The application K3b is very good for this purpose, except for one problem: it doesn't support MP3->CD out of the box. On K3b's startup screen, it says:
"Mp3 Audio Decoder plugin not found.
K3b could not load or find the Mp3 decoder plugin. This means that you will not be able to create Audio CDs from Mp3 files. Many Linux distributions do not include Mp3 support for legal reasons.
Solution: To enable Mp3 support, please install the MAD Mp3 decoding library as well as the K3b MAD Mp3 decoder plugin (the latter may already be installed but not functional due to the missing libmad). Some distributions allow installation of Mp3 support via an online update tool (i.e. SuSE's YOU)."
Fortunately the solution is extremely simple:
1) open your terminal
2) execute this:
sudo apt-get install libk3b2-mp3
Now you could drag-and-drop MP3 tracks into K3b.
You might ask: who still listens to CD? That's another story :D
Showing posts with label ubuntu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ubuntu. Show all posts
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
TRENDnet TEW-424UB 3.0R USB Wifi Adapter working on Ubuntu
No, it's not deja vu. I got a PCI Wifi card working on my brother's PC last week. It's more complicated for my desktop since I use a USB adapter. The additional piece of the puzzle is Ndiswrapper. Just follow this guide on how to install Ndiswrapper using the Windows (XP) driver files (I copied it straight from the included CD)
The weird part is that I was not able to use iwconfig to enter the Wifi setting successfully so I use the GUI instead and it worked. (Not the first time but after a reboot)
The weird part is that I was not able to use iwconfig to enter the Wifi setting successfully so I use the GUI instead and it worked. (Not the first time but after a reboot)
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
RealPlayer on Ubuntu Gutsy
Another example of user-unfriendliness of Linux: Remember I called RealPlayer a success from my experience with Feisty? I followed the same steps on my brother's PC, on which we install straight from the Gutsy Live CD, but it didn't work. The installer complained libstdc++5 is missing. Sounds like this version was included in Feisty but not Gutsy. At that time we couldn't get it connected to the internet so apt-get was out of the equation. Fortunately we were able to download the .deb package from here on another machine.
Another alternative (probably a better one anyway) is to bypass RealPlayer completely and install the codec and MPlayer plugin instead. Of course that would be easier if one has internet connection.
Another alternative (probably a better one anyway) is to bypass RealPlayer completely and install the codec and MPlayer plugin instead. Of course that would be easier if one has internet connection.
USB Modem on Ubuntu
Linux is notorious for diffcult to get USB Modem to work for dialup networking. (Built-in Modem on most notebook are so called Winmodem. It's used to be difficult to get them to work as well but much progress has been made thanks to http://www.linmodems.org/)
After much research and a little bit of experimentation, I got a Dynex DX-M300 USB modem working on Xubuntu. This modem is relatively cheap and easy to find online. Here are my steps:
1) Download the HSF driver from Linuxant. Choose the link for Ubuntu.
2) Install using dpkg (i.e. Method B on this page)
3) Open a terminal and run wvdialconf
4) Edit /etc/wvdial.conf and change Phone/Password/Username for your ISP
5) Run wvdial. It will dial the number and make the PPP connection for you. After it connects successfully, it will show the local and remote IP as well as the primary/secondary DNS server IP. Keep the terminal open.
6) Now you could surf web!
Notes:
1) For some reason the modem doesn't work after I boot the machine with it plugged in. In that case only the power light come on. I had to disconnect and reconnect. Then the MR light will also come on and it will work.
2) The free version of the Linuxant driver has its max speed limited to 14.4kbps. If you want to go full speed at 56k, you could buy a license from them for $20. (I haven't tried it)
3) If your modem is plugged into USB and is detected properly, lsusb should show:
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0572:1301 Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc.
After much research and a little bit of experimentation, I got a Dynex DX-M300 USB modem working on Xubuntu. This modem is relatively cheap and easy to find online. Here are my steps:
1) Download the HSF driver from Linuxant. Choose the link for Ubuntu.
