Quicktime/WMP Problems

[Sean McDonnell]

Alright, this is gonna take a little while to explain. Every once and a while both WMP and Quicktime inexplicably start acting up at the exact same moment. In the case of WMP when I try to play a wmv, be it in the browser or on my computer, I get the message: "This file may not play correctly because it was compressed by using a codec that is not supported". This can't be true because it could be the very same videos I played not 10 minutes ago before WMP and QT started acting up. Now what happens is the wmv plays normally, just without any sound.

As for Quicktime with any mpeg, again in the browser or otherwise, the video has no sound and also stops frequently so that you have to keep clicking the tracking ball to restart it. Like I said, this happens out of nowhere to both WMP and QT at the same time, so that part is obviously not a coincidence. I have no idea why, what the problem is, or how to fix it. Strangely enough it seems to fix itself after about a week or so and then disappear, but it's happening frequently now. It's just started about two weeks again for probably the 3rd time, and went away for about a week, and now it's back tonight. This is insane. Very grateful if you can help.

 

[MisterMe]

Alright, this is gonna take a little while to explain. Every once and a while both WMP and Quicktime inexplicably start acting up at the exact same moment. In the case of WMP when I try to play a wmv, be it in the browser or on my computer, I get the message: "This file may not play correctly because it was compressed by using a codec that is not supported". This can't be true because it could be the very same videos I played not 10 minutes ago before WMP and QT started acting up. Now what happens is the wmv plays normally, just without any sound.

As for Quicktime with any mpeg, again in the browser or otherwise, the video has no sound and also stops frequently so that you have to keep clicking the tracking ball to restart it. Like I said, this happens out of nowhere to both WMP and QT at the same time, so that part is obviously not a coincidence. I have no idea why, what the problem is, or how to fix it. Strangely enough it seems to fix itself after about a week or so and then disappear, but it's happening frequently now. It's just started about two weeks again for probably the 3rd time, and went away for about a week, and now it's back tonight. This is insane. Very grateful if you can help.

What did you do to your computer immediately before the first time this happened? Have you modified your system beyond installing software by conventional means?

 

[haagarth]

I had the same problem that you were having. Unfortunately it was all the time for me and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Ended up wiping and reinstalling Tiger.

The only thing that I can think of that I did immediately before this happened was upgrading to VLC 0.8.2 and changing all wmv files to open with it.

I tried getting rid of all media players and associated files and reinstalling WMP, but that did not work.

 

[MisterMe]

I had the same problem that you were having. Unfortunately it was all the time for me and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. Ended up wiping and reinstalling Tiger.

The only thing that I can think of that I did immediately before this happened was upgrading to VLC 0.8.2 and changing all wmv files to open with it.

I tried getting rid of all media players and associated files and reinstalling WMP, but that did not work.

Sean McDonnell has the problem with both the QuickTime player and Windows Media Player. The thing these two have in common is Java. WMP for the Mac is written in Java. QT uses Java. Perhaps his Java engine was damaged in some fashion.

 

[Sean McDonnell]

What did you do to your computer immediately before the first time this happened? Have you modified your system beyond installing software by conventional means?

I really can't remember what I was doing the first time this happened, and since I can't remember it probably wasn't anything out of the ordinary. And no, no unconventional modification has been done. Deleting everything associated with WMP and QT and reinstalling did nothing. I'm really clueless, but if you're telling me the only thing the two player have in common is java, I would assume that would have to be the problem.

The last thing I did before it started happening last night was visit entensity.net, a site which I rarely go to. I have no idea though.

 

[Makosuke]

WMP for the Mac is written in Java. QT uses Java. Perhaps his Java engine was damaged in some fashion.

Huh?! I could certainly be mistaken here, but what gives you the idea that WMP is a Java app? So far as I've ever heard, it's a very badly ported Carbon app limping along since the lame OS9 version. I'm pretty sure it doesn't use the Java virtual machine at all, or why isn't there a version that runs on Linux?

