Totem is probably the most reviled piece of software included with Gnome. Read
any forum and you will see what I mean. I would remove it and use another
program. For audio use Amarok, Exaile, or Banshee. For video use VLC. Amarok and
VLC can handle almost any multimedia task from watching DVDs to listening to
streaming audio and managing your iPod. There is no reason to use Totem and put
up with its idiosyncrasies.

How does one go about managing their iPod and which specific program
would one use? I was always under the impression that the iPod had a
proprietary interface so I never bothered.

I tired to install vlc but the repository is not showing it.
I am getting a message showing not getting some repositorys. I need to fix.Every
time I try to update t wants to unistall somethin inportant. like firefox and
ubuntu desktop. Thanks for info will try vlc when i can get it.

See: http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Hardy#Installing_VLC_Media_Player
BTW, there is a section after this on how to get DVDs to play when inserted in
DVD drives:
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Hardy#How_to_make_VLC_open_when_you_insert_a_\
DVD

I don't own an iPod, but I understand that Rythmbox and Amarok both support the
iPod and there are several other programs such as gtkpod-aac, gpixpod and
gpodder in the repositories. I am sure that someone can help you with any of
these programs.

I gpot vlc installed by getting package at a time and finding all dependencies.
Fun but t works. Installed the plgin for firefox, but cant get it ti work. It
shows blank screen with no vidio . Have not figured out how to fix yet.