Windows Media Player and mpg (mpeg) movie files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Snapper
  • Start date Start date
S

Snapper

I cannot get Windows Media Player to play mpg files that were created with a
Sony digital camera (still camera with movie recording). Apple Quicktime and
Nero Showtime play them fine. However, when WMP11 plays them there is no video
and the sound is clipped and staticy.

I am assuming that it may be a codec problem. If so, where can I find the
appropriate codec? I search the ms site but I got hopelessly lost trying to work
it all out.

The main aim was to play them over the network on the TV using the Xbox 360.
I've ended up having to use "Super" a video converter to conver them to divx AVI
files. That works fine but it'd be nice if we didn't have to convert them in
order to play them.

Thanks.


--
Computer games don't affect kids... I mean, if Pacman affected us as kids, we'd
all run around in a darkened room munching pills and listening to repetitive
music.
 
"Snapper" <snapper1@y7mail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:69afa4tfnmj87i8cshhmom6gq8jooafguo@yarwho.com...
>I cannot get Windows Media Player to play mpg files that were created with
>a
> Sony digital camera (still camera with movie recording). Apple Quicktime
> and
> Nero Showtime play them fine. However, when WMP11 plays them there is no
> video
> and the sound is clipped and staticy.
>
> I am assuming that it may be a codec problem. If so, where can I find the
> appropriate codec? I search the ms site but I got hopelessly lost trying
> to work
> it all out.
>
> The main aim was to play them over the network on the TV using the Xbox
> 360.
> I've ended up having to use "Super" a video converter to conver them to
> divx AVI
> files. That works fine but it'd be nice if we didn't have to convert them
> in
> order to play them.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> --
> Computer games don't affect kids... I mean, if Pacman affected us as kids,
> we'd
> all run around in a darkened room munching pills and listening to
> repetitive
> music.


Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it is
..mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP
 
Bruce Hagen wrote...

> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm

The files that the camera downloads are *.mpg files. Windows Explorer sees them
as mpg (mpeg movie file) when you view the directory in "details" view.

Anyway, that link is broken. I've found another link from that page and am
downloading the full version of k-lite. Will see what that does.

Thanks.
 
Bruce Hagen wrote...

> Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it is
> .mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm

I downloaded and installed k-lite. Now, when I play these mpgs Windows media
player "classic" opens. It still doesn't display the video, just playing the
sound which is still clipped and staticy.

When I right click the mpg file and select "open with" I get the choice of
Windows Media Player Classic, which prior to k-lite update I didn't have, WMP11,
Quicktime or Nero Showtime.

The last two players play these files properly.
 
"Snapper" <snapper1@y7mail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:ommha45lbfn97q4fje5chd6pb5gjqc1jr0@yarwho.com...
> Bruce Hagen wrote...
>
>> Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it
>> is
>> .mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
>> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm
>
> I downloaded and installed k-lite. Now, when I play these mpgs Windows
> media
> player "classic" opens. It still doesn't display the video, just playing
> the
> sound which is still clipped and staticy.
>
> When I right click the mpg file and select "open with" I get the choice of
> Windows Media Player Classic, which prior to k-lite update I didn't have,
> WMP11,
> Quicktime or Nero Showtime.
>
> The last two players play these files properly.
>


I think your best move right now would be to take this up in the WMP
newsgroup. I would have forwarded it via crosspost, but it would serve no
purpose with snipped threads.

Windows Media Player Newsgroup:
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player
--
Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP
 
Bruce Hagen wrote...

> Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it is
> .mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm

Here's another one for you.

I converted these MPGs to AVI using Super and Divx. Now, they can be played
fine. However, I uploaded them to our ftp server for people that want to see
them. However, some people in the US cannot play them.

http://home.austarnet.com.au/mjt57/paris_trip_5.AVI

is one. It's about 530kb in size so it's not big. If you wouldn't mind, see if
you can play it. If you can't play it can you see what you need in order to play
it.

The only thing that apart from Divx 4 codec as Gspot has detected is that it's
in PAL format.

This may be the problem. I don't know. I didn't think that it would make any
difference on a computer. Maybe it does. Maybe Windows Media Player needs
specific codecs or something. But if I have downloaded the standard K-Lite codec
pack then surely it would be universal?

And this isn't the first time that we've had this problem. In the end we've had
to convert them and upload them to Youtube. Which is a pain compared to what I
did to get these to play.

Thanks.
 
