How can I watch a video in avi. format???? (Or in any other format)

Asked by Urmo Kõiv

For now after two hours of Google'ing and searching the forum, while trying different kinds of tricks how to play avi. files, I'm more frustrated than ever by the fact that there seems to be no clear solution for this and that in Ubuntu. Seems Like no-one knows exactly how to make thing work in Ubuntu. What should I do now??? - My girlfriend fell asleep while I was dealing with this problem and it's pretty obvious that I'm not going to get it work in near future. Or is it possible?

I have Ubuntu Studio 8.04 installed on my machine and I have installed all the updates.
I tried installing: MPlayer, gxine, Totem, Totem (xine), Kaffeine, VLC... And some stuff I did not understand and remember... Installing ubuntu-restricted-extras package didn't do anything.

Any suggestions?

You know it sucks awfully if one is unable to watch movies...

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Revision history for this message
Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#1

Yes, you can watch movies on your computer monitor.

All the answers are here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu/

Revision history for this message
will (drummer4mds) said :
#2

try this

First please install https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

You need to have extra repositories enabled..

Please first enable the universe and multiverse repository:

Open System → Administration → Software sources → [ Tab Ubuntu software ]

enable "Community-maintained Open Source software ( universe )"
enable "Proprietary drivers for devices ( restricted )"
enable "Software restrictecd by copyright or legal issue ( multiverse )"

Close and confirm the repository reload.

Type the following command in a terminal (applications → accessories → terminal)

sudo aptitude install vlc smplayer mplayer

To get better dvd playback and optional packages here the medibuntu available software list http://packages.medibuntu.org/
you need to add the medibuntu http://www.medibuntu.org/ repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:
( here the medibuntu howto https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu but see below )

In short type or better copy and paste the rows, below one row a time then press enter:

ubu_codename=$(sudo lsb_release -c | cut -d: -f 2 | sed 's/^[ \t]*//;s/[ \t]*$//')
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$ubu_codename.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

Now to install, type:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras libxine1-ffmpeg
sudo aptitude install libdvdread3 libdvdnav4 libdvdcss2 regionset gnome-mplayer
sudo aptitude install non-free-codecs w32codecs
sudo aptitude install gstreamer0.10-pitfdll gstreamer0.10-plugins-good
sudo aptitude install gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse

give your user password when requested, you don't see nothing when you type it, then press enter.

You can also install other Medibuntu repository provided optional software http://packages.medibuntu.org/ :

sudo apt-get install skype
sudo apt-get install googleearth
sudo apt-get install acroread

Hope this helps

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#3

First please install https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

You need to have extra repositories enabled..

Please first enable the universe and multiverse repository:

Open System → Administration → Software sources → [ Tab Ubuntu software ]

enable "Community-maintained Open Source software ( universe )"
enable "Proprietary drivers for devices ( restricted )"
enable "Software restrictecd by copyright or legal issue ( multiverse )"

Close and confirm the repository reload.

Type the following command in a terminal (applications → accessories → terminal)

sudo aptitude install vlc smplayer mplayer

To get better dvd playback and optional packages here the medibuntu available software list http://packages.medibuntu.org/
you need to add the medibuntu http://www.medibuntu.org/ repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:
( here the medibuntu howto https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu but see below )

In short type or better copy and paste the rows, below one row a time then press enter:

ubu_codename=$(sudo lsb_release -c | cut -d: -f 2 | sed 's/^[ \t]*//;s/[ \t]*$//')
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$ubu_codename.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update

--------------------------------------------------------
I have tried this before.
After executing the last row it get weird.
Here is the output:

urmo@MOONIKA:~$ sudo aptitude install vlc smplayer mplayer
[sudo] password for urmo:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
Building tag database... Done
The following packages are unused and will be REMOVED:
  libavifile-0.7c2
The following NEW packages will be automatically installed:
  smplayer-themes smplayer-translations
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  smplayer smplayer-themes smplayer-translations
0 packages upgraded, 3 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 3380kB of archives. After unpacking 3523kB will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n/?] Y
Writing extended state information... Done
Get:1 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/multiverse smplayer-translations 0.6.1-1~hardy1 [1035kB]
Get:2 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/multiverse smplayer 0.6.1-1~hardy1 [813kB]
Get:3 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe smplayer-themes 0.1.15.dfsg-0ubuntu1 [1532kB]
Fetched 3380kB in 0s (6221kB/s)
(Reading database ... 171644 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing libavifile-0.7c2 ...
Processing triggers for libc6 ...
ldconfig deferred processing now taking place
Selecting previously deselected package smplayer-translations.
(Reading database ... 171591 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking smplayer-translations (from .../smplayer-translations_0.6.1-1~hardy1_all.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package smplayer.
Unpacking smplayer (from .../smplayer_0.6.1-1~hardy1_i386.deb) ...
Selecting previously deselected package smplayer-themes.
Unpacking smplayer-themes (from .../smplayer-themes_0.1.15.dfsg-0ubuntu1_all.deb) ...
Setting up smplayer-translations (0.6.1-1~hardy1) ...
Setting up smplayer (0.6.1-1~hardy1) ...

