MULTIMEDIA RESOURCE PAGE

Since I and alot of other Linux users are fans of internet multimedia, ie., audio/video content available on the web today, I wanted to create a link page to point you to some of the sites I've found that will help you to get setup for a wonderful experience, previously only available to Windows or Mac users, like streaming audio/video - all on your Linux box!  There are currently tons of mpg and CD audio players available, so I won't list those. You can go here or here to find some of them.  I will however, list some unique Linux-friendly multimedia apps, particularly those that offer video and streaming capability, and can be used to hear/view multimedia at nearly 60% of the multimedia-encoded net sites today.   All of the below I have installed and except for the Xanim, have working in SuSE 6.1 & 6.3 on my Presario 1267 laptop as well as on Mandrake 6.5 on my multimedia desktop.  I will also list some Linux friendly (re: RealPlayer) sites that you might want to visit.  Also keep in mind that since Java is Open Source, it is something that you will often find behind the multimedia sites as well, so it's up to you whether to enable it or not in your browser.

I am always in search of multimedia players - particularly streaming types, so please drop me an email if you find one and/or have successfully installed one, so I can try it and add it to the list!   Also, those interested in what's happening in the DVD and video on Linux arena, you can go to OpenDVD.org or to LiViD for the latest.

APPLICATIONS

• Netscape for Linux   (latest version as of 10/10/99 is 4.7 "for Linux 2.0".   There is a 128bit encrypted version 4.72 listed on the site as of 2/00 for glibc 2.x compatible OSs)
• Offers some native sound plug-in support and various file format MIMEs
• Mozilla for Linux   (latest version as of 3/1/00 is M14 for i386 Linux, although the binary has "i686" in the file name)
• Still a work in progress and not for the faint of heart, this latest release now offers some plug-in support and various file format MIMEs along with a Messenger equivalent.   This is the Open Source browser.
• RealPlayer 7.0 for Linux [or here]   (the "beta" release of the version 7.0 G2 RealPlayer for Linux, supercedes RealPlayer G2 alpha for Linux and Realplayer 5.0 for Linux, which are now expired)
• Plays all Real content - ".ra", ".ram", ".rm", ".smi", "smil", etc.
• Plays streaming audio and/or video versions of above formats
• Configurable as a Netscape plug-in
• Plug-in now plays embedded G2 streams!!!! YES!!!!
• Xamin  (latest version 2.8.01 - I'm still trying to get this to work - will try again on my SuSE 6.3)
• Plays a number of different video formats including Apple's Quicktime ".mov"
• Can be configured as a Netscape plug-in
• Latest version now available as a Red Hat rpm
• Flash 4 Player for Linux   ("beta" version)
• Correctly recognizes and displays embedded Flash media audio/video content
• Does not play Shockwave media, however
• Uses existing browser window to display media, does not open a separate app
• MpegTV Player  (available as "Mtv" free for non-commercial and as "MpegTV", a for-cost shareware with additional features.   Latest version is 1.1)
• Plays MPEG video with audio sync
• Will stream MPEG audio/video
• Configurable as a Netscape plug-in
• Offers full screen mode
• Will play Video CDs
• Screen shot  the planet Naboo from MPegTV 1.0 on my notebook Naboo running SuSE 6.1 w/KDE 1.1 & X 3.3.1   ;-)   (Star Wars is a trademark and copyright of George Lucas and 2oth Century Fox)
• Plugger  (current version is 3.2 for gnulibc2.1)
• A "helper" plug-in app for Netscape that will call and manage other plug-ins
• Offers native support for some media formats

 

• RealGuide-RealChannels   (Guide to Real's streaming audio/video sites)
• Streambox.com   (Streaming and live audio, video, film, radio, & tv stations.   Unique interface to access stations.)
• Spinner.com   (Spinner's "Spinner Lite" online interface will run with Realplayer 7 for Linux)
• VTuner   (Streaming "live" radio stations - The downloadable interface is for the other OS, but selecting "play" on most station listings will successfully bring up your Realplayer 7 player to play the stream.)
• Web-Radio   (Live streaming radio station portal site.   Offers links to the web pages of stations that stream their programming over the web.)
• Kerbango   (Streaming radio station portal.   Offers nice station search, selection, and preset interface.   Many Realplayer sites.)
• Radio Tower   (Portal site to live streaming audio radio stations.)
• VirtualTuner.com   (Portal site to live streaming audio and video sites.)
• Global Music Network   (Streaming audio and other entertainment programming.)
• RadioSpy   (Live streaming radio station portal site - links go direct to the stream.)
• Infoweb Radio   (Streaming audio site, various programs and formats)
• NetRadio   (Streaming audio including broadband channels.   Update - 3/00 Realplayer 7 for Linux works with Netradio's embedded interface!!!   YES!!!!!)
• Sony's Video Music Network   (Sony's music video site)
• ON-AIR Channels   (Streaming audio from various radio stations)
• Broadcast.com Radio   (Various streaming audio radio stations)

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