HOWTO: Play mp3 & m4a files in Rhythmbox (FC4)

[DNH]

I appologize in advance if this info is already somewhere on the forum...it escaped my searching

Anyone who has ripped CDs to play on an iPod or personal machine in iTunes was likely using the AAC format and possibly bummed to not be able to listen to those files in Linux. This should remedy your troubles.

This HOWTO will allow you to play mp3 and m4a files in Rhythmbox on FC4. I assume you've installed a fairly standard desktop setup, with Rhythmbox, on an i686 machine.

To begin, in a root terminal, you should add the livna source (for additional programs/libraries) to yum by running

rpm -ivh http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/4/i386/RPMS.lvn/livna-release-4-0.lvn.2.4.noarch.rpm

Next, if you've installed the gstreamer-plugins-mp3, remove it since it will conflict with the rpm version installed below. That can be removed by typing

yum remove gstreamer-plugins-mp3

Next, you'll need to fetch some additional libraries and the gstreamer-plugins for mp3 and m4a files by typing

wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/sourceforge/s/su/suserpm/liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm
wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/libmpcdec/libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm
wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/gstreamer-plugins-extra/gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

Next you'll install the libraries and plugins by typing

rpm --import http://freshrpms.net/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.txt
yum install faad2 gsm
rpm -ivh liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm
rm *.rpm

You'll then need to register the new gstreamer plugins by typing

gst-register-0.8

At this point everything is installed and should be ready to go. You may need to reboot, but I suggest launching Rhythmbox and trying to add some mp3 and m4a files.

Please post any errors or problems you encounter and I'll happily update the post.

Enjoy!

Edit 1: Fixed install of gstreamer-plugins-extras-audio to grab dependencies autmatically (using yum rather than rpm)
Edit 2: Streamlined installation
Edit 3: Fixed wget cut and paste boo boo
Edit 4: Added copying of GPG key
Edit 5: Reverted to old method of install until I have time to clean things up...at least it should work properly (error free) now. I'll fix it eventually...

[imdeemvp]

Great how-to !

[cardinal II]

I'd like this to work, what is wrong with the normal gstreamer plugin from extras?
Anyway, I tried to follow this but when running (sudo) rpm -ivh gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm - I get this error;

error: Failed dependencies:
libid3tag.so.0 is needed by gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386
libmad.so.0 is needed by gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386
libmp3lame.so.0 is needed by gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386

What's up?

[foolish]

Replace rpm -ivh in the instructions with yum install:

yum install liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

This will solve dependencies automatically.

[cardinal II]

Thank you foolish

[DNH]

Originally Posted by foolish

Replace rpm -ivh in the instructions with yum install:

yum install liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

This will solve dependencies automatically.

Fixed in original post. Thanks!

[austinjackson]

I have had some problems:

When I enter the following command, I get an index.html file:

wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/gstreamer-plugins-extra/

I 'think' it should be changed to:

wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

That, however, is not the problem I am having.

After following the directions and trying to install, I get this error:

warning: rpmts_HdrFromFdno: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 3a1446a0
public key not available for liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm

Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

[DNH]

Originally Posted by austinjackson

I have had some problems:

When I enter the following command, I get an index.html file:

wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/gstreamer-plugins-extra/

I 'think' it should be changed to:

wget ftp://rpmfind.net/linux/freshrpms/fedora/linux/4/gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

You are correct...fixed it in original post.

Originally Posted by austinjackson

That, however, is not the problem I am having.

After following the directions and trying to install, I get this error:

warning: rpmts_HdrFromFdno: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 3a1446a0
public key not available for liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm

Can anyone help me?

Thanks!

Is that an error, or simply a warning message. Have you tried to play mp3 or m4a files in rhythmbox?

[austinjackson]

Originally Posted by DNH

Is that an error, or simply a warning message. Have you tried to play mp3 or m4a files in rhythmbox?

Definately an error. It shows that error message, then puts me back at my prompt. I finished the directions anyway, but found that m4a does not play in rhythmbox.

Best,

Aj

[austinjackson]

Got it.

You have to add the GPG key prior to running the yum install command:

rpm --import http://freshrpms.net/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.txt

[DNH]

Originally Posted by austinjackson

Got it.

You have to add the GPG key prior to running the yum install command:

rpm --import http://freshrpms.net/packages/RPM-GPG-KEY.txt

Noted in original post.

[smfinley]

For an alternate way to enable Rhythmbox for MP3 see Fedora Core 4 Installation Notes.

[whav22]

I am very new to Linux and ipods. This has been very helpful to me. I am able to browse my ipod, save to it and retreive from it --through Rhythmbox--but I cannot see the data on the ipod itself, when directly on the ipod and stepping through the menus. I have no idea what format the songs are in when saving to the iPod--I just see a playlist file I saved to it though rhythmbox only. Don't I have to somehow edit the iTunesDB, sync , format or something? If I spend one more evening ignoring my wife. to get this to work. would not be a good thing..... especially when she bought me the ipod a month ago..... gulp!

[sbaudot]

Hi - I'm using FC4. Everything worked fine following the HOWTO until I reached the stage described below where I get an error message:
_________________________________________________
yum install faad2 gsm liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm
Setting up Install Process
Setting up repositories
livna 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00
updates-released 100% |=========================| 951 B 00:00
extras 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00
base 100% |=========================| 1.1 kB 00:00
Reading repository metadata in from local files
primary.xml.gz 100% |=========================| 89 kB 00:00
http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/4/i386/R...rimary.xml.gz: [Errno -1] Metadata file does not match checksum
Trying other mirror.
Error: failure: repodata/primary.xml.gz from livna: [Errno 256] No more mirrors to try.
_________________________________________________

If I continue with the HOWTO, it seems that 137 plugins with 274 features have been installed ..... but I still cannot play MP3s in Ryhtmbox 0.8.8 !!!

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks

[hellothere55]

I get this error message when trying to do this yum install faad2 gsm liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm libmpcdec-1.2-1.2.fc4.i386.rpm gstreamer-plugins-extra-audio-0.8.8-2.2.fc4.i386.rpm

warning: rpmts_HdrFromFdno: V3 DSA signature: NOKEY, key ID 3a1446a0
public key not available for liba52-0.7.4-1.i686.rpm

i added the GPG key like it said, but it still doesnt work.