Totem could not play 'file:///home/username/monie.asf'.
Video codec 'MS WMV 9 (win32)' is not handled. You might need to install additional plugins to be able to play some types of movies

Dose anyone know how to enable Sarge Debian to support movies that end with the extension WMV ?

Any info on how to do this will be appreciated

You could download the win32 codecs from mplayers website and copy them to /usr/lib/win32.

Use mplayer to play this kind of movie.

mplayer -ao <audio output> -vo <vidio output> <file name>

I use sdl for both outputs.

"mplayer -ao help" for a list of outputs

I suppose mplayer is already installed since this is so default.

If it is not just type "apt-get install mplayer" as root.

mplayer is almost out of business

what will it be of us?

Its not really going out of business. They are protesting the potential introduction of software patents in Europe, but they have not been threatened by anybody and the message on their site is a bit over the top (think shock tactics to get people to vote against the patents ).

Thanks for the replies

I think Totem is the default movie player not sure though. I never had any problems using Totem with Non WMV type formats before so I just now tried to apt-get Mplayer and I got this error message




username@linux:~$ su
Password:
linux:/home/username# apt-get install mplayer
Reading Package Lists... Done
Building Dependency Tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package mplayer
linux:/home/username#

Is it possible that those Um... depository things are supposed to be enabled before adding anything new ? I appreciate the replies very much and will click the thank you button to thank all those who responded to this thread after I'm done replying to this post

If you don't install the required codecs from mplayers site, totem won't play all MS video types. I think its the same with mplayer.

mplayer isn't in the repository since it had closed source code. Now it's another story and maybe soon it will be send back to the repository (but without the closed codecs, of course!)

and mplayer is not THE solution... there is still totem-xine that works pretty well (and i still don't succeed to understand why gstreamer is the new standard... it sucks...)

I don't know if it's the ultimate solution, but i've downloaded the mplayer codecs, i've unzipped them in the /usr/local/lib/codecs directory
http://www2.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/rel...050412.tar.bz2

and i've linked them to the ~/.gnome2/totem-addons directory like this:
It should work (it worked here), but i admit that i've tried a lot of things and it was a long time ago...
I hope it'll work for you

Creak

Hello everybody thanks for the replies I appreciate them

Somethings not right I did as mentioned and got this message when I went to reload the repository's

Could not download all repository indexes

The repository might be no longer available or could not be contacted because of network problems. If available an older version of the failed index will be used. Otherwise the repository will be ignored. Check your network connection and the correct writing of the repository address in the preferences.

My pc is connected to the Internet so I'm sure the problem dose not have anything to do with the Internet connection I must have messed up somehow when I went to add wnv to the repository's, I have allot of data on this computer I'd hate to do anything that will ruin the pc is there a way to fix the error message below I no longer wish to add wmv Debian makes doing simple task complicated

I been using Debian for ... 8 months and never had any problems with it until now any info on how to fix this error ( I hope it's not serious) will be appreciated very much.

Is your failing repository the security one?
It's because sarge is now in stable, here is my /etc/apt/sources.list:
should work. maybe try "us" or "de" instead of "fr" if your american or deutch (you see what i mean )...

Thanks for the replies

I never had to do anything fancy with Debian yet so I'm guessing the best way to go about doing this would be to click on my computer then on the folder that says etc/ then apt and then sources I'm looking inside the {/etc/apt/sources.list ( read only folder right now and here is what I see inside the folder


#deb file:///cdrom/ sarge main

deb ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/ testing main
deb-src ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/debian/ testing main

deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main

Should I erase the part above ^^ then Replace it with the new code that you provided or should I copy and paste the code you provided and paste the new code below the one that is already inside the folder sorry for being so picky it's just that I have Allot of data on this computer I'd hate to loose any of it

thanks again for all the replies I really do appreciate them.

I don't know how newbie you are, so i'll explain as much as i can:

/etc/apt/sources.list is a root-only configuration file. So you'll need the root privileges in order to modify it.

On common distributions, you have to login as root on a terminal in order to edit it. To do this, open a terminal and type "su". This means "log me as root". Look at the manual ("man su") to now more.

On Ubuntu, they globalized a (smarter) system in order to have root privilege for a few time. Everything that needs root is managed by the "sudo" system which give normal users some privileges, depending on rules (you can look at the /etc/sudoers file to see these rules). As above, look at the manual ("man sudo") to now more. So in order to edit the apt sources file on Ubuntu, launch a shell and type "sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list". Like that you say "launch the text editor 'nano' with the root privileges in order to edit the sources.list file". Of course you can change your editor with what you want: emacs, vim, gedit...

Another way to do all that (in an easier way) is to launch synaptic (which begins by asking you your password in order to have the root privileges) and to click on something like "Categories > Repositories" (sorry, my menu is in French, so i just translated it ). There you'll see the same informations than in the sources.list file but organized in a graphical interface. You can change them from here too.

Now, the apt repositories:
Doesn't matter which system you wanted to use in order to change your repositories, you'll find the same logic in each (of course, it's from the same file )
So, the file is read line by line, one line is one repository. When there is a '#', it's a comment.
- 'deb' or 'deb-src' means that it's a repository for debian packages or source packages (it's quite obvious, isn't it ? )
- the URL, is the URL to the root directory of the repository on the server, nothing less, nothing more... you can browse them if you want
- then there is an id for your distribution. It could be stable, testing, unstable, experimental or even woody, sarge, etch etc... You'are in testing in your case.
- and at last there is a list of which tree you want to subscribe, by default it's 'main' and in option it can be 'contrib' and/or 'non-free'. Few packages are tolerated in these extra directories, like the nvidia drivers (even if it's not still really easy to install...) or few java stuff. In general these packages aren't under the GPL license and/or aren't completely opened.

