Enabling MP3 Encoding

Enabling Mp3 Encoding

by Terry Martin

www.imagineitconsulting.net

By now, you've probably learned how great Linux is. Its fast, its pretty, it has a ton of applications all free...well, not quite. Because DVD decoders and mp3 encoders/decoders are proprietary, these formats won't be available to you right away. We can, however enable them with just a view simple steps. This should work with almost any music extractor program, however, some may need a few more steps. I will be using the Ubuntu OS and the Sound Juicer audio extractor. Sound Juicer is included in the default Ubuntu install.

1. Let's start by going to the Applications menu, then Add/Remove...
2. Change the Show box to read "All available applications

3. Check the Ubuntu restricted extras and click Apply Changes

4. Let the install box do its thing. It may ask you to agree to a EULA. Mine had a couple of errors which is OK. You will get an update notice that will fix this problem.

5. Now that we have the restricted drivers, you can encode MP3s, along with some other things, but I'll leave that for you to find out. Let's open Sound Juicer audio extractor (It won't say Sound Juicer in the Applications menu, instead, go to the Sounds sub menu and click Audio CD Extractor).
6. Go to the Edit menu and click preferences. Under the Format section, you should have CD Quality, mp3 (mp3 audio) option available. The default bitrate is 128k.