Weird colors with .wmv files in Windows Media Player 9

[moriarty]

I missed a couple of BBC programmes and can NEVER get iPlayer to work, so I downloaded the programmes as .wmv files.

When I run them in WMP the colours are bizarre. To illustrate this I did a 'print screen', but when I saved and re-opened the image the WMP screen was black, though the rest of the screen was fine. Instead I had to photograph the screen, and though the quality is grim, you can probably get the idea!

Other .wmv files (installed with Windows) run perfectly.

Anyone know what the problem is?

Thanks,

Steve.

 

[Rabbit01]

It's probably the way the video was encoded and WMP9 can't handle it. I don't use it much.

Try mpc-hc or VLC. Both play a variety of files out of the box. Not need to install extra codec. You can download the zip/7z from below and unzip the files to a folder and run the exe. Or download the installer.

http://mpc-hc.sourceforge.net/downloads/

Another option:
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/download-windows.html

 

[moriarty]

Thanks for the suggestions, but no-go I'm afraid.

mpc-hc says "Cannot render the file". vlc produces a similar result to WMP, only even worse!

 

[Rabbit01]

Changing video settings might help. Go to Tools > Preferences, the click on Video on the left. In the Display section, try changing the Output. On my work laptop (Dell Latitude E6400), I've got "DirectX (Direct Draw) video output" selected. I don't remember what the setting is on my desktop.

Edit: Maybe it's a DRM issue. Found this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbiplayer/NF7331803?thread=7916385

 

[moriarty]

Tried all the settings in the 'output' list - no change, and there's no problem with the download.

Thanks for trying, but I'm going to give it up. It's only TV programmes after all!

Steve.

 

[Rabbit01]

I'm curious about these wmv files, can you provide a link (assuming the web site will let me access even though I'm located in the US)? Thanks.

 

[moriarty]

One of the programmes in question is here. If you click on "download options" and on "for Windows Media Player" you may be able to download, though I am also unsure if it will work for you.

 

[learninmypc]

Well, I just tried it here in the states & can't get it.

 

[Rabbit01]

I was able to download and play the file after changing the proxy setting. Because of DRM, looks like it'll only play in WMP, which by the way, I'm using ver 12 on Win7.

Not too familiar w/ videos w/ DRM and WMP, I'll have to do some research. I wonder if updating WMP would resolve this?

 

[moriarty]

Tried upgrading to WMP 11 (for XP) but didn't work. Tried a free wmv player, got in a tangle, and now I'm going to have a long job getting it uninstalled! I'm definitely giving up on this now, but thanks for your efforts.

Steve.

 

[Rabbit01]

That sucked. Although not properly, I wonder why it didn't give you an error message and played the file? The videos definitely have to be played w/ WMP due to DRM protection.