mpg files won't play in IE

[Krispy Kritter]

I use MPC for video playback. Recently I've noticed that when I click on a link within a webpage to an mpg file, IE will display that the file is downloading, but when it is complete, I simply get a blank page. Whereas the video should be playing within the IE window or open MPC/WMP. I suspect I've changed a setting somewhere which caused this behavior, and I'd like to have an idea what to fix before I start experimenting and make it worse.

[ntscuser]

Navigate to the folder where the mpg file has been downloaded and open it manually with MPC. I've had to do that ever since I disabled the spyware known as WMP.

[DarrellS]

This happens to me every time I have to reinstall Windows and it takes me days to figure out how to get MPC to play the files. The problem I get is that Windows tells me the default player can't play the file and asks me if I want to download it instead.

Not sure exactly how I get it to work but there are some IE settings that need to be changed. I've googled this problem and also checked the MPC forum but neither has yielded any help.

Under Internet Options, Security, Custom Level, look for Downloads, automatic prompting for downloads and choose enable. When the download box comes up, choose close when file is downloaded and the file should play after it is downloaded. It is downloaded to the temp folder. You may have to keep screwing with the file types in MPC and WMP to get MPC to play the file.

Not sure why this happens in XP. With 98SE and W2000, the files played instantly when you clicked on the link. WMV would download to the temp folder before playing but they did this automatically. Your other option is to just use WMP (that is what MS wants you to do which is why they are no help) but that option is unacceptable to me.

[Krispy Kritter]

Thanks for the replies. I'll keep poking around. I'll either get it to work or break it completely.