So it brings to what you need to do, just change the last line into:
deb http://security.debian.org/ stable/updates main
And it should work fine! If not, comment it and wait few days (hours?)... it's because the server isn't sync yet.
All this stuff is because while sarge wasn't released as 'stable', they had to 'backport' the security repository, but now everything is back to normal (the security packages shouldn't be in the testing repository, it's absurd ).

For the 'contrib non-free' part... If you're a desktop user, i encourage you to use them... Debian is already unfriendly enough But BTW i love Debian and i don't expect to change from it (and, yes, i've tried Ubuntu... )

I'm sorry nothing works

I bet the person who invented Debian walks backwards instead of forward

It's much easier to walk forward then it is to walk backwards same gos with operating systems

What they should have done was made a method that would allow the user to simply type su
pass
and then etc apt sources into the terminal and then allow the user to erase the old source code and past in the new one I'm going to write a letter to the people over at Debian and explain this method to them what really gets me is that these people actually wonder why the majority of Pc users use Windows and not Linux using Debian Linux is like walking backwards where on the other hand using Microsoft windows is like walking forward It's much easier to walk forward then it is to walk backwards amazing why anyone would want to walk backwards is beyond me.

I'm going to un-install this umm os before it dose anymore damage to my pc thanks for the replies I appreciate them I'm sticking with windows I rather deal with the Bugs worms spy ware and all the other slime that comes with windows then use an os that expects people to have degree in computer science just to be able to edit a simple config file

<rant GreatVengeance='true' FuriousAnger='true'>

Translation: nothing *you did* works--which frankly doesn't surprise me.

Well, why don't you ask him? Googling on his name gave me his blog. He actually writes a decent blog.

They have:
$ su
(pass)
# gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

But I can understand if that's too difficult for you.

They know it already. They usually refer to it as `using the shell'. Sometimes they might refer to it as `using the brain', though.

Yeah, now you say it--I'd much rather use an OS than only a kernel (http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html).

But I think GNU/(your preferred kernel) knocks the socks off of windows in every possible way:
1) You don't pay for getting totally screwed over (well, *you* might, but that's your own bad decision).
2) GNU actually works: it has uptimes that compare about equally to windows release schedules.
3) It's fun to hack, tweak, modify and generally mung.
4) It keeps the total morons out of my hair. You know, the kind that gives up as soon as they get the help they asked for.

We *know* why microsoft is bad for consumers, so we choose to walk backwards, away from them, while closely keeping an eye on them. Why anyone reasonable sane and non-retarded would go for their bait is beyond me.

All it does is exactly what you tell it to. Are you getting afraid of your own power, or is it just that you never really learned how to use them properly?

Speaking for this one (it's the only one I really *can* speak for), you're welcome.

I love giving trolls a healthy dose of acid.

See: it keeps you out of my hair. Isn't that wonderful?

I would like to personally thank all the GNU developers.

I won't even begin imagining how vehemently masochistic you are--you insist on being lied to and treated with disrespect, and you want to pay money for it.

I'm actually scared at the thought.

But I dare say you deserve it.

I never heard of such an operating system.

Well, maybe the old Mac OSes--they had a pretty strong idea about not letting the user know how anything worked. On those OSes, someone might ask you about your degrees.

But for GNU/Linux, we don't care how smart the users are--they're all welcome.

Too bad you didn't want to join us--we're having a great time.

But for your effort in trying, you deserve a permanent copy of my sig, as it was of Thu Jun 16 2005 05:51:30 (Unix Time: 1118893890)--and I mean it:

"Now go away, or I shall taunt you a second time"
</rant>

You can login as root and edit the file or in a terminal/console, or if you are using KDE simply type kdesu kedit(or whatever text editor you use) in a terminal;then Open>/etc/apt/sources.list and comment out the testing security update line or change the "testing" to stable. You can also open Synaptic and change your repositories. Or run apt-setup from a terminal/console.

It is very simple really.

A little tip: learning to really use the power of Linux involves reading, trial and error.
Linux is Not Windows. Please get that part firmly embedded in your mind right away.
Once you come to accept that simple fact it becomes much easier to learn how to use Linux.
Google is your friend. There are some very good books available for learning, although anything you need to learn can be found on the net.

Maybe you are not ready for Debian GNU/Linux.
If you really want to learn Linux, here's a little advice:
1. Start off with a LIVECD like Knoppix to get a feel for things.
2. Install a reasonably newbie friendly distro. Mepis or Xandros are good choices.
3. Forget everything you ever thought you knew about Windows.
4. Start with a clean slate and an open mind.
5. Accept the fact that the CLI is far more flexible and powerful than a GUI. Learn how to use it.
6. Read the man pages for the various programs.
7. Accept the fact that it takes time to learn a new system.
8. When trying to address a problem or figure something out:
a) search the forums. b) google c) ask smart questions.
9. Stick with a single distro for a while until you've actually learned how to use it.
10. If something isn't working correctly learn WHY it isn't. It could be YOU did something WRONG. Or it could be a simple configuration change.
11. Always remember Linux doesn't assume you're stupid, unlike windoze."-Thanks masonm
12. Read Getting Linux Help HOWTO