video will not play on some computers

[David]

Hi!

I have made some educational material in a slideshow and
I have included some videoclips (wmv-files). On some
computers they do not play and all you get is a white
screen where the video should play.

The presentation is made in Powerpoint 2000 and the
videos in Windows Media Player 9 and I have made sure
that it is not a path ptoblem. Even on computers with
Windows XP and Windows Media Player 9 series the same
problem occur.

One clue may be that my laptop all of a sudden had the
same problem which it had not before. The only thing that
had been done between the last time it worked correctly
and when the error occured was a automatic Windows update.

Unfortunately it was quite a few updates that took place
and although I tried to undo all of them the error i
still there. I even reinstalled Windows XP, but to no
avail.

Any ideas about this?

Thanks in advance!

David

 

[Echo S]

Mmm, this one's a stumper, I think.

First thing to try, though, is checking your registry settings as described
in section 3 of
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/multimedia.htm It's
possible something stomped your MCI registry keys and that's what's causing
the problem.

Then fire up mplay32.exe (Start/Run and type mplay32.exe). Does the WMV play
in that media player?

Oh, what happens if you double-click the WMV file on the PPT slide? Do you
get an error?

 

[Guest]

First thing to try, though, is checking your registry

settings

Checked, no problems there.

Then fire up mplay32.exe (Start/Run and type
mplay32.exe). Does the WMV play in that media player?

Yes and it also plays in the Windows media player if you
start it directly there. That should rule out a codec
problem right? It is only when you try to start the wmv
in powerpoint that it will not work.

Oh, what happens if you double-click the WMV file on the
PPT slide? Do you get an error?

No, the only thing that happens is that the area where
the video should run turns white.

David

 

[Echo S]

Checked, no problems there.

Ok, that's good.

Yes

Ok, then it *should* play in PPT. That mplay32.exe thing is the real acid test.

and it also plays in the Windows media player if you
start it directly there. That should rule out a codec
problem right? It is only when you try to start the wmv
in powerpoint that it will not work.

Yeah, this certainly makes it seem as if it's not a codec issue. Then again, Windows Media Player has the ability to go find codecs on the 'net. I *assume* it downloads them to the system, which should make the codec available for other programs (such as the MCI media player), but I don't know if that's what really does happen. I'm afraid I'm a bit fuzzy on my knowledge there. Then again, your WMV does play in the MCI Media Player (mplay32.exe), so the WMP thing is really just a red herring.

The upshot is, I agree with you and don't think it's a codec issue.

No, the only thing that happens is that the area where
the video should run turns white.

Well, let's see. The MCI Media Player can only handle path lengths up to, mmm, 124 or 128 characters (or something like that). So as a test, can you put the WMV and the presentation both on your C drive -- you can put them in a folder called Test if you want C:\Test -- and try inserting the WMV into the PPT presentation from there?

 

[Echo S]

Checked, no problems there.

Ok, that's good.

Yes

That's the acid test. If it plays in mplay32.exe (MCI Media Player), it
*should* play in PPT.

and it also plays in the Windows media player if you
start it directly there. That should rule out a codec
problem right? It is only when you try to start the wmv
in powerpoint that it will not work.

I think so. Windows Media Player is really a red herring, though -- what
matters is if the WMV plays in the MCI Media Player. The upshot is that yes,
I think this is not a codec issue.

No, the only thing that happens is that the area where
the video should run turns white.

Ok, so I'm now thinking path length. See, the MCI Media Player can only
handle paths up to mmm, 124 or 128 characters (or something like that). So
as a test, put both your presentation and the WMV on your C drive -- you can
put them in a folder called Test if you want...C:\Test -- and try inserting
the WMV from there. Does it play in PPT now?

 

[krista]

I had the same problem you have to go to file and save as a package and go. That way it will save all files needed to play video

Krista

 

[David]

Hi again

Ok, so I'm now thinking path length. See, the MCI Media Player can only
handle paths up to mmm, 124 or 128 characters (or something like that). So
as a test, put both your presentation and the WMV on your C drive -- you can
put them in a folder called Test if you want...C:\Test -- and try inserting
the WMV from there. Does it play in PPT now?

Yes it does! Thank you very very much!!!

David