[Gnump3d-users] Gnump3d & Amarok

[David Thorarinsson]

I use Amarok as my main media player and I was bit by the problem with file 
info disappearing and id3 tags not being displayed. Instead Amarok would say 
that it was playing a "Radio Stream". 

I Googled and found that many had seen the problem but I found no cure (the 
problem was even brought up on this list here: 
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/gnump3d-users/2005-11/msg00049.html). So I 
set out to figure this one out myself. I doubted that it was Gnump3d because it 
works correctly with XMMS.

Amarok is capable of using different sound engines. I had been using the Xine 
engine which has proved to be hassle free and stable. When I changed that to 
either GStreamer engine or the aRts engine, the problem went away and Amarok 
displayed the correct information in both the app itself and in the on-screen 
display.

I might also add that I have never been able to get GStreamer to work properly 
for me (I am a Gentoo user). Many are singing praises for GStreamer but I 
haven't been able to figure out what the fuss is all about. If I use GStreamer 
with Amarok it will play an mp3 for about a minute and then it will stop and 
draw the cpu usage up to 100%. Problem goes away if I terminate the app. This 
doesn't happen with Xine engine. The aRts engine is a bit flakey. It will work 
most of the time but it also seems to have a mind of its own because sometimes 
it just stops in the middle of a playlist.

For the ones who dont know where to change engines in Amarok, go to the 
Settingsmenu and select "Configure Amarok..." In the window that pops up, 
select "Engine". The rest is self explanitory.

Hope this helps the Amarok users out there.ne, the problem went away and Amarok 
displayed the correct information in both the app itself and in the on-screen 
display.

I might also add that I have never been able to get GStreamer to work properly 
for me (I am a Gentoo user). Many are singing praises for GSt