strange problem: powerpoint only plays some mpg-files, but not others. help!

[ryuno]

My Powerpoint 2002 plays some mpg-files, but doesn't play others. I
have produced all mpg-files the same way. First I extracted some
VOB-Files from a DVD, then edited them using a video editor, then
encoded them to MPEG2. Even when extracting files from the same source
DVD Powerpoint will handle them differently. Very strange!
I am using Windows XP Professional and Windows Media Player 8. All
mpg-files play perfectly in both WMP and Intervideo WinDVD.

Can anybody help?

Ryuno

 

[Sonia]

PowerPoint doesn't use WMP. Try playing it in the MCI player. If it won't play
there then it won't play in PowerPoint. In Windows XP or 2000, go to Start >
Run and type mplay32.exe an click OK. In Win 98 or ME type mplayer.exe. Then
open the MPG and click on the "play" icon.

You'll have better success with MPG1, but read the information at
http://www.soniacoleman.com/Tutorials/PowerPoint/multimedia.htm for the full
story. Also, there are troubleshooting tips at
http://www.echosvoice.com/tshoot_video2.htm

 

[ryuno]

Thank you, Sonia, for your answer. I tried the MCI Player and all
mpg-files play perfectly. In the meantime, Powerpoint has also stopped
playing the ones that worked previously, without any intelligible
reason.
I also tried to import the files as a media clip instead of imbedding
them with the "insert video from file" command. But in this case
Powerpoint just freezes. So there is now only one way I can put videos
into the slide show, namely by linking to them with a hyperlink. The
result looks less than professional. Quite sad.

Ryuno

 

[Sonia]

Have you moved the files to a different location or have you renamed them?
Software doesn't just start changing its behavior without something else taking
place. I suspect that something has "broken" the links to your video files.
See the following:

Sounds/Movies don't play, images disappear or links break when I move or email
a presentation
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00155.htm

 

[ryuno]

No, I have not moved the files. Powerpoint finds them, inserts them
properly, shows the first frame, but the movie goes white, when I play
the slide show. Right clicking the movie and choosing "play movie" has
the same result. Even deleting and reinserting the movie does not
help. I agree that movies should not stop playing without reason, but
this seems to be what happened. Well, I should say, I cannot see a
reason. There must be one obviously. Thank you for your help.

Ryuno

 

[Sonia]

When you inserted the MPGs, how deep/long was the path to the files? It sounds
like the total length exceeds 128 characters. The path is the full address of
the file. For example, D:\Data\iTunes Music\Chris Botti\Slowing Down The
World\04 In The Wee Small Hours Of The Mor.mpg.

Try moving the video files to C:\TEST and then delete them from your
presentation and reinsert them.

 

[ryuno]

Thank you very much, Sonia, that did the trick. The paths were too
long. Not quite 128 characters, but very close. I had thought about
this possibility myself, but hadn't realized that the "My
Documents"-folder actually is not a root directory but a subfolder to
"Documents and Setting". The folder tree in Explorer fooled me a
little, because it shows the "My Documents"-folder seperately.

Now everything works fine. You can't imagine, what I have tried.
Everything from downloading alternative software to additional codecs
and driver updates. I even reformatted my harddisk and reinstalled all
my software (a lot of work). Well, I should have asked you a little
earlier, shouldn't I.

So, thank you again.

Ryuno

 

[Sonia]

I'm glad that worked. Yes, it's always best to post as much information as
possible, even if you don't think it's important.

 

[Echo S]

Funny, I'm sure I said in response to your email on the 25th that I
suspected a path-length issue.

 

[Sonia]

Same day I recommended http://www.echosvoice.com/tshoot_video2.htm. <G>

Funny, I'm sure I said in response to your email on the 25th that I
suspected a path-length issue.

--
Echo [MS PPT MVP]
http://www.echosvoice.com

Thank you very much, Sonia, that did the trick. The paths were too
long. Not quite 128 characters, but very close. I had thought about
this possibility myself, but hadn't realized that the "My
Documents"-folder actually is not a root directory but a subfolder to
"Documents and Setting". The folder tree in Explorer fooled me a
little, because it shows the "My Documents"-folder seperately.

Now everything works fine. You can't imagine, what I have tried.
Everything from downloading alternative software to additional codecs
and driver updates. I even reformatted my harddisk and reinstalled all
my software (a lot of work). Well, I should have asked you a little
earlier, shouldn't I.

So, thank you again.

Ryuno


"Sonia" <[email protected]> wrote in message