I have proof that debian-testing works pretty much out of box.
$ ffmpeg -version FFmpeg version SVN-r19166, Copyright (c) 2000-2009 Fabrice Bellard, et al. configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-cflags='-Wall -g ' --cc='ccache cc' --libdir=${prefix}/lib --shlibdir=${prefix}/lib --bindir=${prefix}/bin --incdir=${prefix}/include/ffmpeg --enable-shared --enable-libmp3lame --enable-gpl --enable-libfaad --mandir=${prefix}/share/man --enable-libvorbis --enable-pthreads --enable-libfaac --enable-libxvid --enable-postproc --enable-libamr-nb --enable-libamr-wb --enable-x11grab --enable-libgsm --enable-libx264 --enable-libtheora --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libspeex --enable-nonfree --disable-stripping --enable-avfilter --enable-libdirac --disable-decoder=libdirac --enable-libschroedinger --disable-encoder=libschroedinger --enable-avfilter-lavf --enable-libopenjpeg --disable-altivec --disable-armv5te --disable-armv6 --disable-vis libavutil 50. 3. 0 / 50. 3. 0 libavcodec 52.30. 2 / 52.30. 2 libavformat 52.34. 0 / 52.34. 0 libavdevice 52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0 libavfilter 0. 5. 0 / 0. 5. 0 libswscale 0. 7. 1 / 0. 7. 1 libpostproc 51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0 built on Jun 13 2009 15:29:17, gcc: 4.3.3 FFmpeg SVN-r19166 libavutil 50. 3. 0 / 50. 3. 0 libavcodec 52.30. 2 / 52.30. 2 libavformat 52.34. 0 / 52.34. 0 libavdevice 52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0 libavfilter 0. 5. 0 / 0. 5. 0 libswscale 0. 7. 1 / 0. 7. 1 libpostproc 51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
$ vlc --version VLC media player 0.9.9a Grishenko [00000001] main libvlc debug: VLC media player - version 0.9.9a Grishenko - (c) 1996-2009 the VideoLAN team [00000001] main libvlc debug: libvlc was configured with ./configure '--build=i486-linux-gnu' '--disable-maintainer-mode' '--enable-release' '--prefix=/usr' '--config-cache' '--enable-fast-install' '--with-binary-version=3' '--disable-update-check' '--disable-fb' '--enable-ggi' '--enable-sdl' '--enable-esd' '--enable-mad' '--enable-arts' '--enable-jack' '--enable-pulse' '--enable-lirc' '--enable-a52' '--enable-aa' '--enable-dvbpsi' '--enable-mozilla' '--with-mozilla-pkg=iceape-plugin' '--enable-dvb' '--enable-ogg' '--enable-vorbis' '--enable-shout' '--enable-qt4' '--enable-flac' '--enable-skins2' '--enable-freetype' '--enable-mkv' '--enable-speex' '--enable-caca' '--enable-live555' '--enable-libmpeg2' '--enable-fribidi' '--enable-mod' '--enable-theora' '--enable-dvdnav' '--enable-gnutls' '--enable-ncurses' '--enable-smb' '--disable-gnomevfs' '--enable-bonjour' '--enable-mpc' '--enable-vcd' '--enable-vcdx' '--enable-notify' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-faad' '--disable-zvbi' '--enable-telx' '--disable-x264' '--disable-atmo' '--enable-taglib' '--enable-libass' '--enable-dca' '--enable-realrtsp' '--disable-dv' '--enable-alsa' '--enable-v4l' '--enable-v4l2' '--enable-pvr' '--enable-svgalib' 'build_alias=i486-linux-gnu' 'CFLAGS=-g -O2' 'LDFLAGS=-Wl,--as-needed' 'CPPFLAGS=' 'CXXFLAGS=-g -O2' [00000001] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "es" Versión de VLC 0.9.9a Grishenko Compilado por siretart@faui44a. Compilador: gcc version 4.3.3 (Debian 4.3.3-10) Este programa viene SIN GARANTIA, sólo a la extendida por ley. Puedes redistribuirlo bajo los términos de la Licencia Pública Gral. GNU; mira el archivo llamado COPYING para ver los detalles. Escrito por el equipo VideoLAN; mira el archivo AUTHORS.
$ cat /etc/apt/sources.list # deb http://ftp.udc.es/debian/ lenny main deb http://ftp.udc.es/debian/ testing main deb-src http://ftp.udc.es/debian/ testing main deb http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main deb-src http://security.debian.org/ testing/updates main #deb http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile testing/volatile main #deb-src http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile testing/volatile main deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing main #deb-src http://www.debian-multimedia.org testing main