The Totem Movie Player application is a movie player for the GNOME desktop (default on Ubuntu Linux) based on GStreamer framework and xine library, and enables you to play movies or songs. You can watch Youtube video or listen BBC streams (podcasts) with this player without installing anything else such as Flash.
Totem Movie Player is simple and easy to use player. It provides the following features:
- Support a variety of video and audio files.
- Provide a variety of zoom levels and aspect ratios, and a fullscreen view.
- Seek and Volume controls.
- A playlist.
- Complete keyboard navigation and much more
How to watch / listen BBC videos in the Linux?
Start Totem by visiting Applications > Sound & Video > Movie Player
Make sure Youtube and BBC content enabled. Click on Edit > Plugins:
Fig.01: The Totem Movie Player Plugins
Make sure you place a check in the box labeled ‘YouTube browser‘ and ‘BBC content viewer‘ > Click Close to save changes.
How do I view BBC content under Ubuntu Linux?
To see all BBC content, select BBC from the box located in upper right side of Totem. A list will be fetched for you. Double click a podcast to listen:
Fig.02: BBC Content Under Linux
How do I view YouTube Video under Ubuntu Linux?
Simply select YouTube from the box located in upper right side of Totem. Type a search such as “Quantum of Solace James Bond” and hit [Enter] key. Totem will search YouTube.com for your keywords. It will load results in sidebar. Simply double-click a video to watch it:
Fig.03: Watching Youtube Video Using Totem
Important keyboard shortcuts for For Totem:
| Keyboard shortuct | Decscription |
|---|---|
| p | toggle between play and pause |
| Esc | exit full screen mode |
| f | toggle full screen |
| h | toggle display of on-screen controls |
| 0 | resize window to 50% original size |
| 1 | resize window to 100% original size |
| 2 | resize window to 200% original size |
| r | zoom in the video |
| t | zoom out the video |
| Left-arrow | skip back 15 seconds |
| Right-arrow | skip forward 15 seconds |
| Shift+Left-arrow | skip back 5 seconds |
| Shift+Right-arrow | skip forward 15 seconds |
| Ctrl+Left-arrow | skip back 3 minutes |
| Ctrl+Right arrow | skip forward 10 minutes |
| Up-arrow | increase volume by 8% |
| Down-arrow | decrease volume by 8% |
| b | jump back to previous chapter/movie in playlist |
| n | jump to next chapter/movie in playlist |
| q | quit |
| Ctrl+E | eject the playing optical media |
| Ctrl+O | open a new file |
| Ctrl+L | open a new URI |
| F9 | toggle display of the playlist |
| m | show the DVD menu |
| c | show the DVD chapter menu |
Command line options
To view other command line options that are available, type totem –help or read man page:
$ totem --help
OR
$ man totem
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Thanks a lot
Needy post
Just a note to mention that the BBC plug-in is absent from default Totem options in my 8.04 version of Ubuntu.
On the other hand, Youtube was there and I’m looking forward to using it. Anything that might play youtube videos more reliably will be a welcome addition.
1fastbullet,
This plugin is included with 8.10 only. So you may want to upgrade your desktop system.
Hi
On My default hardy 8.04 I have the youtube plugin but it seems to just hang when trying to play the stream.
An error occurred:
ffdemux_swf: Element doesn’t implement handling of this stream. Please file a bug.
This normal ?
cheers
Bob
Frank,
This is known bug for old Ubuntu version:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/totem/+bug/163380
you better upgrade it…
i’ve set on system >> preference >> network proxy…
but i can’t connect to bbc server
br,
chika.tambun
I find that BBC radio programs played through Totem will just stop after a few minutes. Happens at any time of day, with any program.
Hey, thanks heaps for this! Was looking for a Youtube player (firefox + adobe plugin’s not working) and this is ideal. BBC content is bonus++.
BBC can not connect to the server
please help me!!
i am ubuntu version -10 user , i got problem in totem player that ..when i am opening any file to play then it suddenly open and closed without playing that file . ..plz send me solution of this problem.
regards
chandan kumar pandey
can any one tell how to save youtube videos played through totem???
Totem – BBC can not connect to the server. Help anybody? Thank you!
Since a fresh install of 9.10, Totem cannot connect to BBC server. It worked for me since 8.10. Youtube still works fine.
If the Ubuntu development team can solve these video playback problems with Youtube and Hulu, etc, they will go a long way toward making Linux a viable replacement for Windows.
I guess they have done just that. Ubuntu 10.04 works fine with Totem. Let’s hope the next upgrade doesn’t break it again. Thanks guys.
Am using ubuntu 10.04, BBC works fine with me but, when i try opening a video on youtube it tells me “Could not open location; you might not have permission to open the file.”. Help me out please. Thanks.
Correction to my comment of February 22, 2010 – Totem worked fine with BBC 8.10 up to 10.04 . Now I can see the directory tree but cannot load files in 10.10 (NOT 9.10). Sorry about any confusion.
Is this a licencing block as I am not in UK? I used to get messages explaining that I am not allowed some files but now I can’t get any.
Dont work. Cant play them without Adobe player which mine wont update!! Other ideas??