WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

I have a relatively old video recorder (about four years old). It
takes great videos and particularly good audio recordings in MP4
format.

But the videos don't play back correctly on my PC. If I play them in
WMP the image is sort of cropped and zoomed so that I only see like
half the video... but blown up to fill the entire WMP window.

I tried to load codecs to see if this helped and I downloaded and
installed Klite Pack and this worked fine - so long as I watched my
videos in Media Player Classic. But if I tried to use WMP, the problem
returned. I noticed that whenever I played the video (correctly) in
WMP Classis, lots of icons appeared in my system tray (such as ffdshow
and Halia Media Splitter. God knows what these do or if they make a
difference but Media Player Classic works and WMP doesn't.

I also tried uploading the video to YouTube and YT renders precisely
the same problem (cropped and explored video) as WMP.

I appreciate that MP4 is a weird and wonderful format, but how come
MPC works and WMP doesn't (nor YT)?

Help!

Bobby

date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:06:12 -0700 (PDT) author: Bobby Elliott

Re: WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

Wow! Even weirder. I import the video into Windows Movie Maker and the
clip plays perfectly when I preview it but when I try to export it
(using any format) and crops and explodes just like before. But the
preview is perfect. I've got some important family footage that I
really want to upload to YouTube to share with my family.

date: Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:30:15 -0700 (PDT) author: Bobby Elliott

Re: WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

On Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:06:12 -0700 (PDT), Bobby Elliott
 wrote:

>I have a relatively old video recorder (about four years old). It
>takes great videos and particularly good audio recordings in MP4
>format.
>
>But the videos don't play back correctly on my PC. If I play them in
>WMP the image is sort of cropped and zoomed so that I only see like
>half the video... but blown up to fill the entire WMP window.


ZachD has previously mentioned that many video card driver software
comes with an option to ZOOM into video for playback.

At a guess you'd be able to configure that from Control Panel ->
Display Settings, then looking for extra (non windows XP) tabs from
manufacturers like NVidia or ATI (AMD) if present.


>I tried to load codecs to see if this helped and I downloaded and
>installed Klite Pack and this worked fine - so long as I watched my
>videos in Media Player Classic. But if I tried to use WMP, the problem


Also known as "I added loads of additional software that I don't know
what it does or who made it" ;-)


>returned. I noticed that whenever I played the video (correctly) in
>WMP Classis, lots of icons appeared in my system tray (such as ffdshow
>and Halia Media Splitter. God knows what these do or if they make a
>difference but Media Player Classic works and WMP doesn't.

Exactly LOL. Installing random stuff is generally a bad call <g>

>I also tried uploading the video to YouTube and YT renders precisely
>the same problem (cropped and explored video) as WMP.


YouTube use Flash video players, which is unconnected to WMP, so again
that suggests the settings would be your graphics card options for
video playback, rather than anything in media player 

There aren't any really generic instructions I can offer, because
graphics card driver stuff varies with the hardware and how old the
hardware / driver software is, so you'll have to hunt around a bit.

HTH
Cheers - Neil
------------------------------------------------
Digital Media MVP : 2004-2008
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/mvpfaqs

date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:36:02 GMT author: Neil Smith [MVP Digital Media]

Re: WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

Thanks for the advice, Neil, but I don't think it's connected to my
video card (an nVidia 8800GTS) since the problem occurs on my laptop
too (which has no software added).

In fact, the video *never* played correctly (cropped and zoomed as
previously described) until I downloaded and installed kLite.

My video card would not explain why it renders OK in Windows Movie
Maker in preview but not when I publish. Nor why the problem arises if
I upload the raw file directly to YouTube. In fact, the only way I can
see it properly is using Media Classic, which comes with Klite.

I have some important family video that I need to share with people so
this is pretty important to me.

Bobby

date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:56:27 -0700 (PDT) author: Bobby Elliott

Re: WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

So what happens if you convert them to a non-MP4 format?

kLite isn't playing these files and is a red herring.  You've installed some 
specific MPEG4 codec that is doing the work here.  Don't credit kLite for 
work they don't do.  =)

It's probably not exporting correctly because the MPEG4 codec you do have is 
not completely functional.  That's usually the case with codec packs that 
install beta-level codecs.  =\

-- 
Speaking for myself only.
See http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html for some helpful WMP info.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
--
"Bobby Elliott"  wrote in message 
news:7f4e2d02-30c4-4eca-b562-78a4b1b2d9a8@f36g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for the advice, Neil, but I don't think it's connected to my
> video card (an nVidia 8800GTS) since the problem occurs on my laptop
> too (which has no software added).
>
> In fact, the video *never* played correctly (cropped and zoomed as
> previously described) until I downloaded and installed kLite.
>
> My video card would not explain why it renders OK in Windows Movie
> Maker in preview but not when I publish. Nor why the problem arises if
> I upload the raw file directly to YouTube. In fact, the only way I can
> see it properly is using Media Classic, which comes with Klite.
>
> I have some important family video that I need to share with people so
> this is pretty important to me.
>
> Bobby
>

date: Tue, 9 Sep 2008 12:15:56 -0700 author: zachd [MSFT]

Re: WMP does not playback recorded video correctly

> So what happens if you convert them to a non-MP4 format?

Nothing. The videos still don't display correctly. The usual problem
persists (cropped and zoomed version plays).

> kLite isn't playing these files and is a red herring.  You've installed some
> specific MPEG4 codec that is doing the work here.  Don't credit kLite for
> work they don't do.  =)

Hmmm. Well, the videos don't display correctly on any PC that doesn't
have kLite pack. If I transfer the videos from my camera to my PC and
then try to display in WMP, it exhibits the problem described. If I
then install kLite, it displays correcly (in WMP Classic - WMP still
does not work).

> It's probably not exporting correctly because the MPEG4 codec you do have is
> not completely functional.  That's usually the case with codec packs that
> install beta-level codecs.  =\

Not sure what this means.

The odd thing is, if I import the raw video in Windows Movie Maker, it
imports OK and I can preview it OK (without cropping and zooming
problem) but when I publish in any format the problem occurs.

Something weird I think with the format of the original MP4, that only
kLite appears to resolve.

I'm still stuck with valuable family footage that I cannot share
without the recipient installing kLite. :-(

date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 08:01:24 -0700 (PDT) author: Bobby Elliott