WMV Files not Displaying

[Scooter]

I have a compaq laptop and an apple powerbook G3. They both have Windows Media Player. They both work fine. I can view WMV files on the LCD panel of both laptops, and hear the sound as well. However, when I attach an external monitor to either laptops, or an LCD projector, I cannot see the movie. It is blacked out. I can hear the audio, but can't see the movie. WHY WHY WHY???

[Damned Angel]

Can you see the desktop on the external monitor or projector if you are not playing a video?

[Scooter]

Can you see the desktop on the external monitor or projector if you are not playing a video?

I'm sorry... that was stupid not to include that info... I can see EVERYTHING on the lcd and external monitor on both laptops... except MWV's... I see windows and os9, I see media player, but instead of seeing the video that area is just black.

[Damned Angel]

The only things I can think of are to update the video driver on both notebooks and to set the primary monitor to the drvice you are trying to display to.

I seem to remember there being some problem palying video files on a secondary monitor, but it may have only been in full screen mode. Either way, try both suggestions and let us know the results.

[Scooter]

The only things I can think of are to update the video driver on both notebooks and to set the primary monitor to the drvice you are trying to display to.

I seem to remember there being some problem palying video files on a secondary monitor, but it may have only been in full screen mode. Either way, try both suggestions and let us know the results.

Both video drivers are updated to the latest version. You can't make the mac do the primary monitor thing, but I tried it on the PC and the same results happened.

[Richard1]

Unfortunately I don't have an answer but I can say that I had the same problem on my dell laptop. I tried to watch a movie using the onboard video out on my laptop hooked to my friends TV. I could see and hear everything fine but when I finally played the video the movie area aqppeared blacked out. After trying several different players I finally gave up and watched something else.

[confus-ed]

..I seem to remember there being some problem palying video files on a secondary monitor, but it may have only been in full screen mode. Either way, try both suggestions and let us know the results.

Most cards only support overlay on just one monitor at once, on laptops folks get confus-ed with this, as often they can toggle the tv out through laptop display, just tv, & tv & laptop together, not realising that the output of the video can only appear on one screen at once.

[Scooter]

Most cards only support overlay on just one monitor at once, on laptops folks get confus-ed with this, as often they can toggle the tv out through laptop display, just tv, & tv & laptop together, not realising that the output of the video can only appear on one screen at once.

Well, I took that into consideration, but.... the windows machine atleast 1) you can hook up the external monitor as a second display... and even if I do that, when I play the WMV file on the lcd panel, it works. If I drag it over and play it... no dice, just a black area where the movie is supposed to be.

I have also tried to display ONLY on the external monitor, turning off the LCD display.

[Damned Angel]

I just tried this using an HP notebook running XP home and Media player 9. Using the vga out to a CRT monitor, the video will display on the external monitor when both the external output and internal (built in LCD) video mode is selected (the LCD shows a blank image). I had no problems running it at full screen either.

So now that we know that is definatly possible to do and exactly how it should work, what are you doing different?

What kind of video output cable are you using?

[Scooter]

I just tried this using an HP notebook running XP home and Media player 9. Using the vga out to a CRT monitor, the video will display on the external monitor when both the external output and internal (built in LCD) video mode is selected (the LCD shows a blank image). I had no problems running it at full screen either.

So now that we know that is definatly possible to do and exactly how it should work, what are you doing different?

What kind of video output cable are you using?

The video output cable is just the cable that is attached to the monitor, or it is the one that came with the projector, depending on which one I am using.

I have tried:

Just using the external display
Using the external display AND the internal display

[Damned Angel]

what version of media player are you using?

[Scooter]

what version of media player are you using?

I have tried version 9 and 10... the one for mac is 8 or 9, the most recent version.

[Damned Angel]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824397

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833193

Maybe one of these articles will be of some use?

Edit: A question I should have asked before; Does it work properly with other video file types?

[Scooter]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824397

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833193

Maybe one of these articles will be of some use?

Edit: A question I should have asked before; Does it work properly with other video file types?

I will check out the URL's, thanks... yes it works fine with ANY other video type... i can even convert the WMV to an MPEG and it works fine... just not with the WMVs

[Scooter]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;824397

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833193

Maybe one of these articles will be of some use?

Edit: A question I should have asked before; Does it work properly with other video file types?

Thanks for the links but....

Link #1 deals with Multiple monitors with different resolutions and FULL SCREEN... both displays (The lcd and the ext. monitor) are running the same resolution, and I have tried the WMV in fullscreen AND just in the WMP window...

Link #2 deals with DVD and the battery being low... these are movie clips, not disks and I am using AC power.

[confus-ed]

I think that windows media player is deciding that the laptop panel is always the primary display ? - have you tried getting the output onto the external monitor & then trying to delete the flat panel completely from device manager ? & do either of these machines have tv output as a choice as well as external vga ? What happens with them ?

