seems I can't get that installed...

I can't even get a file compiled - even though I see gcc listed as an installed component...

For example, here's what I get when I tried to install the .deb for Firefox:
checking build system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking host system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking target system type... i686-pc-linux-gnuoldld
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... mawk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... no
checking for gcc... no
checking for cc... no
checking for cc... no
checking for cl... no
configure: error: no acceptable C compiler found in $PATH


I'm really impressed with the asthetics and feel of Linux... And I am a patient guy... but if I can't make some progress of some kind, I might just wipe Linux and give the space back to XP. (For me, that would be a step backwards so I'd like to avoid it if possible.)

It took me a few trys to understand a bit better how to install. Moving to Ubuntu as you said in another message is not necessarily going to help as it has nothing to do with your problem (though it may solve it through the installation process). I'm mostly familiar with Fedora's package system so bear with me if I struggle a bit here. You're getting an error regarding GCC. Even though it is installed, it may not have the proper shared C++ libraries available (hence it will not work for this).

I'm going to assume that your package manager has a search function so you can find all your references to C++ as they relate to GCC. FWIW, your troubles are more the exception as opposed to the rule. :)

See this link.... http://www.kubuntu.org/faq.php#mp3s or check their forums (http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/) as they all say essentially the same things.

[cdnLilWolf]

Skyguy:

I dug up the source files that should do the trick for you regardless of the distribution you use. They are "xmms-mad-0.0.8.tar.gz" and "libmad-0.15.1b-tar.gz" (196KB & 490KB respectively). If you wish I can email them directly to you as attachments or if you prefer, download them directly from here....

http://www.xmms.org/plugins.php?details=183
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=12349&package_id=86999&release_id=217880

The xmms file is the plugin that allows for the mpeg layer III decoder (assuming you want to use that player) and the file from sourceforge is the actual decoder library (many applications would use this). If you want to compile these on your PC, I'd be happy to help, though the readme's are pretty straight forward if you're not worried about using the command line.

Failing that, you can try the re-install discussed in the other thread. Let us know how you make out.

[mike998]

Try opening a terminal and typing

sudo apt-get install w32codecs xine-extracodecs
Then supply your password when prompted.
I personally use Xubuntu and I am assuming that you use Kubuntu by the replies here. Try going here http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu_Edgy#How_to_install_Multimedia_Codecs and see if this helps you. The actual how-to is assuming that you are running Ubuntu and if not, you will probably get some extra stuff installed.
Hope this helps!