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Archives For November 30, 1999

How to Install SMPlayer 20.6.0 via PPA in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: June 18, 2020

SMplayer

SMPlayer, complete front-end for MPlayer and mpv, released version 20.6.0 a day ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 19.10, and Ubuntu 20.04.

SMPlayer 20.6.0 is a small release contains following changes:

  • The internal YouTube code has been removed. Now SMPlayer uses an external application to get the video URLs.
  • The shuffle option in the playlist does shuffle the items of the playlist.

How to Install the latest SMPlayer via PPA in Ubuntu:

The official SMPlayer PPA contains the latest packages for all current Ubuntu releases, as well as Ubuntu 12.04, Ubuntu 14.04.

1. Search for and launch “terminal” from ‘Show Applications’ menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rvm/smplayer

Type user password (no asterisk feedback while typing) when it asks and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade SMPlayer using Software Updater (or Update Manager):

or run commands in terminal to install (or upgrade) the media player:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install smplayer smtube smplayer-themes

Uninstall:

To remove SMPlayer, run command in terminal:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove smplayer smtube smplayer-*

And remove the PPA via “Software & Updates” utility under “Other Software” tab.

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Arduino IDE 1.8.13 Released, How to Install in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: June 18, 2020

Arduino IDE 1.8.13 was released a day ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 19.10, Ubuntu 18.04.

Arduino 1.8.13 release highlights:

  • Fixed crash on MacOSX >=10.15 with multiple monitor setups.
  • The boards listed in the “Tools” menu are now grouped by platform.
  • Fixed save of proxy username/password settings in “manual proxy” section.
  • Allow baudrate/config change when the Serial Monitor/Plotter is disabled
  • Improve network board detection.
  • Any many other changes, see release note.

How to Install Arduino 1.8.13 in Ubuntu:

You can install either the snap package from Ubuntu Software or flatpak package from flathub repository.

1.) For the official Linux package, go to the link below:

Scroll download and click download “Linux 64-bits” (or 32-bits if you’re sill running 32 bit system) package.

2.) Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to extract Arduino to /opt for global use:

cd ~/Downloads && sudo tar -Jxvf arduino-*.tar.xz -C /opt/

Type user password (no visual feedback) for sudo prompts when it asks and hit Enter.

3.) Run the installer.sh script to create app launcher:

sudo /opt/arduino-*/install.sh

Finally open the IDE from ‘Show Applications’ menu and enjoy!

Uninstall Arduino:

To uninstall the application shortcut, simply run command:

sudo /opt/arduino-*/uninstall.sh

And also remove the software directory via command:

sudo rm -r /opt/arduino-*
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VLC 3.0.11 Released with HLS, AAC Playback Improvements

Last updated: June 17, 2020

VLC media player 3.0.11 was released a day ago as the twelfth update of “Vetinari” branch.

Changes in VLC 3.0.11 according to the release note:

  • Fixes HLS regressions
  • Fixes a potential crash on startup on macOS
  • Fixes imprecise seeking in m4a files
  • Fixes resampling on Android
  • Fixes a crash when listing bluray mountpoints on macOS
  • Avoid unnecessary permission warnings on macOS
  • Fixes permanent silence on macOS after pausing playback
  • Fixes AAC playback regression
  • And a security issue

How to Install VLC 3.0.11 in Ubuntu:

The official Snap package (runs in sandbox) has been updated. You can install it from Ubuntu Software.

Already installed the Snap package? It will be updated to the latest automatically.

VLC is also available as flatpak in Flathub repository, which is not updated at the moment.

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How to Improve Battery Life in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

Last updated: June 16, 2020

Want to get better battery life for your Ubuntu laptop? Besides struggling with various settings or config files, try the power management tool TLP and Slimbook Battery.

TLP is a feature-rich command line utility for Linux, saving laptop battery power without the need to delve deeper into technical details.

TLP’s default settings are already optimized for battery life and implement Powertop’s recommendations out of the box. So you may just install and forget it.

1.) How to Install TLP in Ubuntu 20.04:

Simply open terminal either from application menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When terminal opens, run command:

sudo apt install tlp

Once installed, you’re done as it runs silently in background with a default configuration already optimized for battery life.

To fulfil your specific requirements, you can install the GTK user interface TLPUI via this PPA.

