Brief summary of problem: Windows Media Player 6.4 on Windows NT4 with
IE5.5 (SP2). Some machines will not play WMP6.4 animations in IE,
instead you get a message saying "Rebuffering Video".
I work for a company who are rolling out a bespoke elearning
application to a selection of our userbase. This application includes
some Flash 6 animations, and some Windows Media Player 6.4 animations.
Windows Media Player 6.4 has been installed on each machine, as have
the codecs (wmpcdcs8.exe). On every machine, you can browse to and
play the WMP6.4 animations outside of IE. However, for many of them,
when you enter IE5.5 and drill through the relevant menus to select to
play a WMP animation, it won't play!
Working machines - drill down to the menu option with the WMP6.4
animation. You see a full screen browser window which contains a black
window with Play/Pause/Replay controls underneath. Click on play, and
the WMP animation plays fine.
Non-Working machines - drill to the same menu option. The first point
you know there is a problem, is when instead of seeing a pure black
window - it shows a small white box in the top left of this window,
containing a small circle, square and triangle. At this point you can
be sure the animation won't play. Click on play, and you get the
message "Rebuffering Video, Please wait" - nothing further happens,
though you can navigate back to the main menu (i.e. the browser has
not hung).
All machines have the same install of WMP6.4 and codecs. All are NT4.
All have IE5.5 SP2. Some have slightly different product ID's but we
have cases where 2 or more machines have exactly the same version/ID
and some work - some don't. We have checked IE settings - both under
"Advanced" and "Security" - there are no differences in these settings
between working and non-working PC's.
On rare occasions, reinstalling the same version of IE over the top
resolves the problem, but most times not. The problem occurs whether
logged in as an Administrator or a "normal" user.
The make/model of the PC is irrelevant as many of the machines are
exactly the same model - where some are ok and some not. IBMs, Dells,
Compaqs - we are unable to find any commonality with regards to where
and why this problem occurs. |
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
29 Jul 2004 13:09 PDT
nickdale...
You mention "a small white box in the top left of this window,
containing a small circle, square and triangle", which gives
the first indication that the video won't play. This is an
unfamiliar phenomena to me. If it is possible that you could
post a screen capture of this image, it might be of assistance
in figuring out what is happening at that time.
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
30 Jul 2004 09:12 PDT
Hi - first time i've used this service. I have a screenshot (in a word
document), but cannot seem to copy/paste the image here, or insert the
document?!
How do I do this?
Many thanks by the way for your quick response.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
30 Jul 2004 14:59 PDT
Hi nickdale...
You can register and upload your image to one of the
following free sites and then post the URL of the image
back on this page:
http://www.villagephotos.com
http://www.deviantart.com
http://www.usa-ezweb.com/ezfree
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
01 Aug 2004 03:28 PDT
Hi - Thanks.
Image posted at
http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-8/794951/wmp-prob.jpg
Note - The fact that Audio is turned off (bottom toolbar) is
irrelevant. Also - i've had to blur out part of the url as i've been
asked to keep the company name confidential.
This app works fine for 100% of users, as much of it is just text and
flash. About 30% of users however, do have the problem where they
can't play WMP files.
Kind regards.
Nick.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
01 Aug 2004 11:37 PDT
Thanks nickdale...
I now recognize the symbol. It is one which is normally used to
indicate that an stil image file, such as a .jpg or .gif extension,
cannot be found and/or loaded by the browser. I have never seen it
displayed in a media player window.
The image also makes it clear that this .wmv file is set up to play
in an embedded media player, rather than in a separate media player
apart from the browser. In my experience, this can increase the
possibility of errors.
The next thing I would recommend is to right-click on the media
player window, and see if a context menu is available. I believe
there should be an option such as 'error details', which should
expand on the problem you're experiencing. If you could reproduce
that expanded error message here (if there is one), it may help
in resolveing the problem.
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
02 Aug 2004 05:02 PDT
Hi - There is no error code, though the PC's that do not work, give
you the option of "View Source" when you right click in the Windows
Media Player window. Here is the view source content.
On PC's where all works fine, understandably, you get play/pause/zoom options.
