Question on Windows Media Player

[TwiztedClown]

Hey guys i am just wondering if you could help me with something. I downloaded a video and when i tried to skip through some of it, it wouldn't let me, it just continued from where it is. I went to the website and it said "If you're playing the file on your computer, the file may not be indexed. Files can be indexed by using Windows Media File Editor, a utility that is included with Windows Media Encoder 9 Series. Note that Windows Media files are indexed by default." But i dont know how the heck to do that.

 

[gizmoo69]

Well, I've found Windows Media Encoder 9 Series for you, and I believe the tool you need to use is 'Windows Media File Editor', but I wouldn't know how to do it. Hopefully there will be a really obvious button that says 'Click here and all your worries will disappear'.

I would back up your video file first though.

 

[TwiztedClown]

yea i downloaded it, but theres no 'Click here and all your worries will disappear'

 

[gizmoo69]

Hold on, let me download it and I'll have a look. I don't try to deny my geekiness!

 

[gizmoo69]

OK, got it. What you need to do is to install the Windows Media Encoder 9 Series, and then go to your start menu > All Programs > Windows Media > Utilities > Windows Media File Editor.

Then you need to open the video file in Windows Media File Editor, and then simply save. You'll notice that the save button actually says 'Save and Index'. Et Voila!

Good luck!

 

[TwiztedClown]

keeps failing to save

 

[gizmoo69]

OK, change of tactic. download Winamp and use it to play your video. You need the full free version. It might work, but it's better than Windows Media Plyer at any rate.

What file type is it? Maybe I can find you a better program to watch it on.

 

[TwiztedClown]

It says its a "Windows Media Audio/Video file"

 

[gizmoo69]

Well, you should try Winamp, which will hopefully work.

Is the file read only?

 

[TwiztedClown]

It does the same thing with winamp. Its not read only. Still confuses me that it wont let me skip through some of the video....

 

[gizmoo69]

OK, last thing to try and then I throw in the towel. Download this video converter and hopefully it will let you change the video file to an .avi, which should mean that it would be OK. You may even be able to change it to a .avi file and then back to a .wmv if you love .wmv files particularly

In theory, changing it to a .avi should make eveything better.

 

[TwiztedClown]

I tried converting but it was taking wayyy to long

 

[TwiztedClown]

How can you tell if a file is protected with digital rights management (DRM)??

 

[gizmoo69]

OK, I'm not massively knowledgeable on DRM but here goes...

I don't think there is a way to tell if it has DRM. You should know if the file has DRM because you will probably have had to pay for it (and so get a licence to own/play the file). However, DRM usually applies to music and DVDs more than actual video files, so chances are you don't have DRM on your file (though I wouldn't say that it was impossible).

I've not heard of DRM preventing you from skipping forward on a track; that sounds more like UOP (like when the FBI warning comes up on DVDs and you can't skip it).

If you think you have DRM then there are ways of overcoming it, but most of the creators of these programs are terrified of getting sued, so will only allow you to remove DRM if you have the licence. So, if you downloaded this video from a valid site and paid for it, great. if not, then AFAIK, any DRM that's on it will have to say for the time being

 

[TwiztedClown]

crap...then i have no idea what else to do with the seeking problem...