[Scooter]

I think that windows media player is deciding that the laptop panel is always the primary display ? - have you tried getting the output onto the external monitor & then trying to delete the flat panel completely from device manager ? & do either of these machines have tv output as a choice as well as external vga ? What happens with them ?

I would disagree with that diagnosis. I also have an HP Compaq D530 SFF with a DUAL head video card in it... running two LCD 21" displays... the same files work on both panels. I can use either display as the primary and the other as the secondary, and the WMV files still work on either panel.

I think that Windows Media player somehow knows that the laptop is in fact a laptop and therefore it is deciding that the external vga port can be used to "broadcast" copywrited materials....


I have made the external monitor the primary display on both laptops, I tried deleting the LCD panel but it came back, then I disabled it and it still didn't work. The computers might have Composite video or SVideo out, but they require adapters that I do not have. By the way, it doesn't work with my external monitor (VGA connection) or my LCD Projector (VGA, USB, Composite Video, S-Video, or Component Video)

[Duke of Rezin]

This wouldn't have anything to do with MS DRM schemes would it? When you install Windows Media Player, isn't there an option for retrieving license information from the internet or some such nonsense? Maybe the media player considers this scenario to be displaying the video like for public display, kind of like with DVD's and VHS tapes.

[TripleRLtd]

Interesting Duke, I wouldn't have thought of that. I for one have been following this thread and am looking forward to finding out what the issue was.

[Scooter]

This wouldn't have anything to do with MS DRM schemes would it? When you install Windows Media Player, isn't there an option for retrieving license information from the internet or some such nonsense? Maybe the media player considers this scenario to be displaying the video like for public display, kind of like with DVD's and VHS tapes.

Well, I know about digital rights management... somewhat... but these WMV files that I am trying to play are from a variety of sources... some are downloaded from the internet, some are created by Windows MovieMaker, and some are converted from MPEG files... they all have the same attributes, and the output is always the same. They will not play on the external display of a laptop... ANY laptop... I have tested this randomly on another two laptops, and IBM and an ACER.

If I attach the projector to a computer and then pass through to the monitor, it plays just fine... go figure.

[confus-ed]

... They will not play on the external display of a laptop... ANY laptop... I have tested this randomly on another two laptops, and IBM and an ACER..

Well earlier DA said he could get his laptop working this way & I've just turned up to confirm I can get this going on ANY laptop I've got to hand (choice of six today !) ..

.. but of course earlier Richard1 couldn't get this working either (but he was talking about using TV out) just to make you think even more 'what the f. is going on !?!?' ..

Its what I'm thinking anyway ! .. most especially after this last bit !! :confused:

..If I attach the projector to a computer and then pass through to the monitor, it plays just fine... go figure.

I think my conclusion is that I can't ! http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/dunno.gif

[Scooter]

Well earlier DA said he could get his laptop working this way & I've just turned up to confirm I can get this going on ANY laptop I've got to hand (choice of six today !) ..

.. but of course earlier Richard1 couldn't get this working either (but he was talking about using TV out) just to make you think even more 'what the f. is going on !?!?' ..

Its what I'm thinking anyway ! .. most especially after this last bit !! :confused:



I think my conclusion is that I can't ! http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/dunno.gif


So you are saying that you are able to view a WMV file on a laptop with an external display using the VGA port?

[confus-ed]

So you are saying that you are able to view a WMV file on a laptop with an external display using the VGA port?

Yes .. exactly what DA said earlier.

.. looking back though - you dismissed one of the solutions he suggested 'out of hand', you may of read it ;), but I'd have thought if you had fully, you'd have mentioned this bit:-

This problem occurs because the system does not include a MPEG-2 decompressor. To play DVD movies by using Windows Media Player, you have to use a MPEG-2 decompressor on the system.

Some earlier MPEG-2 decompressors do not fully support the Video Mixer Renderer (VMR). You may experience playback problems when earlier versions of MPEG-2 decompressors are run by using either multi-monitor configurations or low power configurations.
(from here (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833193) - 'particularly' the bold bit ? So some CODEC problem ? I'm just guessing though as I can't repeat your symptoms !)

[Scooter]

Yes .. exactly what DA said earlier.

.. looking back though - you dismissed one of the solutions he suggested 'out of hand', you may of read it ;), but I'd have thought if you had fully, you'd have mentioned this bit:-


(from here (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833193) - 'particularly' the bold bit ? So some CODEC problem ? I'm just guessing though as I can't repeat your symptoms !)

Ok... here goes...

The reason why I dismissed this solution is:

A: I am not playing a DVD
B: I know that WMV encoding is a form of MPEG-2, but this KB article is primarily dealing with an MPEG-2 decoder, and not WMV decoding.
C: Yes it is a laptop, but the article clearnly states "WHEN BATTERY LEVELS ARE LOW" I have been testing this situation using a power adapter.

I have also upgraded to WMP 10 with all the latest codec updates.

Actually, I believe that I have solved the problem by adjusting the Video acceleration to half speed in the device settings for the video card...