diff --git a/examples/gst/cp.py b/examples/gst/cp.py
index 33f177640c..8ef83873c5 100755
--- a/examples/gst/cp.py
+++ b/examples/gst/cp.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def filter(filters):
    previous = None
    for e in elements:
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    # start playing
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ def filter(filters):
 
 def main():
    "A GStreamer based cp(1) with stats"
-   gst_debug_set_categories(0)
+   #gst_info_set_categories(-1)
+   #gst_debug_set_categories(-1)
 
    stats = gst_element_factory_make ('statistics', 'stats');
    if not stats:
diff --git a/examples/gst/dvdplay.py b/examples/gst/dvdplay.py
index 7435113d5b..2674bc150c 100755
--- a/examples/gst/dvdplay.py
+++ b/examples/gst/dvdplay.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
 
    def main(self):
       if len(sys.argv) < 5:
-         print 'usage: %s dvdlocation title chapter angle' % argv[0]
+         print 'usage: %s dvdlocation title chapter angle' % sys.argv[0]
          return -1
 
       self.location = sys.argv[1]
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       for e in (self.v_queue, self.v_decode, self.color, self.show):
          self.v_thread.add(e)
 
-      self.v_queue.connect('src',self.v_decode,'sink')
-      self.v_decode.connect('src',self.color,'sink')
-      self.color.connect('src',self.show,'sink')
+      self.v_queue.connect(self.v_decode)
+      self.v_decode.connect(self.color)
+      self.color.connect(self.show)
 
    def build_audio_thread(self):
       # ***** pre-construct the audio thread *****
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       for e in (self.a_queue, self.a_decode, self.osssink):
          self.a_thread.add(e)
 
-      self.a_queue.connect('src',self.a_decode,'sink')
-      self.a_decode.connect('src',self.osssink,'sink')
+      self.a_queue.connect(self.a_decode)
+      self.a_decode.connect(self.osssink)
 
    def build(self):
       # ***** construct the main pipeline *****
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       self.pipeline.add(self.src)
       self.pipeline.add(self.parse)
 
-      self.src.connect('src',self.parse,'sink')
+      self.src.connect(self.parse)
 
       # pre-construct the audio/video threads
       self.build_video_thread()
diff --git a/examples/gst/f2f.py b/examples/gst/f2f.py
index e2e2175c39..98370c1063 100755
--- a/examples/gst/f2f.py
+++ b/examples/gst/f2f.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def main():
       bin.add(e)
 
    # connect the elements
-   res = src.connect('src', sink, 'sink')
+   res = src.connect(sink)
    assert res
 
    # start playing
diff --git a/examples/gst/ilat.py b/examples/gst/ilat.py
index bd28c3e2b8..bd4e108cf3 100755
--- a/examples/gst/ilat.py
+++ b/examples/gst/ilat.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def build(filters, b):
    previous = None
    for e in elements:
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    return bin
diff --git a/examples/gst/oggplay.py b/examples/gst/oggplay.py
index 6946fd17fb..68344d8735 100755
--- a/examples/gst/oggplay.py
+++ b/examples/gst/oggplay.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def main():
    previous = None
    for e in (filesrc, decoder, osssink):
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    # start playing
diff --git a/examples/gstreamer/cp.py b/examples/gstreamer/cp.py
index 33f177640c..8ef83873c5 100755
--- a/examples/gstreamer/cp.py
+++ b/examples/gstreamer/cp.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def filter(filters):
    previous = None
    for e in elements:
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    # start playing
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ def filter(filters):
 
 def main():
    "A GStreamer based cp(1) with stats"
-   gst_debug_set_categories(0)
+   #gst_info_set_categories(-1)
+   #gst_debug_set_categories(-1)
 
    stats = gst_element_factory_make ('statistics', 'stats');
    if not stats:
diff --git a/examples/gstreamer/dvdplay.py b/examples/gstreamer/dvdplay.py
index 7435113d5b..2674bc150c 100755
--- a/examples/gstreamer/dvdplay.py
+++ b/examples/gstreamer/dvdplay.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
 
    def main(self):
       if len(sys.argv) < 5:
-         print 'usage: %s dvdlocation title chapter angle' % argv[0]
+         print 'usage: %s dvdlocation title chapter angle' % sys.argv[0]
          return -1
 
       self.location = sys.argv[1]
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       for e in (self.v_queue, self.v_decode, self.color, self.show):
          self.v_thread.add(e)
 
-      self.v_queue.connect('src',self.v_decode,'sink')
-      self.v_decode.connect('src',self.color,'sink')
-      self.color.connect('src',self.show,'sink')
+      self.v_queue.connect(self.v_decode)
+      self.v_decode.connect(self.color)
+      self.color.connect(self.show)
 
    def build_audio_thread(self):
       # ***** pre-construct the audio thread *****
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       for e in (self.a_queue, self.a_decode, self.osssink):
          self.a_thread.add(e)
 
-      self.a_queue.connect('src',self.a_decode,'sink')
-      self.a_decode.connect('src',self.osssink,'sink')
+      self.a_queue.connect(self.a_decode)
+      self.a_decode.connect(self.osssink)
 
    def build(self):
       # ***** construct the main pipeline *****
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class DVDPlay(object):
       self.pipeline.add(self.src)
       self.pipeline.add(self.parse)
 
-      self.src.connect('src',self.parse,'sink')
+      self.src.connect(self.parse)
 
       # pre-construct the audio/video threads
       self.build_video_thread()
diff --git a/examples/gstreamer/f2f.py b/examples/gstreamer/f2f.py
index e2e2175c39..98370c1063 100755
--- a/examples/gstreamer/f2f.py
+++ b/examples/gstreamer/f2f.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def main():
       bin.add(e)
 
    # connect the elements
-   res = src.connect('src', sink, 'sink')
+   res = src.connect(sink)
    assert res
 
    # start playing
diff --git a/examples/gstreamer/ilat.py b/examples/gstreamer/ilat.py
index bd28c3e2b8..bd4e108cf3 100755
--- a/examples/gstreamer/ilat.py
+++ b/examples/gstreamer/ilat.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def build(filters, b):
    previous = None
    for e in elements:
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    return bin
diff --git a/examples/gstreamer/oggplay.py b/examples/gstreamer/oggplay.py
index 6946fd17fb..68344d8735 100755
--- a/examples/gstreamer/oggplay.py
+++ b/examples/gstreamer/oggplay.py
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def main():
    previous = None
    for e in (filesrc, decoder, osssink):
       if previous:
-         previous.connect('src', e, 'sink')
+         previous.connect(e)
       previous = e
 
    # start playing