Note "xxxxx" is a valid server id etc. , just replaced here.
---------------
<!** PROCESSING: Settings.asp | SERVERNAME: elearning.uk.xxxxx.com **>
<html>
<head>
<!meta http-equiv="Page-Enter" content="blendTrans(Duration=0.5)">
<title>xxxxx Personal Injury Workstation |
v:\\video\\liabilityscenario1.wmv |</title>
<SCRIPT language=javascript>
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//The following function is not used in this file, instead the one in
scenario.asp is called.
function JumpTo(Quadrant,File,Point)
{
//*******************************************************************************
//The following code is for controlling the VIDEO player
//*******************************************************************************
if (Quadrant == 1) {
window.status = File
Player.URL = File
Player.controls.Play();
Zoomout()
}
if (Quadrant == 2) {
//*******************************************************************************
//The following code is for controlling the FLASH player
//*******************************************************************************
//if (Slides.movie != "swf/" + File)
if (Slides.movie != "swf/" + File)
{
alert("loading new...")
//Slides.movie = "swf/" + File
Slides.movie = "swf/" + File
}
Slides.GotoFrame(Point-1)
Slides.StopPlay()
window.status = "Flash File: " + "-swf/-" + File + " Frame #: " +
Point + " - " + Slides.PercentLoaded()
}
}
//The above function is not used in this file, instead the one in
scenario.asp is called.
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
//*******************************************************************************************
</SCRIPT>
<SCRIPT FOR="Player" EVENT="ScriptCommand(bstrType, bstrParam)" LANGUAGE="Jscript">
//*******************************************************************************
//The following code is for receiving commands from the video file/player
//*******************************************************************************
if (bstrType.toLowerCase() == "text") {
// *** Code to parse the parameter string passed from multimedia stream ***
// *** Comma delimited (quadrant, action, file, point, view)
//------------------------------------------------------
checkthis = bstrParam.toLowerCase()
splitcheckthis = checkthis.split("|")
quadrant = splitcheckthis[0]
action = splitcheckthis[1]
file = splitcheckthis[2]
point = splitcheckthis[3]
view = splitcheckthis[4]
//*******************************************************************************
//The following code is for opening VIDEO or FLASH files
//*******************************************************************************
if (action == "jumpto") {
//alert(quadrant + " - " + file + " - " + point)
parent.JumpTo(quadrant,file,point)
}
//*******************************************************************************
//The following code is for displaying the links associated with slides
//*******************************************************************************
if (action == "transcript") {
parent.frames[0].location="trans/" + file + "?SLIDE=" + point
//window.status = frames[0].location
}
}
</SCRIPT>
</head>
<body bgcolor="black" leftmargin=0 topmargin=0 STYLE="border-width:
0px; scrollbar-width: 10px; scrollbar-face-color: #cccccc;
scrollbar-arrow-color: #eeeeee; scrollbar-base-color: #ffffff;
scrollbar-shadow-color: #ffffff; scrollbar-dark-shadow-color: #ffffff;
scrollbar-highlight-color: #ffffff; scrollbar-3d-light-color:
#ffffff;">
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<!**** Video Player ****************************************************************************>
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<DIV ID="video" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 0px; left: 0px; width:
192px; height: 150px; z-index: 9; visibility: visible;">
<OBJECT id="Player"
CLASSID="CLSID:6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6" WIDTH=192
HEIGHT=150 type="application/x-oleobject">
<PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="v:\\video\\liabilityscenario1.wmv">
<PARAM name="autoStart" value="True">
<PARAM name="uiMode" value="none">
<PARAM NAME="animationatStart" VALUE="False">
<PARAM NAME="transparentatStart" VALUE="true">
<EMBED type="application/x-mplayer2" name="Player" width=192
height=150 AutoStart=true
pluginspage="http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/MediaPlayer/"></EMBED>
</OBJECT>
</DIV>
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<!**** Flash Player
