Why Doesn’t Ubuntu Play MP3s?
After messing around with the Live version of Ubuntu I decided to repartition my hard drive to dual boot Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux. Installation was real easy after doing some manual configuration for my video card.
When I loaded up XWindows from the linux command line, I noticed after a little while that mp3s don’t play. I would guess I need a codec or decoder to be able to play mp3s using this new version of Ubuntu.
I could search for a package at Ubuntu’s package website but you would think that would be something that comes loaded by default. If they want to become the windows desktop killer then there are some things that these distros of Linux need to have preinstalled to accomplish that.
A one-click process in Ubuntu would be nice also live Windows Update to install critical updates as well as additional features and not have to compile them from the source. One additional thing I wanted to add was that I did not try and load xmms. I’m sure that would have helped with things as well as creating and maintaining playlists.
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Ubuntu linux doesn’t support patented formats. Ubuntu can only legally distribute mp3 decoding software if they will pay licensing costs or make contract with fluendo http://www.fluendo.com/resources/fluendo_mp3.php
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RestrictedFormats
Ubuntu doesn’t “support” patented formats but rest assured, you can play any format you can in Windows.
Also:
Ubuntu of course has an automatic update, it’s the orange * icon in the corner. You should also check out Amarok and Banshee, two of the best music players on Linux. (sudo apt-get install amarok banshee)
Yep. It is the patent problem. I can’t remember te name of the company that has patents related to MP3, but I know that it was always a concern when I used to program for a P2P company – they were worried about adding player functionality because of the patent (You would have thought that the record companies would have been a bigger threat in their minds)
install automatix. it will take care of that missing feature. Patent, Patent whatever. Rest assured it is an RIAA thing.
Microsoft just lost $1.5 billion in a lawsuit due to patent infringement because they apparently didn’t properly license the mp3 format. Ubuntu is smart to stay away from this nasty little format! It only takes a few clicks to get it installed – there’s numerous guides online to help you through it.
Ubuntu does have an automatic updater – I know, because I just installed 130 updates using it.
I just reinstalled Ubuntu, and let me tell ya, it gets easier every time. In under five hours I defragged my Windows drive, repartitioned the drive, installed Ubuntu over the old version, installed kubuntu-desktop and xubuntu-desktop, installed all appropriate codecs (DVD, mp3, flac, etc), got my nvidia card running, and got Beryl (a 3D window manager) running. I’ve had much more difficult Windows installations, that’s for sure! Ubuntu is rockin’ – the only problem is I keep breaking it because I always get a little carried away in tinkering with it. It’s worth it though.
And you learn more as well.
Thank You All.
The info on mp3s not playing, helped out a great deal