FrankSpokane wrote:
> When I play a movie in media player 11, I get the sound but no picture- just
> a black screen.
>
> I'm pretty sure it worked a couple months ago - could one of the windows
> automatic updates changed a setting?
>
> How can I fix this or what should I check - thanks
I have some stuff that is both legitimate and works fine with other
players, but the Vista version of media player simply won't play it.
Usually it complains about a missing codec, goes off to find it, claims
to have downloaded / installed it but still does the same thing you
describe.
Frankly the new WMP seems more interested in trying to "Sell" you media
and gather information about you than it does in playing anything.
I suggest you try this
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
which seems able to play just about anything.
The problem with trying to download codecs yourself is that they seem to
fix one movie and break another, in general it seems safer to leave WMP
alone and use an alternative for the ones that won't play.
You could search Google Groups for posts by zachd on the subject, most
will recommend against downloading "Codec Packs". Probably there is
something in the file that WMP thinks is incorrect, and it may well be
so but other players often ignore things and try to play anyway.