***************************************************************************>
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<DIV ID="flash1" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 328px; left: 6px;
width: 382px; height: 130px; z-index: 9; visibility: visible;">
<OBJECT id="Slides" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
WIDTH=382 HEIGHT=130>
<!codebase="images/swflash.cab#version=5,0,0,0">
<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="swf/hc/swf/scenario01.swf">
<PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high>
<PARAM NAME=bgcolor VALUE=#eeeeee>
<EMBED name="Slides" src="swf/hc/swf/scenario01.swf" quality=high
bgcolor=#eeeeee WIDTH=0 HEIGHT=0
TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash">
<!PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash">
</EMBED>
</OBJECT>
</DIV>
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<!**** Start of section that is no longer used
*************************************************>
<!**********************************************************************************************>
<DIV ID="maincontrols" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 565px; left
20px; width: 800px; height: 180px; z-index: 2; visibility: visible;">
<form>
<input type=hidden onClick="Play()" value="Play">
<input type=hidden onClick="Pause()" value="Pause">
<input type=hidden onClick="Stop()" value="Stop">
<input type=hidden onClick="Zoomin()" value="Zoom In">
<input type=hidden onClick="Player.settings.volume =
Player.settings.volume + 110" value="Volume UP">
<input type=hidden onClick="Player.settings.volume =
Player.settings.volume - 10" value="Volume DN">
<input name="statusbox" type=hidden value="Play">
<input type=hidden onClick="Zoomout()" value="Restore View">
<input name="indicator" type=hidden value=0>
<input type=text name=videoposition value=0>
</form>
</DIV>
<DIV ID="trans" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 230px; left: 375px;
z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;">
<FORM>
<TEXTAREA name="mytextarea" type=textarea ROWS=2 COLS=50
STYLE="overflow:hidden; font-family : Arial; font-size : 8pt;
border=0;" ><Clickable Link></TEXTAREA>
</FORM>
<FORM>
<select name="list1" size=2
onChange="JumpTo(1,document.forms[1].elements[0].value,0)">
</select>
</FORM>
</DIV>
<DIV ID="nextbutton" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 275px; left:
715px; width: 16px; height: 13px; z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;">
<img src="images/transparent.gif"
onClick="window.Player.controls.next()" width=50 height=20 border=0
onMouseOver="this.src='images/transparent.gif'"
onMouseOut="this.src='images/transparent.gif'">
</DIV>
<DIV ID="prevbutton" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 275px; left:
655px; width: 16px; height: 13px; z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;
cursor-hover:hand">
<img src="images/transparent.gif"
onClick="window.Player.controls.previous()" width=50 height=20
border=0 onMouseOver="this.src='images/transparent.gif'"
onMouseOut="this.src='images/transparent.gif'">
</DIV>
<DIV ID="Menu1" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 240px; left: 290px;
width: 60px; height: 25px; z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;
cursor-hover:hand">
<img src="images/transparent.gif" width=60 height=25 border=0
onClick="JumpTo(1,'wmv/menu1.asx',1);"
onMouseOver="this.src='images/transparent.gif'"
onMouseOut="this.src='images/transparent.gif'">
</DIV>
<DIV ID="Menu2" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 95px; left: 290px;
width: 60px; height: 25px; z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;
cursor-hover:hand">
<img src="images/transparent.gif" width=60 height=25 border=0
onClick="JumpTo(1,'wmv/menu2.asx',1);"
onMouseOver="this.src='images/transparent.gif'"
onMouseOut="this.src='images/transparent.gif'">
</DIV>
<DIV ID="Menu3" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 137px; left: 290px;
width: 60px; height: 25px; z-index: 9; visibility: hidden;
cursor-hover:hand">
<img src="images/transparent.gif" width=60 height=25 border=0
onClick="JumpTo(1,'wmv/menu3.asx',1);"
onMouseOver="this.src='images/transparent.gif'"
onMouseOut="this.src='images/transparent.gif'">
</DIV>
<DIV ID="Menu4" STYLE="position: absolute; top: 180px; left: 290px;
width: 60px; height:
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
02 Aug 2004 08:49 PDT
nickdale...
What you've provided seems to be the source code for the entire
webpage, which means that the media player is not loading, as it
is on the machines where a right-click provides video options.
