totem hangs when playing video files

Please try vlc

Play mp3 and dvd under Ubuntu

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

You need to have extra repositories enabled..

Please first enable the multiverse repository:

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

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

Then to install:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
sudo aptitude install libdvdread3 libdvdnav4 libdvdcss2
sudo aptitude install non-free-codecs gstreamer0.10-pitfdll w32codecs ubuntu-restricted-extras

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

Hope this helps

Greetings, I am having a similar problem. I am interested in getting Totem to work rather than installing other packages. My system is Ubuntu 8.04.2 on a brand new Lenovo Thinkpad R400. Totem version 2.22.1 is the package installed.

When I try to launch the example video "Experience ubuntu.ogg", Totem starts and hangs the system. Only the mouse responds. I have to force a powerdown of the system. I tried installing the gstreamer plugins and it did not help.

I then tried an MP3 file, same Totem hang. Just for kicks I tried to play an ogg vorbis and MP3 file using Rhythmbox with no problem. Totem is the only app hanging my system and it is a hard hang each time requiring a forced power down.