Setting up smplayer-themes (0.1.15.dfsg-0ubuntu1) ...
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Reading extended state information
Initializing package states... Done
Writing extended state information... Done
Building tag database... Done
urmo@MOONIKA:~$ ubu_codename=$(sudo lsb_release -c | cut -d: -f 2 | sed 's/^[ \t]*//;s/[ \t]*$//')
urmo@MOONIKA:~$ sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/$ubu_codename.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list
--08:18:12-- http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list
           => `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list'
Resolving www.medibuntu.org... 87.98.242.110
Connecting to www.medibuntu.org|87.98.242.110|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 226 [text/plain]

100%[====================================>] 226 --.--K/s

08:18:13 (13.97 MB/s) - `/etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list' saved [226/226]

urmo@MOONIKA:~$ wget -q http://packages.medibuntu.org/medibuntu-key.gpg -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update
OK
Get:1 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:2 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse Translation-en_US
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Translation-en_US
Get:3 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:4 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security Release.gpg [189B]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy Release
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:5 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed Release.gpg [189B]
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/multiverse Translation-en_US
Get:6 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release.gpg [197B]
Ign http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/universe Translation-en_US
Get:7 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy Release [65.9kB]
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy Release
Get:8 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates Release [58.5kB]
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/free Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/non-free Translation-en_US
Get:9 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports Release [44.0kB]
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy/multiverse Packages
Get:10 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security Release [58.5kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Packages
Get:11 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed Release [58.5kB]
Get:12 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Packages [1178kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com hardy/partner Sources
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy/multiverse Sources
Get:13 http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy Release [11.7kB]
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy/multiverse Packages
  404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.40 80]
Err http://archive.ubuntu.com breezy/multiverse Sources
  404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.40 80]
Get:14 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/restricted Packages [6986B]
Get:15 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/main Sources [338kB]
Get:16 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/restricted Sources [1488B]
Get:17 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe Packages [4293kB]
Hit http://apt.wicd.net hardy Release.gpg
Ign http://apt.wicd.net hardy/extras Translation-en_US
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/free Packages
Hit http://apt.wicd.net hardy Release
Hit http://packages.medibuntu.org hardy/non-free Packages
Ign http://apt.wicd.net hardy/extras Packages
Hit http://apt.wicd.net hardy/extras Packages
Get:18 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/universe Sources [1323kB]
Get:19 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Packages [179kB]
Get:20 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy/multiverse Sources [60.9kB]
Get:21 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Packages [426kB]
Get:22 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/restricted Packages [8001B]
Get:23 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/main Sources [110kB]
Get:24 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/restricted Sources [903B]
Get:25 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/universe Packages [178kB]
Get:26 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/universe Sources [39.0kB]
Get:27 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse Packages [28.4kB]
Get:28 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-updates/multiverse Sources [5212B]
Get:29 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/main Packages [112kB]
Get:30 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/main Packages [112kB]
Get:31 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/restricted Packages [14B]
Get:32 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/universe Packages [110kB]
Get:33 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/multiverse Packages [13.9kB]
Get:34 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/main Sources [16.3kB]
Get:35 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/restricted Sources [14B]
Get:36 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/universe Sources [25.2kB]
Get:37 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-backports/multiverse Sources [3817B]
Get:38 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/main Packages [147kB]
Get:39 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/restricted Packages [7487B]
Get:40 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/main Sources [25.5kB]
Get:41 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/restricted Sources [892B]
Get:42 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/universe Packages [71.6kB]
Get:43 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/universe Sources [10.8kB]
Get:44 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/multiverse Packages [11.5kB]
Get:45 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-security/multiverse Sources [1105B]
Get:46 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/restricted Packages [7980B]
Get:47 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/main Packages [59.5kB]
Get:48 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/multiverse Packages [5480B]
Get:49 http://ee.archive.ubuntu.com hardy-proposed/universe Packages [17.5kB]
Err http://packages.freecontrib.org breezy Release.gpg
  Could not connect to packages.freecontrib.org:80 (34.52.53.34), connection timed out
Err http://packages.freecontrib.org breezy/free Translation-en_US
  Unable to connect to packages.freecontrib.org http:
Err http://packages.freecontrib.org breezy/non-free Translation-en_US
  Unable to connect to packages.freecontrib.org http:
Fetched 9110kB in 2min0s (75.9kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
W: Failed to fetch http://packages.freecontrib.org/ubuntu/plf/dists/breezy/Release.gpg Could not connect to packages.freecontrib.org:80 (34.52.53.34), connection timed out

