This page provides links and screenshots concerning audio, video, and image applications. The focus is primarily on converting audio files into various formats, backing up DVDs for personal use, editing video files, ripping audio CDs for personal use, and downloading your image files onto your hard drive from your USB digital camera.
Audacity
Audacity can be used to record live audio, edit files, and, for our purposes here, to convert audio files from one format into another (.ogg, .mp3, and .wav). The official site can be found here.
If you wish to convert a file into MP3 format, you first have to make sure that you have the library installed. Launch a Konsole as "su" and type "updatedb" to update the package database. After that, type "locate lame" and if you have it installed, you should find something like: /usr/lib/libmp3lame.so.0 in your Konsole. If it is not installed under Debian-based distributions, then type, as "su", "apt-get update" to update your download sources and after, "apt-get install lame". Under RPM-based distributions, go here and download the latest version. Click on the RPM file and enter your root password to install it. Please note that depending on your distribution, you may have to try different Lame versions if your distribution lacks dependencies.
Once Lame is installed, you now have to configure Audacity to find the library. Go to Edit -> Preferences and click on File Formats.
Next, click on Find Library and if it does not automatically find it, drop the menu down and choose All Files and manually look for the library in the window. If you have trouble finding it, launch a Konsole and type "locate lame". It will tell you exactly where the library is located. You could even copy and paste the exact name into the file field.
Now, you are ready to convert files into different formats. Open a file (File -> Open) and select an audio file. After that, simply go to File -> Export as MP3 (or WAV / OGG).
K9COPY
K9COPY is a very easy program to use in order to back up your DVDs for personal use. It is equivalent to DVD Shrink. The official site can be found here.
Put your DVD in the DVD-ROM drive and launch the application. In settings, configure the program to your liking, and then click on the "Open" button. It will analyze the contents of the DVD, allowing you to choose exactly what you wish to back up. When done, click on the " Copy" button.
Acidrip
Acidrip is a program that enables you to convert your favorite DVD into a DivX (AVI file) for personal use. It is equivalent to EasyDivX. The official site can be found here. There are several applications that Acidrip depends on, so make sure you read the Requirements section very carefully. The applications, including Acidrip, can all be installed using the "apt-get install acidrip" command in Konsole, or by downloading all the required programs if your distribution is RPM-based.
The use of this program is fairly straightforward.
Avidemux
Avidemux is equivalent to VirtualDub. On the offical site, which can be found here, you will find detailed Help files explaining how to use this program.
Grip
Grip is a fast and efficient application that allows you to rip audio CDs and convert them into MP3 format for personal use. The official site can be found here. It is very easy to use and is equivalent to EasyCD Extractor. Make sure you have Lame installed, as mentioned above for Audacity, and then configure the program to your liking. To use Grip, simply insert an audio CD, select the tracks you wish to rip and convert, go to the Rip tab, and click on "Rip+Encode".
GPHOTO2
GPHOTO2 is the easiest and fastest way to get your digital photos and videos onto your hard drive via your USB digital camera. All you have to do is launch a Konsole and enter the following command: gphoto2 -P. All of your files will be downloaded from the digital camera and placed into your Home directory. The offical site can be found here.