2) Install using dpkg (i.e. Method B on this page)
3) Open a terminal and run wvdialconf
4) Edit /etc/wvdial.conf and change Phone/Password/Username for your ISP
5) Run wvdial. It will dial the number and make the PPP connection for you. After it connects successfully, it will show the local and remote IP as well as the primary/secondary DNS server IP. Keep the terminal open.
6) Now you could surf web!
Notes:
1) For some reason the modem doesn't work after I boot the machine with it plugged in. In that case only the power light come on. I had to disconnect and reconnect. Then the MR light will also come on and it will work.
2) The free version of the Linuxant driver has its max speed limited to 14.4kbps. If you want to go full speed at 56k, you could buy a license from them for $20. (I haven't tried it)
3) If your modem is plugged into USB and is detected properly, lsusb should show:
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0572:1301 Conexant Systems (Rockwell), Inc.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Wine problem on Gutsy
We got an error when we follow WineHQ's suggestion on installing Wine thru apt-get. Basically it complains about the dependency on libaudio2 but it is not installable.
Solution? Open Synaptic Package Manager and follow
sdibias's reply on this thread
Solution? Open Synaptic Package Manager and follow
sdibias's reply on this thread
Netgear WG311v2 PCI Wifi working on Ubuntu
We repurposed my brother's old PC to a Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbon-based Media Center. (It's free upgrade! What's not to like?) However, it is not for the faint hearted. Even though the current generation of Linux is much user friendlier than the past. You still couldn't expect everything just works out of the box. For example, we tried using just the GUI to config the Wifi adapter to connect to the AP without success. Finally we found this very useful guide. Basically, all that were required are:
1) run iwlist (see section 6.8) to find out details of your AP (most importantly, the MAC address)
2) run iwconfig (see section 3.3 for the specific options) The command must include:
- the "name" of the AP, i.e, the ESSID,
- the MAC address
- the "password" (if you use WEP. I haven't tried WPA)
My iwconfig command complains about the mode but it still works.
May your installation to be as smooth as ours.
1) run iwlist (see section 6.8) to find out details of your AP (most importantly, the MAC address)
2) run iwconfig (see section 3.3 for the specific options) The command must include:
- the "name" of the AP, i.e, the ESSID,
- the MAC address
- the "password" (if you use WEP. I haven't tried WPA)
My iwconfig command complains about the mode but it still works.
May your installation to be as smooth as ours.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Install emacs
I am an Emacser. There, I said it! It is not included as part of Ubuntu (but vi is! How unfair!) In order to try the latest and greatest version (22), I had to download and compile the source myself. The instruction in INSTALL works, only after I researched how to get rid of the various error (need to apt-get build-essential and libncurses5-dev.) Now I have it running in character mode! The journey to windows mode will continue...
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Create DVD on which videos are played sequentially
This is a followup to my previous post on DVD Authoring with tovid on Linux. One thing I really don't like is that after one video is played, it always jump back to the menu. My desired behavior is playing the next video instead unless it is the last one. (Here is one example: I create DVD for videos taken at classes. Each sub-menu on my DVD corresponds to a lesson and contains all videos from that lesson. )
To achieve the desired behavior, I have two choices:
1) group videos from a lesson together so that they will be played one after another but I lose the chapter markers.
2) edit the XML. Each of my video (the proper term is PGC) has a post-action, which is written as "call menu;" by tovid. I simply need to change them to "jump title X;" where X refers to the number of the next video.
To achieve the desired behavior, I have two choices:
1) group videos from a lesson together so that they will be played one after another but I lose the chapter markers.
2) edit the XML. Each of my video (the proper term is PGC) has a post-action, which is written as "call menu;" by tovid. I simply need to change them to "jump title X;" where X refers to the number of the next video.
Friday, July 27, 2007
My Ubuntu Experience: VCD/DVD Authoring
At first I thought about trying DeVeDe but I read that DeVeDe is incompatible with the MPlayer shipped with Ubuntu Feisty Fawn so I tried tovid instead.
