.MPG Problem

.mov loads up, but .mpg won't

[Diana Diamant]

Hi forum friends,
I've created a site for a client who is in television commercial casting. The site has a page that includes fifteen commercials the client has cast.

Fourteen of the commercials are in .mov format, embedded in the page like this (name of file changed for privacy of client): <td><embed src="commercials/spotname_01.mov" pluginspage="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/" autoplay="true" bgcolor="000000" width="180" height="150"></embed></td>

This causes the commercial to play on the page "inside the television screen" graphic.

The fifteenth commercial is in .mpg format. I had embedded it in the page the same way: <td><embed src="commercials/spotname_01.mpg" pluginspage="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/" autoplay="true" bgcolor="000000" width="180" height="150"></embed></td>

In this case, the Windows Media Player appears "inside the television screen" graphic, and it is disabled.

I removed: pluginspage="http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/" from the code, but it changed nothing.

I tried opening the .mpg file by typing a direct url link to the file on the server, and was taken to a Windows Media "error message page", which stated: You have encountered the following error while using Windows Media Player:
Error# 8007000D
Sorry, no more help is available for this problem at this time.

This file plays perfectly in both QuickTime and MediaPlayer when opened from my hard drive.

Anybody ever have this problem?

Thanks,
Diana

[BlobFisk]

I've used the following code without trouble for running movies using Media Player:

<object classid="CLSID:05589FA1-C356-11CE-BF01-00AA0055595A"
width="655" height="483">
<param name="FileName" value="path/to/movie.mpg" />
<param name="ShowDisplay" value="0" />
<param name="ShowControls" value="-1" />
<param name="AutoStart" value="-1" />
<param name="PlayCount" value="0" />
<param name="MovieWindowWidth" value="655" />
<param name="MovieWindowHeight" value="483" />
</object>

One warning though, the project I used this for was for IE browsers only, so I don't know about support for other platforms...

[Diana Diamant]

Dear BlobFisk,
Thanks for the reply. I am going to test out that code today. But if it turns out it only works in IE, I'll have to keep searching.

I do appreciate the response.

Sincerely,

Diana

[choster]

<object> is the standard tag; <embed> is deprecated. To support both Netscape 4 and IE/NS6 in the same page, therefore, you'd need to put the <embed> inside the <object> .

One thing I'd check is to make sure the video/mpeg MIME type is set for .mpg on your web server. On a similar note, try specifying type on the embed tag, i.e. <embed type="application/x-pn-realmedia" ... > or <embed type="video/mpeg" ... >.

Microsoft's support page is not too helpful... [support.microsoft.com...]

[bill]

I had some trouble recently with our pal the <object> tag. Browser support for this tag is miserable. <embed> although depreciated, at least has predictable support across most all major browsers.

BlobFisk could I ask how you determined the CLSID number? I was thinking I might go this route with a page that needed validating.

[BlobFisk]

Hey Bill,

I got it from a reference site... which I thought that I had bookmarked, but just can't seem to find!

[Diana Diamant]

Hello Blob and Choster,
I've tried all your suggestions, and no luck. I thank you for your courtesy.

I even tried loading the MPG by typing the location of the file in the browser. I was redirected to a Microsoft error page.

So, to repeat:
1. This file plays fine in Windows Media Player, and even in Quicktime.

2. I have other mpgs that play fine at other sites, although they are not configured to load up inside a "television screen" on the page.

This is just one of those things that make me wonder why I ever bought my first computer.

Toodles... I give up...

Diana