The code shows javascript being used. Assuming you have javascript
enabled, in Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Custom Level
-> Scripting -> Enable Active Scripting, then for some reason, the
media player is not loading.
I would first suspect the fact that the file being called is at
an address on a local drive, rather than on an internet address:
<PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="v:\\video\\liabilityscenario1.wmv">
While it might be possible to use this address if all the PCs
are on a local network with filesharing enabled between them,
it is possibly the cause of your problem. It is more common
to use an address which is a subset of the internet address
being used for the page, as is done with the Flash file on
the same page:
<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="swf/hc/swf/scenario01.swf">
If the .wmv file is, in fact, located on the server for this
page, I would try changing the source code for this page so
that the address for the file reflects its location in a
subdirectory of the web page, e.g.:
<PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="video/liabilityscenario1.wmv">
I'll be out and about today, but will check for your response
as soon as I return this afternoon.
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
03 Aug 2004 05:47 PDT
Hi sublime1.
I've checked a "non-working" PC, and can confirm "Enable Active
Scripting", as well as all other options are enabled - which they are.
FYI - Flash and WMP animations are all loaded from "V:\........". The
website is on a centralized server, and all .swf/.wmv files are loaded
onto fileservers local to relevant users. The app is hard-coded to
load such files off "V:\....". We copy the whole set of animation
files to each local server, and then do a permanent drive mapping to
v:localserver\pik - so the users are not loading animation files over
the WAN - but just off their local LAN.
That said, we have machines at each site that do and do not work, so
the coding itself does not seem to be the issue.
I'm currently pulling together a spreadsheet containing full version
numbers and Product ID numbers for each instance of
working/non-working machines. It's possible there may be a trend, but
am not sure what "Product ID" really refers to. Here's a couple of
versions/product ID's of working/non-working PC's in case this may
throw some more light!!
Working:IE version= 5.50.4807.2300. Product ID= 52974-824-2270532-04481
Not Working:IE version= 5.50.4807.2300. Product ID= 52974-315-1184597-04865
In the few PC's i've collated this info from - Those with the 2nd part
of the ID that have either "OEM" or "824", and the 3rd part starting
"227" (or higher) are those that work. Those with lower numbers do
not. Hope this information is useful?!
Thanks and regards.
Nickdale.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
03 Aug 2004 08:59 PDT
nickdale...
As noted on this MS page:
"Your Product ID (PID) for Internet Explorer is the same
as your PID for Windows. From the desktop, right-click
My Computer and select Properties. Locate the first number
under 'Registered To...'"
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=%2Fsupport%2Fwebresponse%2Fpid%2Fpidfindp2.asp%3FPID_PRODUCTID%3D3453%26Product%3DInternet%2BExplorer%2B5.0%2Bfor%2BWindows
So, if you're able to differentiate between these version
numbers, which I wasn't able to do with an internet search,
the differences you will be finding are between versions of
Windows, not IE, and I doubt these differences would prove
relevant to the playing of a media file. The only possible
issue that suggests itself to me is that some versions of
Windows may not have installed Active Movie - a component
of the Windows Media package which has generally been phased
out, but which I seem to recall being required in some cases
which are not clearly coming to mind. It was used in WIN9X,
and was a Microsoft technology used for streaming video and
audio over the Internet. It was later called Direct Show. It
is an ActiveX control. You can determine whether it exists on
the machines which are working, vs those which are not, by
running a search for the file amovie.ocx. It was included in
Windows XP, but is not in Windows 2000. I don't know about
Windows ME or NT.
Since there are machines at each site which are working, I
would wonder if the machines which are not working are also
having difficulty with the Flash file, as well as the .wmv
file, since I am still curious about the difference between
the named location of the two files in the html source:
<PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="v:\\video\\liabilityscenario1.wmv">
versus
<PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="swf/hc/swf/scenario01.swf">
If the machines which are not working with the .wmv file are
loading the .swf file, I would continue to look at the difference
in the way the two are named in the Source Code of the page. If
the non-working machines are failing to load either file, I would
suspect a difference in the configuration of the non-working
machines in the area of filesharing over the local LAN, though
this is not an area in which I am greatly knowledgeable with
regard to troubleshooting.