2.) Install Slimbook Battery:

Slimbook Battery is a graphical tool based on TLP, it offers an indicator menu that includes Energy Saving, Balanced, and Maximum Performance modes.

Advanced mode provides options to change CPU limit, graphics saving, screen brightess, disable animation, bluetooth, auto-suspend USB ports, etc.

To install Slimbook Battery from its official PPA, run following commands in terminal one by one in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:slimbook/slimbook

sudo apt update

sudo apt install slimbookbattery

Once installed, launch it from ‘Show Applications’ menu and enjoy!

(Optional) To remove Slimbook Battery as well as its PPA, run following commands one by one:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:slimbook/slimbook

sudo apt remove --autoremove slimbookbattery
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HPLIP 3.20.6 Released with New Printers, Fedora 32 Support

Last updated: June 16, 2020

HPLIP, HP print, scan, and fax drivers for Linux, released 3.20.6 today with new printers and Linux distributions support, though it still does not install on Ubuntu 20.04.

HPLIP 3.20.6 added following new printers support:

  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78223a, MFP E78223dv, MFP E78223dn.
  • HP Color LaserJet Mngd MFP E78223dn Plus, MFP E78223dn CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78228dn, MFP E78228dn Plus, MFP E78228dn CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78330z Plus, Flow MFP E78330z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78330dn, E78330dn Plus, E78330dn CN, MFP E78330z
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78325z Plus, Flow MFP E78325dn CN, Flow MFP E78325z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78325dn, MFP E78325z
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed Flow MFP E78323z
  • HP Color LaserJet Mgd Flw MFPE78323Z Plus, Flw MFPE78323z CN
  • HP Color LaserJet Managed MFP E78323dn
  • HP Color LaserJet Mngd MFP E78323dn Plus, MFP E78323dn CN

The new release also added support for Fedora 32, Manjaro 20.0, RHEL 8.2.

How to Install HPLIP 3.20.6 in Ubuntu:

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.20.6.run” from the link below:

2. Then open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to give executable permission:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.6.run

3. Finally run command to start installing the driver:

./Downloads/hplip-3.20.6.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions. If everything goes OK, plug or re-plug your HP devices and enjoy!

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GScan2PDF 2.8.0 Released, How to Install in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: June 15, 2020

GScan2PDF, GUI to produce PDFs or DjVus from scanned documents, released version 2.8.0 a few days ago.

Changes in GScan2PDF 2.8.0 include:

  • Interpolate colours according to OCR confidence in HSV space.
  • Limit zoom to 100 to avoid errors
  • Update text position and rectangle when updating bounding box.
  • Add button to add to text layer
  • Add preference to disable device list cache
  • Add mini-wizard if device not found
  • Fix save as PS.
  • And translation updates.

How to Install gscan2pdf 2.8.0 in Ubuntu:

The official Gscan2PDF PPA has made the new release packages for all current Ubuntu releases, and their derivatives, including Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 19.10, Ubuntu 20.04, Linux Mint 18.x and 19.x

1. Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for ‘terminal’ from application menu. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:jeffreyratcliffe/ppa

Type user password (no asterisk feedback due to security reason) when it prompts and hit Enter.

2. For those who have a previous release installed, upgrade it through Software Updater:

Or run following command in terminal to install or upgrade the software:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install gscan2pdf

How to Remove:

To remove gscan2pdf, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove gscan2pdf

And the PPA can be removed via Software & Updates utility, under Other Software tab.

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Battle for Wesnoth 1.14.13 Fixed 2 Major Long-standing Bugs

Last updated: June 14, 2020

Battle for Wesnoth 1.14.13 was released today as the new maintenance release for the turn-based strategy game.

The new release fixed two major long-standing issues affecting all Wesnoth players, with effects varying from the innocuous to the game-breaking depending on the game content being played as well as the system configuration.

Wesnoth 1.14.13 release highlights:

  • Graphics engine memory leak fix
  • WML/Lua engine reliability fix
  • Campaign changes and fixes
  • See full list of changes.

How to Install Wesnoth 1.14.13 in Ubuntu:

The latest Wesnoth package so far is only available as Flatpak. You can install it in Ubuntu 18.04 and higher by running following commands one by one.