I) Installation: follow the instructions from here.
II) Start the App: simply type tovidgui under any writable directory (e.g. your home)
[1. Layout]: you add videos here. The simplest VCD or DVD requires 1 menu and all videos could go under the menu. Name your source and destination files without spaces and underscores if you can.
[2. Encode]: just hit "Start encoding" and let it finish.
[3. Burn]: this is where I ran into trouble. If I simply hit "Start", both VCD and DVD failed.
VCD trouble: the cue and bin files were created successfully. However, when it tried burning them using cdrdao, nothing happened. I had to kill that process and repeat the cdrdao command in Terminal. Then it burned the VCD. However, I could only play the resulting disc on computer but not my VCD player. Your mileage may vary.
DVD trouble: again, the files were created successfully. However, when it executed dvdauthor, it does not like the titleset with -noask in the XML. So the solution is re-run the last command right after [2. Encode]: i.e., the makexml command, but take out the -noask option. This will generate a good XML. Then I could hit "Start" under [3. Burn] without problem.
(Link to the official Tovid GUI guide .)
I) Installation: follow the instructions from here.
II) Start the App: simply type tovidgui under any writable directory (e.g. your home)
[1. Layout]: you add videos here. The simplest VCD or DVD requires 1 menu and all videos could go under the menu. Name your source and destination files without spaces and underscores if you can.
[2. Encode]: just hit "Start encoding" and let it finish.
[3. Burn]: this is where I ran into trouble. If I simply hit "Start", both VCD and DVD failed.
VCD trouble: the cue and bin files were created successfully. However, when it tried burning them using cdrdao, nothing happened. I had to kill that process and repeat the cdrdao command in Terminal. Then it burned the VCD. However, I could only play the resulting disc on computer but not my VCD player. Your mileage may vary.
DVD trouble: again, the files were created successfully. However, when it executed dvdauthor, it does not like the titleset with -noask in the XML. So the solution is re-run the last command right after [2. Encode]: i.e., the makexml command, but take out the -noask option. This will generate a good XML. Then I could hit "Start" under [3. Burn] without problem.
(Link to the official Tovid GUI guide .)
My Ubuntu Experience: 1 Month Anniversary
I have been using Ubuntu on my desktop workstation for one monthly already! I still can't kick the habit of booting to Windows from time to time (See reasons mentioned later) but that's something I'm determine to avoid doing (Ever since I got Frethog and removed it, my anti-virus keeps finding worms, e.g. Winko/auto.exe, which seems to come from the usual suspect, judging by the fact that a number of posts analyzing these worms were written by Chinese experts. Anyway, I digressed)
Let me summarize a few more things I was able to do on Ubuntu successfully since last time:
1) Burn music CD from MP3: simply use Applications -> Sound & Video -> Serpentine. Works like a charm.
2) Remote Login to Windows. Yes I know there is RDP for Linux but my remote server runs TightVNC. There is no native TightVNC client on Linux but the Java Applet TightVNC Viewer does the job.
3) Mount Windows NTFS directories in Read/Write mode: they are mounted as Read-only by default. The easiest way to mount them as Read/Write is using NTFS Configuration Tool.
4) Mount remote directories in Read/Write mode: if you setup Windows to share a directory on the network, it is accessible using SMB on Linux. These are the steps to mount them permanently and read/writable (Note: VLC could only play remote files on the LAN this way)
Not so successful:
1) SlingPlayer on Wine (link to WineHQ): the sound gets choppy when I work on other windows and the video is grainy as the video tuning wizard refuse to run.
2) VMWare: I ran the free VMWare Converter to create an image of my existing Windows installation but VMWare Server had problem running this image (got a black screen after starting momentarily and then it just quit)
In any case, for day to day web browsing/blogging/e-mail/office app, Ubuntu has done a pretty good job. I heard some people commented that Ubuntu's "budding" relationship with Dell is not very dissimilar to that of Microsoft and IBM and other early PC clone manufacturer! I am not sure if that is a positive comment.
