Ongoing quest for smooth video

[Mike M.]

I am inserting WMV files into presentations. As has been discussed here
many times, the MCI driver does not play media files (especially wmv) as
efficiently (cpu wise) as Windows Media Player. However, inserting a WMP
object on a slide causes the slide to advance regardless of the video clip
length. So, I read this article (http://tinyurl.com/26mmp) about PowerPoint
2003 and multimedia and bought a copy to test. I want to see if I can get
PPT to play the clip NOT using MCI settings but WMP. The only way I read in
the article to make this happen was to have a path > 243 characters. When I
made a 245 character path the movie did not play at all.

Has anyone found a way to encourage PPT 2003 to play a clip NOT using MCI?

TIA

 

[TAJ Simmons]

Mike,

Just my initial thoughts.....

I like your thinking... of getting WMP to play instead of MCI....but

The only way I read in the article to make this happen was to have a path > 243 characters

The way I read that is.... if the path is over 243 characters then MCI will not play it (I don't then assume WMP *will*
play it)

Cheers
TAJ Simmons
microsoft powerpoint mvp

awesome - powerpoint backgrounds,
free powerpoint templates, tutorials, hints and tips etc
http://www.powerpointbackgrounds.com

 

[Mike M.]

Hmmm, on the third page of that article they have a little flow chart. The
second box shows if the path is > 243 the line goes to Windows Media Player.
I anticipated it playing in WMP but I get no playback.

Mike,

Just my initial thoughts.....

I like your thinking... of getting WMP to play instead of MCI....but
path > 243 characters

The way I read that is.... if the path is over 243 characters then MCI

will not play it (I don't then assume WMP *will*

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Hmmm, on the third page of that article they have a little flow chart. The
second box shows if the path is > 243 the line goes to Windows Media Player.
I anticipated it playing in WMP but I get no playback.

IIRC, WMP, especially in the most recent versions, is more security-conscious
than other playback mechanisms. Even if it gets handed the file, it may find
something it mistrusts and refuse to play.

I don't recall offhand whether you mentioned testing this file in WMP directly.
If you've already done that and it played ok, say no more and I'll slink back
off into the basement. gollum. gollum.



--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================

 

[Mike M.]

Away with you! Back, back to your dark, dank cave. Yes I have been using
these in WMP and inserted for months. I have also tested them with WMP
object inserted on slides. The only difference in my latest test was the
long path name AND PPT 2003. I wonder if I can get my money back....

 

[Echo S]

Well, the thought with PPT 2003 is that if MCI doesn't play the video, WMP
will take over and play it. I've been saying for months that there's
something wrong with that handoff from MCI to WMP, but I don't know what it
is -- and of course I can't prove that there's something wrong with the
handoff -- but what you're seeing kinda reinforces that idea for me...

I know that doesn't help you, though, Mike. Sorry.

And you never know, you might actually be able to get your money back. Might
be worth a shot, anyway.

Echo

 

[TAJ Simmons]

I've been saying for months that there's

something wrong with that handoff from MCI to WMP, but I don't know what it
is -

From the amount of posts in this newsgroup....there does seem to be problems with powerpoint playing video clips (that
are beyond the codec and link issues).

TAJ

 

[Mike M.]

If I take the path down to around 100 characters it plays but using the MCI
settings. I seem to remember some posts discussing a 120 character limit.
I have the latest WMP 9.0 and all Windows XP updates so I am pretty sure the
problem lies with PPT. Not to mention, having to force a huge path is a
really ugly way of getting PPT to use WMP instead of the MCI. I was just
curious to see how much better the video played. Believe it or not we have
some customers using WMV videos that are 1280 x 768 and 4 Mb stream rates.
That consumes mucho cpu especially using the MCI driver. These play on
plasmas in a video billboard environment.

As far as money goes, I'm pretty sure that's a one way street. <g>

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Away with you! Back, back to your dark, dank cave. Yes I have been using
these in WMP and inserted for months. I have also tested them with WMP
object inserted on slides. The only difference in my latest test was the
long path name AND PPT 2003. I wonder if I can get my money back....

It doesssnt want itss powerpointsess anymore, does it? It wantses itss
preciousss back, yessss.

--
Steve Rindsberg, PPT MVP
PPT FAQ: www.pptfaq.com
PPTools: www.pptools.com
================================================
Featured Presenter, PowerPoint Live 2004
October 10-13, San Diego, CA www.PowerPointLive.com
================================================