WMV videos wont stream, but download/play just fine. Why?

[DVantrease]

Something is confusing me. I go to a website that has many WMV format videos. I click on the link to start one, which launched MediaPlayer (latest version, also I have XP), but MediaPlayer stops with the error 'Windows Media Player cannot connect to the server...'. Fine, BUT if I right-click on the same link and select 'Save Target As...', I can download the WMV file and then play it just fine. I'm confused about the error message because it is 100% consistant. Any ideas?

[Greg12]

it is possible the site's server does not support streaming.

ANyway, downloading is better because u don't have to buffer or worry about pauses while it buffers.

[jkl]

i had that problem a couple of times before. it always seem to happen after i uninstall programs that have their own codecs like ligios mpeg and another that i can't remember. the problem wasn't fix until i did my monthly reinstall. yes i reinstall windows ounce a month.