[Update: I ran into this bug (and the solution provided in the same link worked for me) for my SMB mount. An example of STOP_SERVICE line looks like this:
STOP_SERVICES="mysql samba-shares "
(modified from the mysql only line)
]
Let me summarize a few more things I was able to do on Ubuntu successfully since last time:
1) Burn music CD from MP3: simply use Applications -> Sound & Video -> Serpentine. Works like a charm.
2) Remote Login to Windows. Yes I know there is RDP for Linux but my remote server runs TightVNC. There is no native TightVNC client on Linux but the Java Applet TightVNC Viewer does the job.
3) Mount Windows NTFS directories in Read/Write mode: they are mounted as Read-only by default. The easiest way to mount them as Read/Write is using NTFS Configuration Tool.
4) Mount remote directories in Read/Write mode: if you setup Windows to share a directory on the network, it is accessible using SMB on Linux. These are the steps to mount them permanently and read/writable (Note: VLC could only play remote files on the LAN this way)
Not so successful:
1) SlingPlayer on Wine (link to WineHQ): the sound gets choppy when I work on other windows and the video is grainy as the video tuning wizard refuse to run.
2) VMWare: I ran the free VMWare Converter to create an image of my existing Windows installation but VMWare Server had problem running this image (got a black screen after starting momentarily and then it just quit)
In any case, for day to day web browsing/blogging/e-mail/office app, Ubuntu has done a pretty good job. I heard some people commented that Ubuntu's "budding" relationship with Dell is not very dissimilar to that of Microsoft and IBM and other early PC clone manufacturer! I am not sure if that is a positive comment.
[Update: I ran into this bug (and the solution provided in the same link worked for me) for my SMB mount. An example of STOP_SERVICE line looks like this:
STOP_SERVICES="mysql samba-shares "
(modified from the mysql only line)
]
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
My Ubuntu Experience: Day 2
More items accomplished from my list:
4) I've finally got Chinese input working! Again, I did everything from the menu system (i.e, no command line :D ) Here are the steps (courtesy of this instruction):
i) Choose System->Administration->Language Support. It will automatically download some packages. Check the Chinese checkbox. It will install Chinese. Close it when it's done.
ii) Again, Choose System->Administration->Language Support. The previously checked "Enable Support to input Complex character" will become unchecked. Check it again.
iii) Log out and log back in.
我現在可以打中文了！
Also, contrary to what some people said, I was actually able to type Chinese in Open Office as well.
5) Watch Real Media encoded video:
Download the installer from http://www.real.com/linux . Change permission to executable and execute it. I chose to install to /usr/local/RealPlayer and the symlink dir option is the default (/usr) which symlink it as /usr/bin/realplay
Since I use SCIM, I got core dump when executing realplay, the workaround is do first:
export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim
Then execute "realplay &" from the same shell.
(Link to Detailed Instructions)
[Update: To associate the .rmvb file extension with Real Player, try this]
4) I've finally got Chinese input working! Again, I did everything from the menu system (i.e, no command line :D ) Here are the steps (courtesy of this instruction):
i) Choose System->Administration->Language Support. It will automatically download some packages. Check the Chinese checkbox. It will install Chinese. Close it when it's done.
ii) Again, Choose System->Administration->Language Support. The previously checked "Enable Support to input Complex character" will become unchecked. Check it again.
iii) Log out and log back in.
我現在可以打中文了！
Also, contrary to what some people said, I was actually able to type Chinese in Open Office as well.
5) Watch Real Media encoded video:
Download the installer from http://www.real.com/linux . Change permission to executable and execute it. I chose to install to /usr/local/RealPlayer and the symlink dir option is the default (/usr) which symlink it as /usr/bin/realplay
Since I use SCIM, I got core dump when executing realplay, the workaround is do first:
export GTK_IM_MODULE=xim
Then execute "realplay &" from the same shell.
