computer experts - advice please

[appollo1]

i have my laptop and an external hard drive which has a lot of films on it but when i try to watch them through media player all i see is a psychodelic (sp) pattern and no film.

help please. is there anything i need to do to be able to watch the films?

thanks

[The Guru]

Download some codecs?

[appollo1]

thanks guru but what are they and where do i get them?

[Bluefish]

google, codecs first hit should be ok.

[robbie09]

http://forums.techguy.org/multimedia/190375-solved-windows-media-player-no.html

Same problem with a solution right hurr :)

[Dave Mac]

download and install vlc its a media player with built in codecs mate
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

[Bibio]

http://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm

basic or standard will do fine m8.

[Mr Speirs]

Never mind...misunderstood.

[BigBaddad]

Thump it.

[flymo]

download and install vlc its a media player with built in codecs mate
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

+1

do this and save yourself plenty of hassle

[appollo1]

thanks folks hopefully it will work as the download speed here is really slow.

org to the rescue again. :D

[lx_online]

Agree with flymo and DaveMac - VLC will sort the issue. Downloading it may also let them be played in WMP.

Is this the case for all file extensions, for example can you watch .avi, but not .mpg files?

[wyrdness]

i have my laptop and an external hard drive which has a lot of films on it but when i try to watch them through media player all i see is a psychodelic (sp) pattern and no film.

Easy, just drop some acid and enjoy :-D

[jonny.boyd]

Incase they still don't work with VLC it could be a transfer rate issue between your laptop and the hard drive. If the laptop can't read data off the HD quick enough then it will stutter and could produce the effects you've listen in OP. To see if this is the issue you could try copying it across to you laptop and try playing like that.

My understanding is that if a media player can play a file it at all then it has the right codecs, in my previous experience if your media player doesn't have the codecs it will outright refuse to open the file at all. I could be wrong though... VLC is the nuts and will hopefully solve your issues, if not try what I wrote above

HTH

[lx_online]

Expanding from jonny.boyd's post - sometimes if you have the codec but the file is encrypted you can get the effects you are describing. Or if you only have part of the file...

[appollo1]

- VLC will sort the issue. Downloading it may also let them be played in WMP.

Is this the case for all file extensions, for example can you watch .avi, but not .mpg files?


:???: :???: :???: :smt102 :smt102 :help: :smt119 :smt119 :smt073:smt073

I have no idea whatyou are going on about .....sorry.

i am a complete Biff when it comes to puters but thanks for your reply.......i think......... and welcome to the org

[L3nny]

Download this

http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html (installer package)

Use it to play video files.

[lx_online]

:???: :???: :???: :smt102 :smt102 :help: :smt119 :smt119 :smt073:smt073

I have no idea whatyou are going on about .....sorry.

i am a complete Biff when it comes to puters but thanks for your reply.......i think......... and welcome to the org
Thanks for the welcome. VLC is a program that helps play videos...it can play anything - and it may fix your windows media player issue.
I think somebodies just posted a link to the download...

[Dave Mac]

i posted the link yesterday too lol

[appollo1]

not happy. just tried to download vlc and with the cr4ppy interweb speed here it is going to take 2 hours to download. not good when i get logged off after using my 30 minute limit.

[a1istair]

If you are really stuck for bandwidth you could try and find out exactly which codec you need and see if it's quicker just to get that one. There's a tool you can get called GSpot http://www.headbands.com/gspot/ where you drag the file on and it analyses it to see what's going on.

P.S. It's not a dodgy link!