I have a SMIDGE of Linux experience so I can do terminal commands (as long as you tell me what they are ) but /sigh

I installed Linux Mint on the family computer to get away from adware/spyware/virii - even though it was rare, it happened recently... someone misclicked something. I didn't have the patience to fix it, but now I find I dont' have the patience to fix one huge issue with Linux distros which is the streaming of proprietary formats.

Previously I had Ubuntu Netbook Remix on there, and I'm pretty sure I had Windows Media (WMA/WMV/ASF/AX) and RealAudio (RA, RAM) streams WORKING.

But Linux Mint is supposed to, from what I read, have this working "outta the box" - and it doesn't. The browser just shows a black page, with a toolbar at the bottom with pause on the left... and nothing happens.

I've sudo apt-installed or whatever it is (get?) other packages that did install, other plugins. Like VLC, etc. Theres fricken totem, vlc, mplayer, and some other plugins listed that should be able to play these streams, in aboutlugins

Let's focus on the ASF stream.

Now, when you go to the preferences of Firefox and Applications tab to CHOOSE how a file should work with Firefox, I cannot pick anything. I can choose Windows Media Player plugin, or Movie Player Plugin -- neither work. So I choose my own, /usr/lib/Mozilla/plugins/ and I've tried a few, like the VLC one, Mplayer -- they are .SO files if that matters.

Back in the Applications list, what I have chosen is NOT listed. So am I picking the wrong file?

God how do I fix this!

Here's an example page with Windows Media and Real Audio formats http://www.fye.com/The-Book-of-Eli-M...VVviewprod.htm

PS. Thank you so much

I got it.

Removed all media plugins, all media players (VLC, mplayer, totem) and then just installed VLC. Now the files open with VLC instead of inside the browser, which is fine with me. The only thing is they don't auto-play, I have to click Play. Trying to fix that.

hmm...
I don't use Mint myself, but from what I recall of their site when I was doing an install for a friend, I believe they offer a stripped version of the LiveCD as well as a LiveCD with all of the restricted formats included. The idea is that people in countries where software patents, etc. aren't enforced, or people that don't really care about such things, can get it all out of the box, while people that can't have those things installed can make sure they don't. Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but did you make sure you downloaded the fully-loaded image?