Vista WMM losing frame sync

[Questor]

I searched for a Vista WMM newsgroup, but this is all I could find.

On a Vista Home Premium SP1 desktop, most of the time WMM will run
imported wmv files just fine; however, some of them will run but when I
attempt to pause, fast-forward, or move backward using the slider the
whole movie will completely freeze.

In some instances when this happens I can 'kick start' it by
re-selecting it from the Import Panel, moving the slider to
approximately where I want it, and THEN pressing the Play button.
Sometimes this doesn't work at all and I have to let it run it's natural
course and try to snip it where I want it on the fly.

If I exit WMM and re-start it there is a chance that the movie will then
work correctly and I can use the slider to move around the clip.

Is this a bug, or just something that WMM does from time to time?

Questor

 

[John Inzer]

I searched for a Vista WMM newsgroup, but this is all I could find.

On a Vista Home Premium SP1 desktop, most of the time WMM will run
imported wmv files just fine; however, some of them will run but when
I attempt to pause, fast-forward, or move backward using the slider
the whole movie will completely freeze.

In some instances when this happens I can 'kick start' it by
re-selecting it from the Import Panel, moving the slider to
approximately where I want it, and THEN pressing the Play button.
Sometimes this doesn't work at all and I have to let it run it's
natural course and try to snip it where I want it on the fly.

If I exit WMM and re-start it there is a chance that the movie will
then work correctly and I can use the slider to move around the clip.

Is this a bug, or just something that WMM does from time to time?

Questor

=====================================
Could be an incompatibile file
or possibly you need to update
your video driver.

Maybe the following article
would offer some ideas:

WMV is a 'Container'
http://www.papajohn.org/Newsletters/156-WMV.html

Try the following group:

Discussions in Windows Vista
Music, Pictures, and Video
http://tinyurl.com/yqjkwz
or...
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...DDB-D18D-FA0E-A366-6E527B0FBA67&lang=en&cr=US


--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Questor]

--->

=====================================
Could be an incompatibile file
or possibly you need to update
your video driver.

Maybe the following article
would offer some ideas:

WMV is a 'Container'
http://www.papajohn.org/Newsletters/156-WMV.html

Try the following group:

Discussions in Windows Vista
Music, Pictures, and Video
http://tinyurl.com/yqjkwz
or...
http://www.microsoft.com/communitie...DDB-D18D-FA0E-A366-6E527B0FBA67&lang=en&cr=US

A lot of good information, John, but when this happens, the VERY SAME
file that freezes might just start working if I restart it several
times. Almost every wmv I import comes from either my still camera
(used as a movie camera) or my camcorder. The files that DO freeze
don't have any problem running in my WMP 11 so I have to rule out
incompatible file. The video drivers are completely up to date and NO
other application (including FSX and TRS2009) falters on display. If
I'm the only one with this problem, I can live with that, but if others
have it too, then maybe we can work out why it is happening.

Questor

 

[walter]

--->

I think an unexpected detrimental occurence that happens from time to time
in *any* program, is the very definition of "bug".

A lot of good information, John, but when this happens, the VERY SAME
file that freezes might just start working if I restart it several
times. Almost every wmv I import comes from either my still camera
(used as a movie camera) or my camcorder. The files that DO freeze
don't have any problem running in my WMP 11 so I have to rule out
incompatible file. The video drivers are completely up to date and NO
other application (including FSX and TRS2009) falters on display. If
I'm the only one with this problem, I can live with that, but if
others have it too, then maybe we can work out why it is happening.

You're not alone. It happens to me occasionally as well, and/but I'm using
the XP (SP3) version of WMM.

Like you, I have ruled out the "incompatible file" thing since the very same
clip may work fine in one instance, but not in another.

I've also ruled out memory (2GB + 512 graphics on-board the card), as well
as HD "free space" (194GB free should be plenty more than enough to edit
anything short of a feature film) as being the problem.

I've searched Google more than a few times about this, and while I see many
people experiencing this problem, I've yet to see a "fix" posted that
actually works.

Therefore I must assume it's a 'bug' IN, or as the Windows-Bashers like to
refer to it, a 'feature' OF, the program.

 

[PapaJohn]

The Vista newsgroup that includes Movie Maker is
microsoft.public.windows.vista.music_pictures_video

Windows Media Player and Movie Maker can use different codecs to play the
same files, and the editing process different codecs than the playing
process.... so you can't assume that a file that plays OK in WMP, or even
previews in a collection, will work fine in the project editing step.

Files that are erratic in how they work in Movie Maker are clues to the need
to convert them to ones that are known to work.

 

[Questor]

--->

I think an unexpected detrimental occurence that happens from time to time
in *any* program, is the very definition of "bug".



You're not alone. It happens to me occasionally as well, and/but I'm using
the XP (SP3) version of WMM.

Like you, I have ruled out the "incompatible file" thing since the very same
clip may work fine in one instance, but not in another.

I've also ruled out memory (2GB + 512 graphics on-board the card), as well
as HD "free space" (194GB free should be plenty more than enough to edit
anything short of a feature film) as being the problem.

I've searched Google more than a few times about this, and while I see many
people experiencing this problem, I've yet to see a "fix" posted that
actually works.

Therefore I must assume it's a 'bug' IN, or as the Windows-Bashers like to
refer to it, a 'feature' OF, the program.

I've been writing software for over 45 years and my personal definition
of a bug is something that can be caused every time by repeatedly doing
a series of actions. The bug will always present itself - no exceptions.

One the other hand, a program that 'sometimes' fails and 'sometimes'
works is transient enough to warrant a further look. It could very well
be that since I believe that WMM is actually Beta software therein could
lie the problem.

I've noticed that WMM appears in the Start menu, but NOT in the list of
installed programs so it appears that MS has foisted this on us for
testing by including it within Vista. I don't have a problem with that
as I occasionally get updates that are aimed at WMM. Maybe one of them
will fix the irritant.

Questor

 

[walter]

The Vista newsgroup that includes Movie Maker is
microsoft.public.windows.vista.music_pictures_video

Windows Media Player and Movie Maker can use different codecs to play
the same files, and the editing process different codecs than the
playing process.... so you can't assume that a file that plays OK in
WMP, or even previews in a collection, will work fine in the project
editing step.
Files that are erratic in how they work in Movie Maker are clues to
the need to convert them to ones that are known to work.

These are sometimes (not always) clips that I've imported directly from my
Canon mini-Dv camcorder DIRECTLY to WMM, then saved within WMM as .wmv.

I would *think* that would eliminate codecs as the issue, since WMM is doing
the capturing, importing and saving, no?

 

[PapaJohn]

I'm with you on that one.... except for codec issues that can still effect
things... if you run with all line items in your Movie Maker compatibility
list unchecked, I'd agree fully.