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.freecontrib.org/ubuntu/plf/dists/breezy/free/i18n/Translation-en_US.bz2 Unable to connect to packages.freecontrib.org http:

W: Failed to fetch http://packages.freecontrib.org/ubuntu/plf/dists/breezy/non-free/i18n/Translation-en_US.bz2 Unable to connect to packages.freecontrib.org http:

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/breezy/multiverse/binary-i386/Packages.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.40 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/breezy/multiverse/source/Sources.gz 404 Not Found [IP: 91.189.88.40 80]

W: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.
W: You may want to run apt-get update to correct these problems
urmo@MOONIKA:~$
------------------------------

To Andre Mangan

Yes, you can watch movies on your computer monitor.

All the answers are here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu/

-----------------------------
I have tried all that but I ended up with the same error.

Urmo Kõiv.

Revision history for this message
Andre Mangan (kyphi) said :
#4

That is a very confusing list of sources. Breezy? Breezy expired in April, 2007.

I think that you may have to redo your sources list first before even trying to install non-free codecs - better still, reinstall Ubuntu.

Revision history for this message
Luky Winarto (luckyborneo) said :
#5

Hi urmo,

Please change your repository from Breezy to hardy. Then run sudo apt-get update again then sudo apt-get upgrade. And then, try like Will said. I'm sure, you can watch a video with avi format.

-Luky-

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#6

HI again.

Some previous fix I tried messed my repositories up. I managed to get correct ones.
So then I followed Will's words step-by-step and no errors got on my way.
But then I tried to watch the movie... Still same behavior with every media player :(
How is this possible?????

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#7

And oh!!!!!!! Another funny thing I noticed after this fix...
I have no audio!

Revision history for this message
Luky Winarto (luckyborneo) said :
#8

Hi urmo,

This is weird. May I know the type of your sound card please? Run this command from terminal:
$ lspci | grep Audio

-Luky-

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#9

  lspci | grep Audio
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)

Revision history for this message
Luky Winarto (luckyborneo) said :
#10

Please visit this site Urmo,
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=662393

Hopefully, this will help your ubuntu to get your Audio works.

-Luky-

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#11

there was this post:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I uninstalled OSSv4. Reinstalled every package that was related to sound. Installed alsa-1.0.15 from source.

At this point, I could log in again. I put "options snd-hda-intel model=lenovo" at the end of my /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base file.

Then I:

    * sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules
    * depmod -a
    * modprobe snd-hda-intel

Then the most important step:

I had to press the physical mute button on my laptop. At this point sound started working.

Note: My sound applet thinks the sound is muted, but it's not. The physical volume buttons do bring the indicator up on the screen, but the sound level does not change.

The headset works great. I don't have an internal mic. My Logitech Quickcam mic and the mic plug both work great.

Maybe this will help someone.

I do not believe that installing alsa-1.0.15 was needed, just the backports modules. I could be wrong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where and how can I get that alsa-1.0.15?
How can I put "options snd-hda-intel model=lenovo" at the end of my /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base file? It tells me that I do not have the right permissiond to edit that file.

Revision history for this message
Luky Winarto (luckyborneo) said :
#12

Try this trick:
$ sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

It will ask your password, so input your password. Then, at the end of file, add this:
options snd-hda-intel model=lenovo

Then, try to reboot your ubuntu.

-Luky-

Revision history for this message
Urmo Kõiv (urmok6iv) said :
#13

Nothing changed.
When I press the physical mute button it shows like volume=0.
Pressing volume control on my toolbar dispalys this message:

The volume control did not find any elements and/or devices to control. This means either that you don't have the right GStreamer plugins installed, or that you don't have a sound card configured.

Double clicking on it: No volume control GStreamer plugins and/or devices found

When I opened ALSA mixer it had no volume sliders where they used to be and clicking Sound Card Properties made the window disappear.

Revision history for this message
Brijesh (brijesh-awgp) said :
#14

Pls open the file with Totem Player. That will need codecs/files to be search and install/update. Then you will be able to play.

Regards

Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) said :
#15
Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) said :
#16

First tho it might be a good plan to reboot but use the boot-menu to choose the other Ubuntu option and boot into the one that has "Recovery Mode" at the end of the line. In Recovery Mode choose the "clear some space" option and then the "Repair broken packages" option. And then the "Continue with normal bootup"

Hopefully this should fix a few things!
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

Revision history for this message
Tom (tom6) said :
#17

lol, oops - i think my previous answer was meant to be for a different question! It wouldn't hurt to do it but doesn't address the problem as stated lol
Sorry about that!
Good luck and regards from
Tom :)

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