Windows Media Player in Linux

How do I get WMP installed on Ubuntu? I wouldn't otherwise use it, but I'm not able to view online videos, trailers, etc. when most of the websites(imdb, blockbuster) all use WMP to show them. I tried using wine but it's giving me a "no updates available" error and shutting down. Any ideas or workarounds?

 

To be honest I always found WINE and absolute pita.

I started using VLC media player. It supports almost every media format so you might want to give that a try.

It can be found here

HTH

J

 

Even if you do get WMP working via WINE, you won't be able to view online videos with it. You would have to have the WMP plugin for Firefox, which doesn't work in Linux. If you download Automatix2, I think there is a package that installs an mplayer plugin for Firefox that allows you view WMP vidoes through Firefox, but I've found it to be pretty worthless. It hardly ever works. Just one of the things about using Linux that you have to get used to.

 

Bummer. Is there a way it can be done through IE?

 

Just say no to WMP in Linux. mplayer's plugin actually works well for me. Make sure you install the w32codecs package (google for it) if you don't use Automatix2 or something like that. I personally like putting everything in mostly manually, so I don't get cruft. I like knowing which repositories are for what, and why

WMP is also highly tied to the WGA authentication any more, so it's not terribly likely that you'll get either IE or WMP installed and working. Just use the native stuff. Most of it should work without a whole lot of trouble.

Read this. All I googled for was "mplayer firefox plugin ubuntu". You should try Google. It's nice. I don't think many people have heard of it, given the questions they ask that could be answered by it, though...

And neosenate... I am not!

 

IE works on my end but the media still doesn't. I'm using Automatix now to download the plugins and codecs. Hopefully it'll work...

As far as google is concerned, if I don't find something within the first couple of pages, it's much easier just to ask someone who already knows, don't ya think?

 

Why are you using Linux if you just want to run IE and WMP anyway? If you don't want to run it the Linux way, it's really like trying to force a square peg in a round hole. Just use Windows if you need the "functionality" Windows provides, and insist on using Windows programs under an OS that isn't meant to support them.

That's not a dig at you specifically, but new Linux users in general. Linux is not Windows. Stop trying to make it act like it is. Learn how the system works, and how it's different than Windows, and you'll get along much better than limping through trying to get it to behave like Windows.

 

I'm not trying to get it to behave like Windows at all. I only got Internet Explorer to see if the movies would work on it because there was something I was looking for. And wmp was only an extension of that. I didn't want either to use regularly, just to use for what I wanted to do then. I look at it more as compatibility, not trying to fit Windows into Linux. Because, after all, there isn't much about Microsoft I actually like.

 

I used Automatix2 to install the w32codecs and MPlayer plugin (among other things,) and I haven't run across anything I can't play online.

 

Will automatix2 work for ubuntu dapper or do I have to get automatix1?

 

Automatix2 will work in Dapper.

 

Thanks I actualy just found that out. downloading Right now

 

IE on Linux is Complete Garbage in my opinion. Did you try Opera?

Windows media Plug-in works fine on FireFox2 in Linux.

Try looking for a add-on.

Or see if you can find your anwser here ...... Ubuntu Starter Guide

 

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RestrictedFormats

Look through that, and it will tell you what you want to know.

 

For some reason when I put the first line of code in it asks me for the password but when I try to put the password in nothing happens i.e. the cursour just stay still, it wont type. am I doing somthing wrong?

 

IE is my least favorite browser so I agree with you LIVE. I've used Opera in the past and it was my favorite browser to use but I just haven't bothered to download it because Firefox works well too. Maybe I'll go ahead and do that though.

I'll take a look at that article as well. Thanks.

 

What are you trying to do?

 

download and install Automatix2

 

It's typing. Just type it in and press enter, it'll work.

 

First I copy the code and this is what happens: mansfield@mansfield-laptop:~$ echo "deb http://www.getautomatix.com/apt dapper main" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
Password:


And then I canot type anymore it just stalls

 

I really do suggest you use the WIKI entry for your problems, it will help you understand what packages go into the system you are using.

 

yea I know how to install it, I aws just wondering why I cannot get my password in.

 

You do realize that your password doesn't show up as you type it, right? Just type your password and press enter and it should work, even though your password won't show up on the screen.

 

Sometimes I feel bad when I use Automatix (like I'm doing now for my new install of Dapper). But the thing is, I've installed most of this stuff before on my own, and I don't really feel like doing it again every time I install my OS anymore. Maybe I'm lazy, I don't know. But after the time I manually installed nvidia drivers in SUSE, I just don't feel like going through all that anymore. Besides, I still have to compile so many other apps I don't feel like I'm missing anything.

 

Ah I actually wondered if that was the case and gave it a try, thanks anyway. It si kinda wierd though.

 

welcome to unix-like systems...

I believe it's a security measure from back in the way back so that people can't see how long your password is. wouldn't want some dink to get ahold of your password in the lab and use up your time allowance on the mainframe now, would you? </crotchety old man voice>

better for the bad guys to know nothing, right?

 

true, to true. But I guess I should add to the guide that if you do not see your password being typed not to worry about it.

 

lol, ahh..but trial and error is the only way to learn.

 

I do not mind trial and error, but most folks seem to find it archaic.