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
04 Aug 2004 08:39 PDT
Hi - thanks for all of your advice to date.
I am on holiday tomorrow (Thu 5th August) for 1 day, back in on Friday.
* P-ID's are different between IE5.5 and My computer/properties.
*amovie.ocx doesn't exist on any of the NT4 machines, but has given me
food for though on your comments around this - which I will progress
Friday.
* Flash files work on all relevant PC's - they're in a subfolder next
to the WMV files, so filesharing does not seem to be the issue (all
PC's have the same access etc.).
*Will chase up with our developer (currently on vacation) re: why the
flash and wmv files are called up differently.
Again - many thanks. We are prepared to up the List price based on
getting to a resolution.
Regards.
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
04 Aug 2004 10:37 PDT
Hi nickdale...
The fact that amovie.ocx is not present on any of the machines
would seem to make it clear that it is not a factor in whether
the Media Player is working on a particular machine, or not.
It may prove educational to discover more about it, but I
don't think it's a factor here.
If the flash file works on all relevant PCs, this doesn't
necessarily prove that filesharing is not an issue, since
they are being called from a URL address, rather than a
local drive. I would assert, with a 99% certainty, that
changing the call-up location for the .wmv files in the
html code will resolve your problem.
I have never seen a local disk address used by a web developer,
except as a mistake in writing the code, which is why it stood
out when I saw the code. I'm actually surprised that any of the
machines are managing to play the file, and I suspect that the
ones that do are somehow able to access the hard drive on the
server through fileshare networking rather than through the URL
of the served site, as would normally be the case, and as is the
case with the flash file.
The change that is called for is relatively simple to make, and
your developer may be able to accomplish this is short order if
he has access to a computer, and can upload the modified code
to your site from his present location.
Best regards...
sublime1-ga
|
Request for Question Clarification by
sublime1-ga
on
09 Aug 2004 19:54 PDT
nickdale...
So are we getting anywhere?
sublime1-ga
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
10 Aug 2004 04:10 PDT
Hi. Not really.
I've spoken to the developer, who tells me the "/swf" part of the file
is a legacy, and is now redundant.
All of the .swf and .wmv files are stored on local file servers and
are all loaded in the same way (i.e. the code is hard coded to load
them off v:\etc.)
The fact that all PC's load the swf files, and many load the .wmv
files seems to point to it being a PC issue rather than coding or
network access related.
I have emailed the developer to ask him to explain the "/swf" vs
"v:\\video" issue further, and will let you know what he says.
Still awaiting a "broken" PC from one of our locations - hopefully
will arrive here tomorrow.
Thanks and regards.
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
17 Aug 2004 06:27 PDT
Hi.
We now have the 2 PC's here. Both are the same make/model, and from
the same room in the same office. 1 plays the clips fine, the other
doesn't.
IT are at last looking at them, but nothing proving helpful as yet.
All are sure that it's not an issue with the code, as about 75% of
machines work ok.
I'm not sure how we can proceed here (apart from leaving it to IT to look into).
The same code (where the .wmv and .swf files are loaded from a drive
mapping off a local server) has been working for over a year on quite
a few PC's - which are still working ok. Also - many PC's that have
recently been given access to the app are ok too.
How do you want to move forward with this? Do you think this is an
issue you can provide further assistance with?
Thanks.
|
Clarification of Question by
nickdale-ga
on
18 Aug 2004 05:17 PDT
Hi Sublime-1. Thanks for all of your efforts and advice.
I will leave this open for others to see, and will definately post
when IT have found the problem (and of course solution!!).
FYI - <PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="v:\\video\\
is created by a .asp file. I've looked at this asp file, and it's
loads flash and wmp files in the same manner:
videopath = "v:\\video\\"
flashpath = "v:\\animation\\"
The Value="swf/...." part of the source code I sent you is legacy, and
only then for original development purposes. None of the animation
files reside in swf/ so couldn't load anyway with that code.
I'm guessing that if we could view source code for a flash anim, where
flash was not installed - we'd get similar to -
<PARAM NAME="FileName" VALUE="v:\\animation\\
Thanks again,
Regards.
|
