The latest version of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution code-named Hardy-Heron has been released.
Ubuntu is a distro that’s well known for its user-friendliness and simplicity. If you haven’t tried Ubuntu yet, get it here. You can even get a free CD shipped to you absolutely free of cost through the Ubuntu ship it program.
However, if tested out-of-the-box, Ubuntu is crippled on the multimedia front. This is because of copyright and patent restrictions that complicate distribution of proprietary codecs with Ubuntu, which prides itself as a totally free operating system.
Even though Ubuntu developers haven’t included proprietary codecs, they have made it extremely easy for you to install them later through the Medibuntu repository. You can get encrypted DVD playback, Adobe Flash plugin and non-native media files (Windows media, Apple QuickTime, Real, MP3) support by using this single command.
Take a terminal (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal) and enter the following command:
sudo wget http://www.medibuntu.org/sources.list.d/hardy.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/medibuntu.list && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs
The above command downloads all the required codecs from the Medibuntu repositories and makes your Ubuntu box multimedia ready.
Note: The above command is for 32 bit processors. AMD 64bit users, replace the ending word w32codecs with w64codecs. PPC users replace w32codecs with ppc-codecs.
Bonus Tip
Once you have run the above command, you can easily install third party applications like Skype, Google Earth and Acrobat Reader.
Skype:
sudo apt-get install skype
Google Earth:
sudo apt-get install googleearth-4.2
Adobe Acrobat Reader:
sudo apt-get install acroread
Happy Linuxing.
sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 && sudo apt-get install w32codecs
That could just be:
sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2 w32codecs
No reason to do them separately.
Hi there! What happened to just installing ubuntu-restricted-extras?
i dont think restricted extras plays DVDs..
ubuntu-restricted-extras does need to be on that list. It gets the Flash plugin and mp3 (and Java and other stuff). That command doesn't. What's included in restricted-extras *can* play DVDs, provided they are unencrypted, such as from a DVD camcorder. The extra libraries are needed for encrypted DVDs.
Calling that "one command" is stretching it a bit. I mean, not that I'm complaining; it works and doesn't require much thought. But saying that is "one command" is disingenuous at best.
@mackenzie:
Thanks for the tip.
@jonramvi:
ubuntu-restricted-extras installs libdvdread3 which cannot play encrypted DVDs, whereas libdvdcss2 can.
So ubuntu-restricted-extras gives you:
Flash plugin
MP3 support
Unencrypted DVD playback
Java
unrar
While this method gives you:
All windows codecs
MP3 support
Encrypted DVD playback
Google Earth
Skype
Adobe Acrobat Reader
@randall:
Calling it one command is not technically correct as it contain more than one Linux command. But for a new comer, I think this will do more good than giving him a bunch of commands to execute.
Great, it finally works! One thing though, the sound doesn't work. I'm a noob to linux, FYI. Could it be because I'm 64bit?
Only one question: Why on earth would you want to install About Acrobat? There are so many alternatives that are better. I personally use kPDF which is installed by
sudo apt-get install kpdf
No dependencies required :)
Recommended method is:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras && sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread3/install-css.sh
You don't need Adobe to read PDFs. Just use KPDF for KDE or Evince/Document Viewer for Gnome. Both are pre-installed.
I need to get these installed on a PC without internet connection.
Which are the .DEBs I need to download? I did download the ubuntu-restricted-extras and the dependent ones. But I am not sure that is all that is required.
Conversation with end-user after installing Ubuntu.
Them: What where is my Adobe?
Me: Your Adobe what?
Them: My Adobe!
Me: Your Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Reader ...?
Them: No, Acrobat!
Me: so you need to author and edit PDF files?
Them: No I just read 'em and print 'em
Me: sigh
*to previous comment*
That sounds about right for the average user.
Followed your suggestion for loading to Ubunto skype and adobe reader, but could not complete google earth and now I have the following notice
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run dpkg --configure -a to correct the problem.
E: _cache- open() failed, please report.
which does not allow me to address updates etc.
How do I correct it.
Dov Lederberg,
Take a terminal and enter "sudo dpkg --configure -a" and hit enter.
That should clean up the incomplete install mess. Now try to install google earth.
Thank you for the help. I am a new Ubuntu user, and have struggled to get the DVD playback function working. I have been on a number of boards and tried various things recommended there without success. However, your advice worked the first time. Thanks again.
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