(Link to Detailed Instructions)
[Update: To associate the .rmvb file extension with Real Player, try this]
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
My Ubuntu Experience: Day 1
That Frethog!generic episode motivated me to switch to Linux for my primary workstation, finally. And Ubuntu has the biggest buzz/hype in the Linux world these days so I went with it. (I know mainsteam is not my thing but with limited Linux experience for personal usage, I'd rather go with the mass since more info/help/how-to will be available and I'm sure I need a lot of them)
Let me briefly go over my installation: I downloaded the iso from here. Burned a CD. Went to BIOS and move my CD-ROM up in the order of boot device. Then boot the computer with the CD. Chose the first option on the menu, which start Ubuntu from the CD (that's why it's called a Live CD) Once I'm in it. I clicked the Install icon on the Desktop and the installer asked a series of questions, which I picked the default for most of them. The only tricky question was about partitioning: I had 5 partitions on my first hard drive: 1) Windows (NTFS), 2) Swap, 3) a /boot (ext3), 4) a root (ext3) and 5) a FAT16 partition. (2)-(4) were there because I had previously installed RedHat and I want to replace RedHat with Ubuntu, i.e., use the same partitions but don't care about keeping the content. So I picked "Manual" when the Installer asked about partitioning and edit the old RedHat parititions to indicate they will be used as /boot, root(/) and so on. Finally, the default location for the "Dual Boot loader" (which allows me to run multiple OS as I'm still keeping XP) was (hda0) and I was a bit skeptical at first since I recall going through a few extra steps to take care of that for RedHat (put GRUB on /boot instead of MBR) but it turns out fine.
Now, actually using it was when the fun began. I have a habit of making a list of things I want to try with any new toy before it arrive. So I did the same for Ubuntu. More things work out of the box then expected!
1) Browsing Chinese websites: I didn't need to install any extra font. It just worked!
2) Change monitor resolution to 1920x1200: this requires some work, non-trivial but manageable:
- Install Restricted driver
- Run the Autodetect Script Again (follow the section with the same name)
3) Watch videos: I tried a few of my favourite videos and the included Totem player can't play any of them but I knew a simple solution:
- Install VLC (Application->Add/Remove, choose All available applications and look for VLC)
I have been using VLC on Windows anyway.
Stay tuned for more of my Ubuntu Experience!
Let me briefly go over my installation: I downloaded the iso from here. Burned a CD. Went to BIOS and move my CD-ROM up in the order of boot device. Then boot the computer with the CD. Chose the first option on the menu, which start Ubuntu from the CD (that's why it's called a Live CD) Once I'm in it. I clicked the Install icon on the Desktop and the installer asked a series of questions, which I picked the default for most of them. The only tricky question was about partitioning: I had 5 partitions on my first hard drive: 1) Windows (NTFS), 2) Swap, 3) a /boot (ext3), 4) a root (ext3) and 5) a FAT16 partition. (2)-(4) were there because I had previously installed RedHat and I want to replace RedHat with Ubuntu, i.e., use the same partitions but don't care about keeping the content. So I picked "Manual" when the Installer asked about partitioning and edit the old RedHat parititions to indicate they will be used as /boot, root(/) and so on. Finally, the default location for the "Dual Boot loader" (which allows me to run multiple OS as I'm still keeping XP) was (hda0) and I was a bit skeptical at first since I recall going through a few extra steps to take care of that for RedHat (put GRUB on /boot instead of MBR) but it turns out fine.
Now, actually using it was when the fun began. I have a habit of making a list of things I want to try with any new toy before it arrive. So I did the same for Ubuntu. More things work out of the box then expected!
1) Browsing Chinese websites: I didn't need to install any extra font. It just worked!
2) Change monitor resolution to 1920x1200: this requires some work, non-trivial but manageable:
- Install Restricted driver
- Run the Autodetect Script Again (follow the section with the same name)
3) Watch videos: I tried a few of my favourite videos and the included Totem player can't play any of them but I knew a simple solution:
- Install VLC (Application->Add/Remove, choose All available applications and look for VLC)
I have been using VLC on Windows anyway.
Stay tuned for more of my Ubuntu Experience!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)