WMV3 Codec: Unbelivable!

[BrandonHajile]

I have a G5 with OSX 10.3.7 and I'm having the worst time with it. It wasn't so bad before but for some reason now, the WMV3 Codec is appearing in almost every video I want to watch on my Macintosh. Usually it gave itself away when files have the "WMV" type attached, but lately the codec is masking itself into even my trusted AVI files.

I've tried every possible solution, I've tried Windows Media Player, VLC Player, MPLAYER, etc. I've even tried converting the WMV file type to something else but the programs on Macintosh can't do it. I tried calling Apple Support but they wanted $50.00 just for me to talk to somebody. Is there any way to play this type of file? What, am I going to have to run out and conform to a horrible PC because of it? It's bad enough Macro Media Flash Player is trash on the Macintosh, but if I can't even view movies....what's the point anymore of having Macintosh? God knows I love the thing but really, this is just annoying

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I have a G5 with OSX 10.3.7 and I'm having the worst time with it. It wasn't so bad before but for some reason now, the WMV3 Codec is appearing in almost every video I want to watch on my Macintosh. Usually it gave itself away when files have the "WMV" type attached, but lately the codec is masking itself into even my trusted AVI files.

I've tried every possible solution, I've tried Windows Media Player, VLC Player, MPLAYER, etc. I've even tried converting the WMV file type to something else but the programs on Macintosh can't do it. I tried calling Apple Support but they wanted $50.00 just for me to talk to somebody. Is there any way to play this type of file? What, am I going to have to run out and conform to a horrible PC because of it? It's bad enough Macro Media Flash Player is trash on the Macintosh, but if I can't even view movies....what's the point anymore of having Macintosh? God knows I love the thing but really, this is just annoying

You probably weren't aware that Flash files (.swf) can be played in QuickTime Player just like any other movie, were you?

Regarding Windows Media format...

1. Microsoft makes a version of Windows Media Player available for Mac users just because they're probably required by law/contract to do so.
2. Microsoft cripples the Mac version because they can, and because the part of Microsoft outside their Mac Business Unit wishes the Mac would just go away.

This is why I avoid Windows Media format like the plague. I avoid AVI for much the same reason - there's no easy way to know what codec the AVI uses. IMO, AVI is a stupid idea - having a container format that can use just about any codec is bound to cause confusion. The QuickTime MOV format, the RealPlayer format, and even the WMV format are better than AVI because you have a much better chance of being able to play the file assuming you have the latest version of the player.

 

[bankshot]

IMO, AVI is a stupid idea - having a container format that can use just about any codec is bound to cause confusion.

Yeah, I'm glad the QuickTime format is nothing like that...

 

[bigandy]

i had the same probelm until it dawned on me i could just use the horrible windoze media killer from XP on VPC...

 

[wrldwzrd89]

i had the same probelm until it dawned on me i could just use the horrible windoze media killer from XP on VPC...

That's what I would have used too, if WMP wasn't so jerky on VPC as to be almost unusable...good thing I have a Windows PC (that isn't connected to the Internet, thank god) I can use if absolutely necessary.

 

[rickvanr]

you MUST be missing a codec

I download lots of movies, and I cannot remember a movie I couldn't play. WMV3 codec plays in WMP, and EVERYTHING else can be played in mplayer or vlc. WMP WMV3 movies play smoothly, unless trying to skip ahead.

Although, sometimes windows media movies will not play from within Safari.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

you MUST be missing a codec

I download lots of movies, and I cannot remember a movie I couldn't play. WMV3 codec plays in WMP, and EVERYTHING else can be played in mplayer or vlc. WMP WMV3 movies play smoothly, unless trying to skip ahead.

Although, sometimes windows media movies will not play from within Safari.

I have NEVER gotten Windows Media movies of any sort to play within Safari. In fact, anything not handled by QuickTime has never played inside of Safari for me.

 

[rickvanr]

I have NEVER gotten Windows Media movies of any sort to play within Safari. In fact, anything not handled by QuickTime has never played inside of Safari for me.

really? I've had WMV play in Safari before, the only sites which don't work for me are NBC's. But, others (can't think of them off the top of my head) have worked in the past. I have the newest version on windows media player installed

 

[Makosuke]

Answer to original question: I don't know what possesses people to use WMV3 (which is actually Windows Media 9 video) in AVI files, but you're currently out of luck. WindowsMediaPlayer on the mac knows how to play WMV3, but it can't read AVI containers, so it's useless, and I know of no way to build the video and audio streams from an AVI file into an ASF file, at least on a Mac.

