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Balram Jamale
Asked: 2012-11-08 19:21:25 +0800 CST

How to install the MPEG-4 AAC decoder and the H.264 decoder?

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Where do I get the MPEG-4 AAC decoder, and the H.264 decoder.

How to install them and play the multimedia?

codecs

6 Answers

  1. ubuntu-restricted-extras package allows users to install ability to play popular non-free media formats, including DVD, MP3, Quicktime, and Windows Media formats.

    To install ubuntu-restricted-extras package:

    1. Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.

    2. Run this command:

       sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

    3. Alternatively, you can install the package via Software Center by launching it via Dash and searching the package and clicking on Install.

    enter image description here

    Also, try installing libavcodec54 libav-tools and ffmpeg with this command:

    sudo apt-get install libavcodec54 libav-tools ffmpeg

    EDIT: Ubuntu 20.04

    In Ubuntu 20.04, you want libavcodec58 instead of 54:

    sudo apt-get install libavcodec58 ffmpeg
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  2. Support to decode MPEG-4 AAC is provided by gstreamer1.0-libav and to decode H.264 there is ffmpeg:

    $ sudo apt-get install gstreamer1.0-libav ffmpeg

    For more information have a look at the Ubuntu Documentation.

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  3. The other answers seems to work on older versions but today when I was installing the same on clean install of Ubuntu 18.04 using Peachy's answer I got lot of errors. Using these commands I installed that in Ubuntu 18.04 LTS successfully.

    sudo apt install libdvdnav4 libdvdread4 gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly libdvd-pkg
sudo apt install ubuntu-restricted-extras

    Note: In 20.04, libdvdread4 has been updated to libdvdread7, and in 20.10, it's now libdvdread8 (see Ubuntu packages for the current version).

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  4. Unfortunately none of these options seem to work on Ubuntu 16.04. I get a python 3.5 message for searching MPEG-4 AAC in one of the videos I try to play. None of the above fixing the missing codec.

    A fine workaround is to install VLC:

    sudo apt-get install vlc

    (or from software center)

    Update: found a fix:

    sudo apt-get install gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad

    This made sound work for Totem (Video)

    Update: Try going to 'Software & Updates' and enabling the checkbox for 'Software restricted by by copyright or legal issues'. Then allow Ubuntu to update after clicking the close button. You should now be able to run:

    sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

    You'll also have to accept the EULA's terms and conditions before continuing.

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  5. Beware of the audio-only gstreamer bug

    Hearing only audio on H.264 playback with an otherwise black video screen was reported as gstreamer1.0 bug #1562875.

    Luckily, this bug can easily be resolved by issuing the following command once:

    $ rm -R ~/.cache/gstreamer-1.0

    This will take effect after restarting the application.

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  6. In the last Ubuntu ver 14.04 , 14.10 the best way for setup them is :

    To install ubuntu-restricted-extras package:

    Open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mc3man/trusty-media
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg libavcodec-extra-53 libavcodec53

    and N-joy

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