1.) If you’re first time installing a Flatpak package in Ubuntu, setup your system by running commands in terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T):

  • Install flatpak framework via command: 
    sudo apt install flatpak

  • Add Flathub repository via command: 
    flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

2.) Then you can install Battle for Wesnoth flatpak package by running command:

flatpak install flathub org.wesnoth.Wesnoth

You can then keep it updated by running flatpak update org.wesnoth.Wesnoth command.

Uninstall Wesnoth:

To remove the flatpak package, simply run command in terminal:

flatpak uninstall org.wesnoth.Wesnoth
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HandBrake 1.3.3 Released with Improved Intel QSV Support

Last updated: February 23, 2021

HandBrake video transcoder 1.3.3 was released today with a number of bug-fixes and improvements.

Changes in HandBrake 1.3.3 include:

  • Fixed ISO 639-2/B language codes in MKV
  • Improved support for sources where pixel format cannot be quickly identified
  • Improved Intel QSV memory footprint
  • Improved Intel QSV H.265 memory buffer size
  • Improved support for out-of-order SSA subtitles
  • Improved flatpak package support
  • Updated libraries: FFmpeg 4.2.3
  • Miscellaneous bug fixes and improvements

How to Install HandBrake in Ubuntu:

HandBrake has an official PPA which so far supports for Ubuntu 19.10 and Ubuntu 20.04.

1.) Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching for ‘terminal’ from ‘Show Applications’ menu. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:stebbins/handbrake-releases

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) for sudo prompts and hit Enter to continue adding the PPA.

2.) Once the PPA is updated with the new release packages, you can run following commands one by one to install it on your system:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install handbrake-gtk

(Optional) To remove the handbrake PPA repository, either go to Software & Updates -> Other Software, or run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:stebbins/handbrake-releases

In addition, HandBrake also available to install in Ubuntu via Flatpak package.

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GIMP 2.10.20 Released with Better PSD Support

Last updated: June 13, 2020

GIMP image editor 2.10.20 was released a few days ago with some new features as well as important bug-fixes.

GIMP 2.10.20 release highlights according to the release note:

  • Tool-group menus can now expand on hover
  • Non-destructive cropping now available by cropping the canvas rather than actual pixels
  • Better PSD support: exporting of 16-bit files now available, reading/writing channels in the right order
  • On-canvas controls for the Vignette filter
  • New filters: Bloom, Focus Blur, Lens Blur, Variable Blur
  • Blending options now built into filter dialogs
  • Over 30 bugfixes

How to Install GIMP 2.10.20 in Ubuntu:

Ubuntu PPA:

It seems that the otto’s PPA is not being updated, while it’s still at v2.10.14.

Snap package:

The community maintained GIMP Snap package is still v2.10.18 at the moment. If you’ve installed it on your system, it will be auto-updated once the new package published.

Flatpak package:

GIMP 2.10.20 Flatpak package was made into flathub repository on June 7 once the source tarball was available. You can install it by running following commands one by one in terminal:

1.) Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install flatpak:

sudo apt install flatpak

2.) Add the flathub repository by running command:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

3.) Finally install GIMP flatpak via command:

flatpak install flathub org.gimp.GIMP

(Optional) To update installed GIMP Flatpak package, run command:

flatpak update org.gimp.GIMP

To remove GIMP flatpak package, run command:

flatpak uninstall org.gimp.GIMP
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How to Install Gnome Software as Ubuntu Software in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: June 12, 2020

Ubuntu Software in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS now is really Snap Store. For those who want to revert back the previous Gnome Software, this simply tutorial may help.

1.) Gnome Software is available in the universe repositories. You can install it easily by running command in terminal (press Ctrl+Alt+T to open terminal):

Once installed, you can launch Gnome Software, which is marked as ‘Software’, from ‘Show Applications’ menu.

2.) To make Gnome Software into Ubuntu Software.

Snap Store itself is a Snap application, you can remove it by running command in terminal:

snap remove snap-store

Run command to edit the .desktop file of Gnome Software:

sudo -H gedit /usr/share/applications/org.gnome.Software.desktop

When file opens, do:

  • Change value of Name to Ubuntu Software.
  • Change the value of Icon to ubuntusoftware (no space between the 2 words)

Save the file and Ubuntu Software is now Gnome Software.

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