There are also no open source players that can decode WMV3, although a couple days ago the first foundations for doing just that were laid in the ffmpeg project, so eventually there will be options.

IMO, AVI is a stupid idea - having a container format that can use just about any codec is bound to cause confusion.

Like bankshot implied, that's an embarassingly ignorant comment, being that although AVI probalby isn't as good of a container format as MOV (less features), they're identical in that they both allow a huge range of video and audio formats, which is your complaint.

If you'd like me to demonstrate by making a MOV with a codec you can't play, it'll take me about a minute and a half.

The only difference is that most people who make MOV files stick to standard QuickTime codecs, whereas AVI, being much more popular for home-ripped files on the internet (where people seem to have an inexplicable urge to use bizzare codecs when there are far better and more popular alternatives available), has a huge range of oddball stuff people decide to use with them. You could easily do the same with QuickTime if you felt like it, though, and I'll bet if it was more popular people would.

 

[daveL]

I have a G5 with OSX 10.3.7 and I'm having the worst time with it. It wasn't so bad before but for some reason now, the WMV3 Codec is appearing in almost every video I want to watch on my Macintosh. Usually it gave itself away when files have the "WMV" type attached, but lately the codec is masking itself into even my trusted AVI files.

I've tried every possible solution, I've tried Windows Media Player, VLC Player, MPLAYER, etc. I've even tried converting the WMV file type to something else but the programs on Macintosh can't do it. I tried calling Apple Support but they wanted $50.00 just for me to talk to somebody. Is there any way to play this type of file? What, am I going to have to run out and conform to a horrible PC because of it? It's bad enough Macro Media Flash Player is trash on the Macintosh, but if I can't even view movies....what's the point anymore of having Macintosh? God knows I love the thing but really, this is just annoying

Well, now you know the downside to proprietary formats and why people, especially around here, bash M$. You can't play it on the Mac, because M$ doesn't want you to play it on the Mac (at least not well); they want you to run Windows. Reference: The EU case against M$.

If you can't play it with QT or VLC, don't bother with it.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Answer to original question: I don't know what possesses people to use WMV3 (which is actually Windows Media 9 video) in AVI files, but you're currently out of luck. WindowsMediaPlayer on the mac knows how to play WMV3, but it can't read AVI containers, so it's useless, and I know of no way to build the video and audio streams from an AVI file into an ASF file, at least on a Mac.

There are also no open source players that can decode WMV3, although a couple days ago the first foundations for doing just that were laid in the ffmpeg project, so eventually there will be options.


Like bankshot implied, that's an embarassingly ignorant comment, being that although AVI probalby isn't as good of a container format as MOV (less features), they're identical in that they both allow a huge range of video and audio formats, which is your complaint.

If you'd like me to demonstrate by making a MOV with a codec you can't play, it'll take me about a minute and a half.

The only difference is that most people who make MOV files stick to standard QuickTime codecs, whereas AVI, being much more popular for home-ripped files on the internet (where people seem to have an inexplicable urge to use bizzare codecs when there are far better and more popular alternatives available), has a huge range of oddball stuff people decide to use with them. You could easily do the same with QuickTime if you felt like it, though, and I'll bet if it was more popular people would.

I had no idea that non-QuickTime stuff was allowed in a MOV file. That seems like not such a smart idea to me - it'll just confuse people that download it, expecting that it will play in QuickTime Player, when it doesn't.

 

[ingra888]

WMV3 problems

I see your frustration and i feel the exact same way.
I have visited other boards on the internet looking for a solution
and the amount of crap I have been reading, that you have to use this
and that and use WMP 9. as it has the codec and it works for them.
Like you I tried them, even tried to open in Final cut pro and Avid
as well as VLC...etc.
What is going on? is th Windoz market trying to loose customers as is Apple loosing its market share by not interacting with it, as in your case you feel like switching systems because of the mass use of WMV3 files.

I believe those that use a mac and think they have cracked it may not be running a WMV3 file.

 

[Nermal]

When you come across a file you can't play, let the file provider know. Otherwise they'll continue to produce these unplayable files.

 

[aussiemac86]

I used to have this problem.

I went to versiontracker.com and d/l'd a few coedecs for quicktime. I have yet to come across an avi since which I can't play, although I encountered heaps before.

WMP 9 plays pretty much all the .wmv's that VLC will not. Although it is slow at skipping ahead and generally a crappy piece of software, I think I have only come across a few .wmv's it will not play, and again I had heaps of them that VLC wouldn't play because of the WMV3 codec, yet I have had no issues with WMP9.