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Fedora 8 came out this weekend, so with my usual level of misguided Linux optimism I downloaded and installed it to check out Pulse Audio and CodecBuddy.

I’d hoped that CodecBuddy might be the Fedora answer to the excellent Ubuntu Restricted Formats manager, but the default Fedora installation still stubbornly resists all attempts to play MP3 files. Double-click on an MP3 file and Rhythmbox Music Player (the default playback program) opens - and sits there, doing nothing.

No playback, no file added to the playlist, no error message, and nothing to prompt the user that the file format is not supported. Sometimes, silence is not golden.

Once again Fedora lacks the ability to play MP3’s straight from a default install. While this enables Fedora to keep taking the high “use ogg instead of MP3″ moral ground, it continues to deny the reality that the average PC user these days expects MP3 playback to be part of the default installation of an Operating System.

So what happened to CodecBuddy?

Through the usual process of Linux trial-and-error (and a good dose of Google-ing) I found out that CodecBuddy has been associated with Movie Player - an application that I’d assumed was intended for playback of movies, not MP3’s. Once I discovered this, I was able to work out the process for enabling MP3 support and get some music playing.

How to install MP3 playback support in Fedora 8:

1. Right-click on an MP3 file and select Open with “Movie Player” from the menu.

Movie Player opens, and CodecBuddy pops up with a warning that the format you are trying to access is non-free and proprietary.

2. Click See available options (you might want to select Do not show me this message again at the same time). CodecBuddy will launch and present you with a list of available codecs for the MP3 format.

At this point you’ll actually see one of the significant steps forward in Fedora 8 MP3 support - a free MP3 codec. An MP3 codec from Fluendo was available for Fedora 7, but only by purchasing it from the Fluendo store. This time it’s being provided for free. Good move Fedora!

3. Click Get Selected. The license agreement for the Fluendo MP3 plug-in will appear.

4. Click Accept. The codec will download and install, and the installer screen will update when the installation has been successfully completed.

5. Click Close. At this point you might think you’re done, but double-clicking on an MP3 will still open it with the default player, Rhythmbox, so you’ll need to associate MP3 files with Movie Player to make it the default.

6. Right-click on an MP3 file and select Properties.

7. Click on the Open With tab.

8. Select Movie Player.

9. Select Close.

10. Double-click on an MP3 file. Movie Player will open and begin playing.

You’ve finally got MP3 playback running on Fedora!

Fedora 8 MP3 support is a step in the right direction, but only a small step. While a codec is available, the amount of research and perseverance needed to install it will deter a lot of new-to-Linux users. Hopefully this tutorial will ease the way for some of you.

Cheers,

Malcolm.