I'm a new and very green Linux (Ubuntu 6.10) user so please reply as if talking to a simple child!!

Having just installed Ubuntu I have found that I cant play embedded media in Firefox. I installed RealPlayer through the Add/Remove programs. Now I can play Real media on the NFL website for example but not the BBC site even though that is also Real media.

I also can't play windows media so I followed the instuctions in the Ubuntu wiki downloading plugins and such to no avail.

I read somewhere to remove Totem plugin and use mplayer as default player. Now when I open a webpage with media I see mplayer connecting to media then start to buffer only to stop and start over, it never actually plays, sometimes I hear a fraction of a second of sound but thats it. Now I'm out of ideas. Can anyone help.

It has never happened to me. Maybe you want to check out these website:
http://ubuntuclips.org/
The have got some videos about media and easyubuntu. I think it will solve your problem.

Thanks Vargadanis. I had a look at the videos and tried a few things but to be honest I think I may have messed up my OS too much by then so nothing seemed to work. In the end I deleted and reinstalled Ubuntu 6.10 then followed the instructions I found at http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfec...top_ubuntu6.10 including the installation of Automatix and it worked! At last, think I'll like using Ubuntu, just wish it was easier for the layman to get going.