Version 5.5 > MPG file error

 


osborn4
10/15/2005 7:19:00 AM
When I try to play an .mpg file, I get a message saying that I don't have the codec necessary to play thay type of file.

However, when I double click the file in Windows Explorer, Windows Media Player launches and the video plays just fine.

I thought that if WMP could play it, SSP could.

Any ideas?

iamgap
10/15/2005 3:24:22 PM
When the video is in the Video panel, what type (Windows MediaPlayer, Movie clip, or 'dvd software' file) of file is it? Whatever type it shows up as, see if it will play in that program. If not, change the file association so that it is a Windows MediaPlayer file.

I don't know for sure if this will work, but it is a possiblity.

gap

osborn4
10/15/2005 5:50:36 PM

I didn't notice the icon, but when I double click on the .mpg file, Windows Media Player launches, so that should be the association.


dreece
10/15/2005 11:15:29 PM
Is this a file that was built in-house or from another source?

osborn4
10/16/2005 10:51:24 AM
It is a freebie I picked up from one of the video houses. I can't renember which one.

dreece
10/16/2005 7:22:09 PM
It might help if we could have a look at it.

osborn4
10/16/2005 8:27:58 PM
I'll try to sent it, when I get back over to church. It's no longer on my memory, key.
 
I don't think it's on one off the computers here.

osborn4
10/19/2005 8:32:29 AM
The file in question is the free download of the month from SermonSpice called In The Night
http://www.sermonspice.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=654

I downloaded it in mpeg 1 format, rather than WMV format, because the anti-Microsoft side of my brain told me to.

I doubt we will actually use this clip, and if we did, I could download the WMV version.

But I was just puzzled that I could play it in Windows Media Player, but SSP couldn't play it.

If you want me to try to send you this file, I still can attempt to, but it is 72 MB, so it will take some fancy footwork (or a http://www.dropload.com account).


jlowery
12/4/2005 5:05:46 PM
When I had the problem you are experiencing I solved it by purchasing and installing InterVideo's WinDVD after I read the following statement, which can be found here http://www.rtechnics2.com/TechnicalSupport/System%20Requirements.html


Video File Support
Files in General: SongShow Plus uses DirectShow to play integrated video files through SongShow Plus. It is necessary that the required drivers (including codecs and DirectShow filters) be installed. SongShow Plus does not ship with any video drivers or codecs. SongShow Plus also does not support every codec, but it does support the most common ones in use.

MPEG-2 Support: By default, Windows XP systems are not installed with MPEG-2 codecs. In order to play an MPEG-2 video through SongShow Plus, you must first install an application that includes an MPEG-2 codec. Two examples of such applications are InterVideo's WinDVD and nVidia's NVDVD products. These are frequently included with systems and video card packages. By installing these applications, the MPEG-2 codec and necessary DirectShow filters are also installed which then let's SongShow Plus play an MPEG-2 file. Other products may also provide the same function. At this time, CyberLink's PowerDVD does not install the necessary drivers.

osborn4
12/4/2005 9:14:57 PM
Yes. WinDVD did fix the problem.

The odd think was that Windows Media Player would play the video fine, so there must have been a codec for them somewhere.


jlowery
12/5/2005 4:49:05 AM
Maybe the MPEG-2 codec used by WMP is incompatible with SSP or perhaps it isn't installed in such a way that it can be shared by SSP.

SSP has a broader video capability than any other presentation software but fixing this problem in V.7 would be nice.  If SSP could use the WMP codec we wouldn't have to buy another program for a compatible codec, only.

Karen39
12/5/2005 5:28:15 AM
I believe at one time it was said that if the video could be played in the windows media player, it could be played in Songshow Plus. After we installed WinDVD, we haven't run across not being able to play anything. I do vaguely remember searching online for Video Codecs and installing a few others.

David
12/5/2005 10:15:17 AM
I've done a bit of research on the whole mpeg2 issue and can shed some light on this.

The mpeg2 is a proprietary format that consists of a rather large number of patents which are owned by a wide array of companies.  A coalition of sorts was formed to allow companies to license the format without having to pay rights for each patent individually.  This license amounts to between $15 and $20 for any mpeg2 decoder.  (It varies a bit because obviously companies like Phillips and Sony don't have to pay the patent fees on patents they own.)

As a side note, these licensing fees are included in the cost of any home DVD player.  So half of the cost of a $30 DVD player is just the license fees to decode the DVD. 

Because of this, Microsoft doesn't actually include an mpeg2 codec with Windows Media player.  If they did they would have to pay the licensing fee every time someone downloaded it.  This is why you have to purchase DVD playing software in order to get mpeg2 files to work with SongShow Plus. 

Be aware, there is a big difference between mpeg1 and mpeg2 files despite the fact that they both use the .mpg suffix.  So if one mpg file works while another does not, there is a good chance that the one that doesn't work is an mpeg2.



jlowery
12/5/2005 7:10:52 PM
David, thanks for the very informative response.

osborn4
12/5/2005 8:54:01 PM
The oddity in my case was that WMP would play the video, but SSP wouldn't. So there must have been a codec installed somewhere.

But, a quick trip to eBay for WinDVD v.4 should make it all better. The eval of WinDVD v.7 worked, but the eval is only for 10 days. I don't know if they codec still works or not.

Karen39
12/6/2005 5:00:20 AM
I downloaded an mpeg yesterday that we want to use for our Christmas Production this year.  It is from the NAMB.  I was all excited and we went to look at it on the screens.  It kept freezing up Songshow Plus and absolutely would not play within it.  I have other mpegs I can play, but not that one.  I had to play it from WMP and then drag it to the extended desktop so we could see it on the screens.  So, we're going to have to burn it to a DVD so it will play for sure.  Any ideas why it won't play??  It is not even that it won't play, it locks up SSP and I have to close the whole program down each time I tried to play it. 

David
12/6/2005 9:43:10 AM
Karen,

This sounds a little bit like something I have seen before.  When you install DVD software it has to register the MPEG2 codec with Windows.  This allows Windows to know what codecs are installed and where.

There have been cases where the installer misregisters the mpeg2 codec as the codec for mep1 and mpeg2.  In thise case mpeg2's will play fine but mpeg1's will be very jerky, and cause all sorts of issues.  To resolve this you can simply uninstall your DVD playing software and then reinstall it. 

Personally, I would uninstall the software, then try to play the file and see if it's any better.  Then reinstall the DVD software.  I have seen this a few times with WinDVD.  It's not a huge problem and in many cases is related to the order in which things are isntalled. 



Karen39
12/6/2005 2:51:16 PM
Ok, I can try to uninstall WinDVD and reinstall it, I hope I have saved the information somewhere that proves I purchased it because I believe it was a download.

Karen

osborn4
12/6/2005 3:50:23 PM
I'd poke around in the Help -> About or where ever you register it in WinDVD to see if they will display your registration key. I doubt it would save that on an uninstall.

But I could be wrong. Programs are notorious for not cleaing up after themselves.

Karen39
12/6/2005 3:55:34 PM
Ok, good idea. I'll try that first.

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