Video clip in PowerPoint ending too soon

[Chris]

I've inserted several video clips (.mpg) into a PowerPoint presentation.
They play fine until about the last second of the clip but then the clip
just ends abruptly.

Any suggestions? I'd rather not re-render all of the video files (and add a
second of 'black space' at the end of each one).

The exact same Presentation with the video clips plays perfectly fine on all
the other computers in the office, just not mine!

 

[Austin Myers]

Try rebooting your PC in safe mode, run the presentation and let us know if
it solved the problem.


Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

PowerPoint Video and PowerPoint Sound Solutions www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Chris]

Thanks for the response,

I've tried that already, and the video ends abruptly (about 1 second too
soon) in safe mode as well.

The video ends abruptly in the same fashion when played using mplayer32.exe.

 

[Austin Myers]

My guess here is that the codec being used to play the file is not fully
compatible with the file. Just a suggestion, give PFCMedia a try, there is
a free, fully function trial version available at www.pfcmedia.com


Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

PowerPoint Video and PowerPoint Sound Solutions www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Chris]

No offense to your program, but it's only a temporary fix, unless I want to
spend the $50 bucks, which i don't, and won't. The fact that the
presentation plays the videos correctly on other computers (not using
pfcmedia) means there is another solution.

If you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Either way, thank you for your help.

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately, these kinds of oddities are difficult to pin down. You might
use GSpot or something to find out what codec was used to create the video
and then make sure you have that codec installed on your system.

You can download Windows Movie Maker from Microsoft (free download) and use
it to convert the video to WMV. Those will usually play in PPT, but no
guarantees.

 

[Austin Myers]

I understand your reluctance to pay for the solution, no problem at all.
GSpot can help you determine what codec your machine is using to play the
file. As I said, the codec may be a poor mismatch to the file and that is
where the problem is coming from. If you go to our home page
(www.pfcmedia.com) and then the links page, you'll see a number of links to
Microsoft utilities to help determine where the problem is and suggestions
on resolving them.

With all that said, possibly you can help me. You see I have been trying to
understand why people will burn an entire work day (or more) up and the
associated costs (wages) and lost time (can't get the day back) in order to
save themselves a few bucks. Especially when they will turn around and do
it a again and again when the same problem arises in the future. Please do
NOT take that in a negative way at all, I am asking sincerly as it may be of
help as I develop additional PowerPoint add ins and set the price for them.
Your honest feedback on this would be a real help to me.

Austin Myers
MS PowerPoint MVP Team

PowerPoint Video and PowerPoint Sound Solutions www.pfcmedia.com

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

No offense to your program, but it's only a temporary fix, unless I want to
spend the $50 bucks, which i don't, and won't. The fact that the
presentation plays the videos correctly on other computers (not using
pfcmedia) means there is another solution.
If you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Sure. Make sure that every computer where you want to play the video has the
same codecs as the computer where it plays correctly. Since the needed codec
may not be freely available, that may or may not be legally possible.

Or convert the video to a format and codec that's more universally compatible
and re-insert the new file.

It's probably possible to do all of this manually, maybe even using freely
available software. I suspect that it is and that Austin will also tell you as
much. But it'll take quite a bit of time experimenting to learn what works and
what works best.

If you enjoy the testing, it'll be interesting, probably fun to do it yourself.

If not, the fifty bucks is money well spent not to have to worry with it.