"Snapper" <snapper1@y7mail.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:vnfia4lfg71cum9ppr89loaitmegplo60p@yarwho.com...
> Bruce Hagen wrote...
>
>> Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it
>> is
>> .mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
>> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm
>
> Here's another one for you.
>
> I converted these MPGs to AVI using Super and Divx. Now, they can be
> played
> fine. However, I uploaded them to our ftp server for people that want to
> see
> them. However, some people in the US cannot play them.
>
> http://home.austarnet.com.au/mjt57/paris_trip_5.AVI
>
> is one. It's about 530kb in size so it's not big. If you wouldn't mind,
> see if
> you can play it. If you can't play it can you see what you need in order
> to play
> it.
>
> The only thing that apart from Divx 4 codec as Gspot has detected is that
> it's
> in PAL format.
>
> This may be the problem. I don't know. I didn't think that it would make
> any
> difference on a computer. Maybe it does. Maybe Windows Media Player needs
> specific codecs or something. But if I have downloaded the standard K-Lite
> codec
> pack then surely it would be universal?
>
> And this isn't the first time that we've had this problem. In the end
> we've had
> to convert them and upload them to Youtube. Which is a pain compared to
> what I
> did to get these to play.
>
> Thanks.
>


The link you sent does play for me. That said, WMP /should/ play AVI format
as well as MPG.

I thought of something that happened to me awhile back. Just popped into my
head last night. All of a sudden, my WMP11 would play the audio of mpgs, but
not the video. I didn't worry about it much since I use wmv for my camera.

However, I had to reformat for another reason and as an after thought, tried
to play mpg files, and now they did play again.

I am not suggesting you do a hard reformat. (God that sucks). But, perhaps a
repair install? You would get better instructions from someone else, but if
done correctly, it does not wipe out the HDD and remove any of your personal
files.

Just a thought.
--

Bruce Hagen
MS-MVP Outlook Express
Imperial Beach, CA
 
Bruce Hagen wrote...


> I think your best move right now would be to take this up in the WMP
> newsgroup. I would have forwarded it via crosspost, but it would serve no
> purpose with snipped threads.

Thanks. Will do that.
 
Bruce Hagen wrote...

> The link you sent does play for me.

What do you mean? That you can't access it, as in bad url or whatever? Or that
you download the file but WMP generates an error?

I'm trying to work this out. Sounds like that you're having the same problem as
those to whom we've sent the links for that and other movie files.

Obviously it's difficult for me to troubleshoot from my end. So hopefully
someone knowledgeble can sort it out at the other end.
 
The only thing I needed to do to play the video was install the XviD
codec <http://www.xvid.org/Downloads.15.0.html>
<http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=1052&ssid=0&did=1>.

You should get the people having problems to run Sherlock - the Codec
Detective <http://www.updatexp.com/sherlock-codec-detective.html>.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:25:42 +1000, Snapper
<snapper1@y7mail.com.invalid> wrote:

>Bruce Hagen wrote...
>
>> Is the file extension .mpg when you download them from the camera? If it is
>> .mov, you do need a converter. If .mpg, try this K-Lite Codec Pak:
>> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm
>
>Here's another one for you.
>
>I converted these MPGs to AVI using Super and Divx. Now, they can be played
>fine. However, I uploaded them to our ftp server for people that want to see
>them. However, some people in the US cannot play them.
>
>http://home.austarnet.com.au/mjt57/paris_trip_5.AVI
>
>is one. It's about 530kb in size so it's not big. If you wouldn't mind, see if
>you can play it. If you can't play it can you see what you need in order to play
>it.
>
>The only thing that apart from Divx 4 codec as Gspot has detected is that it's
>in PAL format.
>
>This may be the problem. I don't know. I didn't think that it would make any
>difference on a computer. Maybe it does. Maybe Windows Media Player needs
>specific codecs or something. But if I have downloaded the standard K-Lite codec
>pack then surely it would be universal?
>
>And this isn't the first time that we've had this problem. In the end we've had
>to convert them and upload them to Youtube. Which is a pain compared to what I
>did to get these to play.
>
>Thanks.
>
 
Andy wrote...

> The only thing I needed to do to play the video was install the XviD
> codec <http://www.xvid.org/Downloads.15.0.html>
> <http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=1052&ssid=0&did=1>.
>
> You should get the people having problems to run Sherlock - the Codec
> Detective <http://www.updatexp.com/sherlock-codec-detective.html>.

they're lucky to be able to turn the computer on let alone anything this
"advanced".

Anyway, my wife converted them to WMV files. And apparently that works for
them...

Thanks for the help, in any case. It's appreciated.
 
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