I'm in the process of setting up my first Linux system. In part I'm trying to get it to replace my Windows machine. I am trying to get the machine to run avi/mpeg/mp3 files.

Whe I try to play a mp3 file, helix loads and says it doesn't support the file, get hold of Realplayer. I've downloaded it, but I can't find it on my system to run the files. I assumed it would "associate" itself with those file types. Obviously not.

How do I run these file types? I'm running Fedora 3 and I've installed the rpm version.

RealPlayer usually appears in your KDE or GNOME menu. You can also run it from the console by running "realplay". Realplayer itself is located in /usr/local/RealPlayer. I don't think there are any desktops that set realplayer as the default media player.

try this

1. su to root

su
your root password

2. yum xmms

3. yum xmms-mp3.

4. exit

5 run xmms.

For some reason GNOME did not list it! Managed to run it from the console. Got past the enter your e-mail etc. It started to run, then was killed. Seemed to run fine thereafter. I think I need to find some codecs to get my files to run. None of this " let Windows do it for you, nonesense here!"

Many thanks.

Ben,

When I try what you suggest, I get the usage display for yum. It clearly doesn't recognise something.

run:

yum update

then:

yum install <package-name>

For media files, I tend to use xine or mplayer, I urge you to try one of them. If you use xine as a backend, you can use totem which fits in snuggly with the GNOME desktop. The only reason why I have realplayer is because I like listening to streaming video and audio files from bbc and mtv. Unfortunately mtv have joined the windows media file bandwagon and I haven't found a plugin for firefox that can play their streaming wmv's.

Can you explain how I use xine and totem together. I think I'm confident enough to install them both, but how does one link with the other?

I downloaded the RealPlayer10GOLD.bin, and seem to have installed it from the console. When I was installing it at one point it asked where the plugins part of FireFox was but dots started to appear across the screen as if indicating time was running out. I tried to type in where the plugin folder was (I think that is what it wanted) but the dot's kept filling in my line so I just hit enter.

I want to be able to have this run from within FireFox so I can get steaming video off of CNN.com and other sites. I am using that as my test site to see if it will work. I keep getting the message I need the pluging, and when I try to install that from FireFox it indicates you need a manual instalation which I think I did.

I want to be able for FireFox to work like IE for someone else, who is more of a noob than me (I would say that makes them a boob, but that is still probably me). I know they look at news from CNN.com and I want to be able to stream it from within FireFox and assume Realplayer is the only way in Linux.

As long as I am here, I want FireFox to be my default browser, but I don't think it is. I opened an e-mail with a link and Konquorer opened up. A good browser, but while I may be able to get someone to switch to FireFox which they have heard of, that is probalby it.

I actually would like to get all the available plugins to work in FireFox. I have played with the Adobe plugin a little but haven't got that to install yet, but will keep working. If you know of a good thread or site you could link me to that talks about getting everything working in FireFox I would appreciate it.

I am in day two of my Linux experience, running the community Mandrake 10.1

Thanks in advance,