Why I can't use Amarok

[Shlomi Fish]

Hi Thomas,

thanks for your message.

On Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:47:20 +0200
Thomas Lübking <thomas.luebking at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sunday 28 August 2011 10:58:12 Shlomi Fish wrote:
> > What I need from Amarok is to have a Phonon backend that will:
> > 
> > 1. Play all files I throw at it
> > - .mp3, .ogg, .flv, .mp4, .mod/.s3m/.xm/.it, .avi, etc. Phonon-gstreamer is
> >   unable to play .mp4 files due to this bug -
> > https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=267319 - and
> > Phonon-VLC was much more quirky in this respect last time I tried.
> > 
> > 2. Be able to play streamed or remote media like the one that is present in
> > Last.fm, Magnatune or Jamendo (all of which have Amarok interfaces). Here
> > Phonon-gstreamer is much worse (due to an unreleased bug fix), and
> > phonon-vlc is better.
> 
> a) the provided file is actually invalid. It plays only because of the 
> generosity of the various mediaplayers.

The provided file is a trimmed version of an .mp4 file I downloaded from
YouTube using youtube-dl (I give the URL there). I trimmed it because it was
too large.

Amarok is unable to play the non-trimmed version either with phonon-gstreamer.

> 
> b) The linked bugreport indicates (esp. comment #1 - nowhere denied) that
> this is a problem with the gstreamer backend only. Do yourself a favour and
> kick it. Even the "perfomance enhanced" latest version has serious timing
> issues everybody with non damaged ears can *hear*

OK, but see below.

> 
> c) i've just tried that file and in plays w/o any problems (but a wrong 
> length... as mentioned: the file is not valid) on phonon-vlc
> phonon 4.5.55
> phonon-vlc 0.4.1
> vlc 1.1.11
> 

Yes, but the problem here is that Amarok with phonon-vlc won't play .flv files
or files with an extension of .mod (it plays .mp3, .ogg, .avi, .mp4, .s3m, .xm
and .it files, fine). I have:

* phonon-devel-4.5.0-5.mga2

* phonon-vlc-0.4.1-1.mga2

* vlc-1.1.11-4.mga2.tainted

on Mageia Linux 2.

> All in all it seems your only problem is (phonon-)gstreamer. So just switch 
> the backend an wait until gstreamer is in a shape where one really should use 
> it. I'm fairly sure our grandsons (and daughters ;-) will have fixed the 
> mimetype issue until then as well....

Well, I have some media compatibility with phonon-vlc too, though it may have
got better. I'll try to report it.

> 
> Disclaimer:
> I have no "Last.fm, Magnatune or Jamendo" accounts and cannot comment on the 
> backend issues/quality regarding those.

You don't need a Jamendo or Magnatune accounts to listen to music served from
them. Just go to their Amarok interfaces.

Regards,

	Shlomi Fish

> 
> Cheers,
> Thomas

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