There is also a hook between Java and QT, but I don't think QT (the standalone player tapping into the system-level framework) requires Java to run in any way--it's lower level than that in the OS.

That doesn't mean that a Java-related glitch of some sort can't cause an issue like this, and I agree that there's got to be something percipitating these issues, but if WMP is a Java app I'd be shocked to learn it.

I'm assuming these are all locally stored files, not streaming video, right? If they're streaming, the first thing I'd look at is the network...

 

[Fukui]

Now what happens is the wmv plays normally, just without any sound.

As for Quicktime with any mpeg, again in the browser or otherwise, the video has no sound and also stops frequently so that you have to keep clicking the tracking ball to restart it

I had this problem too.. blamed the OS, but it wasn't, its a software that set your audio output (sample rate) too high for other apps to use properly, and stupidly forgot to put it back.

In Applications/Utilities folder open audio midi setup.
Change the audio out (on the audio tab) settings to 44.1khz and 2ch 16-bit.
At least quicktime should startup and play the audio fine now.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300832

 

[MisterMe]

Huh?! I could certainly be mistaken here, but what gives you the idea that WMP is a Java app? So far as I've ever heard, it's a very badly ported Carbon app limping along since the lame OS9 version. I'm pretty sure it doesn't use the Java virtual machine at all, or why isn't there a version that runs on Linux?

There is also a hook between Java and QT, but I don't think QT (the standalone player tapping into the system-level framework) requires Java to run in any way--it's lower level than that in the OS.

That doesn't mean that a Java-related glitch of some sort can't cause an issue like this, and I agree that there's got to be something percipitating these issues, but if WMP is a Java app I'd be shocked to learn it.

I'm assuming these are all locally stored files, not streaming video, right? If they're streaming, the first thing I'd look at is the network...

I was basing my statement on WMP 7.1.3, the MacOS 8/9 Windows Media Player. It includes a Java .class file. Microsoft tells everyone that Java is worthless, but there it is. It seems that I got just a bit ahead of my evidence with WMP 9. However, to believe that WMP 9 is not written in Java is to believe that Microsoft rewrote its MacOS X player from the ground up. It is more accurate to say that the Mac port of WMP 7.1.3 was definitely written in Java. The Mac port of WMP 9 was proabably written in Java.

 

[Sean McDonnell]

I had this problem too.. blamed the OS, but it wasn't, its a software that set your audio output (sample rate) too high for other apps to use properly, and stupidly forgot to put it back.

In Applications/Utilities folder open audio midi setup.
Change the audio out (on the audio tab) settings to 44.1khz and 2ch 16-bit.
At least quicktime should startup and play the audio fine now.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300832

You are the man. Everything works perfectly, both WMP and Quicktime, thanks.

 

[Makosuke]

Oho, so it was the audio output thing--every time that's hit me, it was limited to just no sound, and was in all apps, so I was thrown off by the QT stalls and error messages you mentioned (actually, I'm still not sure that the error messages are caused by the same issue, though with WMP who knows).

It's most often caused by VLC--do you use that? If so, there is a very specific way to set it up in the preferences so that it will not do this, but you'll need to look it up to find it--it was some pretty arcane settings if memory serves.

 

[Fukui]

It's most often caused by VLC--do you use that?

I beleive so.
Don't know what to do to get around... hasn't happened again though...

 

[Sean McDonnell]

I do use VLC somewhat often, but I don't believe I was using it right before this happened the last time. I'll make sure to take note of whether or not I used it right before this happens again(if it happens again). At least I know I can just fix it right away.

 

[Makosuke]

On the VLC sound-turning-off bug:

1) I've heard that 0.8.2 fixes it, but not sure. If you're not running the latest version, it's worth a shot.

2) The workaround (which I've tested and seems to work perfectly) is apparently this:

In VLC's preferences turn on Advanced Options.
Go to modules->audio output->coreaudio and change the setting from -1 to 1.
Set "Audio device" to the number of the built-in analog output; probably 1.

I'm pretty sure this is what I did, and I've never had the problem reoccur. Worth a shot.