Ray, I seem to be getting on quite well with QuickTime now. It is a stand-alone application, so you can have an icon for it on your desktop and launch it from there. I think there was some reference to playing files directly from the internet in the documentation I read about it, but this isn't what I wanted to do anyway so I didn't look into that too closely.
So far so good though, although one day I do hope I'll have the patience to find out why the WMV files failed so miserably for me. Caroline. -----Original Message----- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Ray Sent: 03 November 2009 00:38 To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: RE: Problems Playing WMV and MOV Files Caroline, I omitted to say there is something called Quicktime Alternative which is supposed to make life easier for screen reader users, though it wasn't developped specially for us. I think it allows you to play material outside of the browser rather than the ebbeding imposed by web designers when using Quictime. there is a Wiki on Quicktime Alternative should you want to follow that up, but you seem to be getting along with QT. Must admit it's ages since I sued the IPlayer downloader. I just stream TV programmes now. Often wondered if it's possible to record the video as well as the sound while watching, but not looked into that. Do let us know if you have success getting downloaded programmes to play in WMP. Ray Caroline Ford wrote: Ray, I have at last managed to find a solution of sorts. A download of QuickTime for Windows has at least allowed me to play my MOV file. I am now re-downloading the WMV files in MOV format to be able to play those too as the WMV files still stubbornly refuse to play. I've read through the help on the iPlayer site but it didn't address the problem I have. I think no DRM licences are being downloaded although WMP is set to allow them. It is all rather frustrating, but at least I have found a workaround. As you say, QuickTime is not the most accessible player ever invented, but I have found enough keystrokes to make it usable. I don't think my situation was helped by me still having the old iPlayer Download Manager instead of the newer version. That just shows how long it is since I last tried to download anything from the iPlayer. Strangely enough it didn't even prompt me that I still had an obsolete version of the downloader on my PC and I only found out about it from the article you posted and then the iPlayer help. Definitely a work in progress. Caroline. -----Original Message----- From: pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org [mailto:pc-audio-boun...@pc-audio.org] On Behalf Of Ray Sent: 01 November 2009 22:28 To: PC Audio Discussion List Subject: RE: Problems Playing WMV and MOV Files Caroline, I'm not surprised the Beeb isn't making it easy to play downloaded files in other media players because, after all, the licence you're granted to play these does in the normal way of playing them expire in 28 days or something like that. I wonder though if there is an extra DRM module or plug-in for Windows Media Player that would allow you to play these programs in WMP. The BBC itself might be prepared to answer this question. As an aside I'm rather surprised the Beeb hasn't closed the seeming loop hole where people are downloading radio programmes as that's not what is supposed to happen. there agreement with copyright holders is for 7 days streaming availability after a programme goes out. Still, a bit off the subject I know. Hope you get an answer to this Caroline and I see you've posted this issue on Access-UK so who knows, maybe an answer will yet surface there. Ray Caroline Ford wrote: Ray, Thank you for the advice. I have read the article but it doesn't seem to offer much help as to what the problem is. The files I am trying to play are downloaded programmes from the BBC iPlayer so they will have DRM protection. I have been able to stream a short sample of these programmes successfully just to make sure everything was working properly, and then proceeded to download the two versions on offer, one for portable players and one for Windows Media Player. Neither of these will play on my PC. I don't know whether there's something I need to do to allow Windows Media Player to play DRM files, but I have checked for updates and am already running version 11 with no updates on offer. I'm surprised the BBC have made it so fiendishly difficult to play these files. Perhaps they prefer people just to stream their programmes instead. Caroline. To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4566 (20091102) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4566 (20091102) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4566 (20091102) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4570 (20091103) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4570 (20091103) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4570 (20091103) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: pc-audio-unsubscr...@pc-audio.org
