Win Media Player won't playback mpeg video

[Borgatt]

A while back I was playing around with different video editing and dvd authoring programs, and noticed that after installing and uninstalling several differnet apps, windows media player no longer played mpeg files. The audio plays, but all I get is the visualisation as if it was a song. When it initally loads the file, it does the whole "connecting, looking for codec, codec aquired" thing, but still no actual video. After banging my head against the monitor for a while I decided it was time to do a format and reinstall of windows xp. Got all the drivers and updates done, moved my data back over, and lo and behold, the system was playing videos normally. So I decided to install the two apps that I ended up liking for editing, one called Any Video converter, and another called VideoRedo. Suprise!!! Mpeg playback stops again. Same problem. I really dont want to do another format and reinstall. Is there a way to get windows media player to remember that it knows how to play simple mpeg files? The files play normally with power dvd, and with the old mplay32.exe program. Just windows media player displays the problem. Uninstalling the video editing programs (i dont know which one caused the issue) has no change. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!!

[Krispy Kritter]

Are mpeg files still associated with WMP? Just right click on an mpeg file, choose open with "choose program". The Open With window should open, highlight Windows media Player and check the "Always use selected program...." option.



openwith.doc

[Borgatt]

Yes, all playable video files, including mpeg and mpg files are still associated with WMP. Whats weird is that the codec still appears to be in the system, just windows media player itself doesnt want to play the video stream.

[offline]

Borgatt,

I have changed your subject line to better reflect your issue. Please use a more accurate description in future. This will help others find and answer your posts, as well as search for possible answers in the future.

[Krispy Kritter]

Then I suspect WMP does not have the proper codec associated with it any longer. The easiest way is usually to just reinstall an updated codec. There are a few mpeg1/mpeg2 codecs in the Tools / codecs section or you can use ffdshow.

[Bjs]

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/RadLight_Filter_Manager.htm

Quickest method to deregister and re-register directshow filters .

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Emsa_DLL_Register_Tool.htm

Handy , it deals with activex's , and more ... you may simly have an issue with a dll or other , nolonger registered correctly ... deregister it , then re-register it , reboot system is not required , but simply good practice .

Any Video converter is a piece of crap , and the problem ... watch out when you uninstall it ... it breaks things all over the place ... nightmare waiting to happen .

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In fact this should be part of a sticky for newbies and alike :

New pc > Run radlight_filter_manager before installing codecs and programs > Save results > Somewhere safe > Incase of screwup , you will atleast be able to see what changes had taken place and beable to return filters back to
previous state .

Run emsa_dll_register_tool , note down original information > Save it somewhere safe ... again , helps to check on what changes have been made , and to reset to defaults .