Embedded Wav Files Stop Playing

[Guest]

Since I switched to Windows XP and Powerpoint 2003 I have had a continuing
annoying problem with embedded wav files. At least once or twice in every
presentation, one or two wav files stop playing before the end of the sound
file is reached. Usually about half to two thirds of the file will play
before it abruptly terminates. The exact same wav file will play perfectly
every other time.

It is not a problem with the files, which are all in standard wav formats
(checked with Gold Wave, they are not MPEG layer WAV sounds etc.) All the
files play perfectly in Media Player 9 and in the MCI player. Nor is it a
"premature click" that cuts off the file to go to the next slide (sounds are
set to play on mouse click). The problem has happened when I am nowhere near
the keyboard or remote clicker.

The problem appears to be completely random. It has occurred on three
different PC's, all running XP home or pro versions with PPT 2003. I have
tried going back to an earlier version of WMP, tried updating the WMP9
codecs, tried installing the NIMO Lite codecs, all to no avail. I had no
problem with the same presentations and same embedded wav files in Windows 98
or ME or in two earlier versions of PPT in which these same files were
presented. Arghhhhh!!

 

[Guest]

Hi,
It looks that no one is going to reply to this question.
I found it by browsing, because I have a very similar problem.

After upgrading to Office2003, I hear no sound at all from the powerpoint
presentations with embedded *.wav files.
All these worked ok with Office2000 !!!

I read that there are many problems using Office2003 with Win2000.
Ours is a corporate installation, they always jump forward without knowing
enough
about these different aspects.
The result is that I cannot hear sound any more and instead of working I
lose hours
after hours browsing the web to hopefully find a solution.

What is sure, I won't give up my WIN98+Office97 easily on my home computer,
Bill Gates is invited to note this !!!

Maybe somebody will however answer these questions !

Best Rgds,
Iudith

 

[Guest]

Hi,
It looks that no one is going to reply to this question.
I found it by browsing, because I have a very similar problem.

After upgrading to Office2003, I hear no sound at all from the powerpoint
presentations with embedded *.wav files.
All these worked ok with Office2000 !!!

I read that there are many problems using Office2003 with Win2000.
Ours is a corporate installation, they always jump forward without knowing
enough
about these different aspects.
The result is that I cannot hear sound any more and instead of working I
lose hours
after hours browsing the web to hopefully find a solution.

What is sure, I won't give up my WIN98+Office97 easily on my home computer,
Bill Gates is invited to note this !!!

Maybe somebody will however answer these questions !

Best Rgds,
Iudith

 

[Guest]

If you are getting nothing at all, it may be that the wav files you are
using are in a slightly different format. Try using a program like Gold Wave
(shareware) that will identify the type of wave file (ex. Microsoft ACM vs.
MPEG layer 1 etc.). It may be that you don't have the right codecs to play
that variety of wave file. The NimoLite codecs pack might help you out.
Although why thetransition to 2003c version should cause this problem is
beyond me. Good luck!

 

[Sonia]

What you describe sounds very much like a system resource problem. PowerPoint
reads ahead and tries to cache slides as it goes. If you disk is fragmented or
your available Temp space is in use, the task of getting everything read in time
can cause unexpected results. If you also have animations on the slides and
automatic transitions, PowerPoint can get behind in the process of presentating
one slide and all of a sudden it must display the next slide.

I would recommend simplifying or reducing slide complexity where you have
performance problems. Also defrag your hard drive and delete the files and
folders in C:\Documents and Settings\your name\Local Settings\Temp. Also
disable your anti-virus software and close other programs. Once you get it
running to your liking you can start adding back bits to the slides watching for
performance problems.

For example, transition effects are resource hogs. If you have slides that have
sound playing, animation going on, and automatic transition after XX seconds set
and a transition effect assigned, it's very possible that PowerPoint will start
losing the battle to get everything read in while it is processing the current
slide. When that happens the music is often cut off.