I am new to this linux thing. I have no idea how to install any file especially the Gstreamer for ubuntu. I am a windows pro who has used it for years and i thought i would try something that didn't have a blue screen. LOL. So i guess my question is how do I install this plug-in for totem on my ubuntu?

This might help with your question (well it will answer it):

http://ubuntuguide.org/

however, it tells you how and not why in ubuntu terms. useful though. Make sure to edit your repositories......

i will give it a try. thanks for the help.

I did what the guide said but still it didn't work.
Below is what i copied from the guide to the terminal. I tried playing back some mpegs and mp3's nothing it gave the message that i needed the plugin.

root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-plugins
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package gstreamer0.8-plugins is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package gstreamer0.8-plugins has no installation candidate
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-lame
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package gstreamer0.8-lame
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.8-ffmpeg
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package gstreamer0.8-ffmpeg
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install w32codecs
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package w32codecs
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install libdivx4linux
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package libdivx4linux
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install lame
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package lame is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package lame has no installation candidate
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install sox
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package sox is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package sox has no installation candidate
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install ffmpeg
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package ffmpeg is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package ffmpeg has no installation candidate
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install mjpegtools
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Package mjpegtools is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package mjpegtools has no installation candidate
root@Joe:/home/sheeddogg84 # sudo apt-get install vorbis-tools
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
liboggflac1
The following NEW packages will be installed:
liboggflac1 vorbis-tools
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 220kB of archives.
After unpacking 836kB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
Abort.