[walpoole]

windows xp outlook express. sometimes I get sound in emails, sometimes there is no sound(when there should be) (all movies are silent), what can be wrong?

Wally

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My 87 year old father, Wally, posted the above. Turns out the audio he cannot get is on Windows Media Player, short videos that arrive as emails.

N

[walpoole]

My 87 year old father, Wally, posted the above. Turns out the audio he cannot get is on Windows Media Player, short videos that arrive as emails.

N

[Major Payne]

Are you having to open WMP or are you able to play some of the sounds from the open email itself? What are the extensions for the videos that don't play? Do you have the latest version and codecs for WMP?

Would you look under Tools menu and select Options. From there select the Security tab. What do you have checked under "Virus Protection:" and "Download Images"? I take it you receive all e-mails as html and not text only since you sometimes have sound.

I believe OE also uses IE's Internet Options settings and there may be some changes to be made there. Trying to cover all bases, but probably missed something.

Ron

[walpoole]

"Are you having to open WMP or are you able to play some of the sounds from the open email itself? What are the extensions for the videos that don't play? Do you have the latest version and codecs for WMP?"
I do not have to open WMP, it opens itself when I click on the attachment. The video plays well but no sound. Other emails I get have the sound in them, no problem but they are not WMP. I do not know the extensions, can you tell me how to find them? Not sure if I have the latest version and codecs of WMP.


Under Virus Protection, I have checked Restricted Sites Zone(more secure) and Warn Me When Other Applications Try To Send Mail As Me. Nothing is checked under Download Images. I am not sure about receving all emails as html but I do receive sound in other emails.

Wally

[Major Payne]

If you get sound in other emails, then you are getting it in HTML, not text only. I have anti-virus software and have set mine to Internet Zone, but that's your choice. Not the problem causing no sound.

With WMP open, right-click top of WMP, click Help and the About WMP. Version is listed there. Version 11 is available if yours is outdated. If it is outdated, do same steps to Help menu then click Check for Updates. If you have saved these videos to a My Video folder, you can check the extensions there and compare those that play sound ok with ones that don't. Let me know if you are not seeing extensions for common file types as this option may be turned off.

Ron

Edited by Major Payne, 21 July 2007 - 03:30 PM.

[walpoole]

This is Wallys daughter, Nancy. I suggested he ask you for help with his "no audio" with WMP. He is still working on it. I asked him to email me an email he does not get sound on(I am a 12 hr. drive from his home). I just received it, and I get sound just fine, but no video. It says 'unable to download an appropriate decompressor". I have Windows 98. Should I follow your Help instructions that you gave him, just changing it for video? So between us, we do have audio and video. How weird. Thanks.

Nancy

[Major Payne]

I've asked for additional help from the tech pool on this.

Ron

[walpoole]

Nancy here. I was on the email short video Dad sent me, in Windows Media Player, and went to their HELP Menu. They said if you get no audio you should do the following:

"Make sure the appropriate codec is installed

1 While the media file is playing, click the File menu, and then click Properties.
2 Click the Advanced tab.

3 In the Codecs in use box, make sure that all of the codecs have been installed. If a codec has not been installed, the Installed column in the Codecs in use box will display No. To attempt to install a missing codec, close the media file, and then open it again. When you open a media file, Windows Media Player automatically attempts to download and install any missing codecs. You must have an open connection to the Internet to automatically install missing codecs.

4 If all of the codecs are installed, it could be that the content was created with a newer version of the codec than is installed on your computer. To remedy this, click the Help menu, and then click Check for player upgrade. If a newer version is available, click Upgrade Now to install it. You must have an open connection to the Internet to check for and install an upgrade.

Tip

· If the menu bar is not available, right-click the video area or control bar, and then click Properties. "

Dad went to File, then Properties. He said he could not find the Advanced tab. I just went there and it said my Codecs are Windows Media Audio 9.1-installed, Windows Media Video V8-not installed. I will email Dad and ask to to re-try looking for the Advanced tab.

Nancy

[Major Payne]

Just have him go to download and install WMP version 11. That's why I asked what version he was using and gave instructions to find it.

Ron

[walpoole]

"Just have him go to download and install WMP version 11. That's why I asked what version he was using and gave instructions to find it."

I will suggest this to him. Please remember, as he is 87 years old and definitely not a computer geek, he does not(nor do I) always understand terms/questions about versions/uploads/downloads, ad infinitum. We are both hesitant to arbitrarily download things from the Internet, as sometimes one can get to an incorrect website by typing one letter in the URL incorrect. I just went to the WMP Version 11 site, and it said it was for Windows XP. So I assume I should not download it for my Windows 98. BTW, when the Geeks suggest I download something, I do. The Geeks are very helpful and informative.

Nancy

[walpoole]

Just received this from Wally about his Windows XP and no sound in Windows Media Player.

" I just received a reply from WMP that my computer has the latest downloads that are available. There is nothing new that I need. I guess there must be something else wrong".

N

[Major Payne]

Well, at least he now has the latest version of WMP. And no to your question about WMP 11 for your O/S. You need WMP 9 Series for Win 98SE/ME/2000. You have this I'm sure.

Is he able to get sound normally using an audio CD or DVD? It's just the problem that sound is sporadic from his email program and ONLY his email program? Speakers or headphones? May not be a relevant question. Has he installed IE 7.0 yet? OE is bundled with IE install is why I ask. I only have IE 7 and may not catch a setting although they should be close to the same in both versions for OE.

Ron

[walpoole]

" You need WMP 9 Series for Win 98SE/ME/2000."
I went there, it said I need Windows Second Edition to be able to download this. Where do I see if I have Second Edition?

"Is he able to get sound normally using an audio CD or DVD"
I doubt dad has ever used either, and he uses speakers. I will ask him if he has IE 7.

N

[Major Payne]

"I just went to the WMP Version 11 site, and it said it was for Windows XP. So I assume I should not download it for my Windows 98. BTW, when the Geeks suggest I download something, I do. The Geeks are very helpful and informative.

Nancy

Sorry. I was hoping you didn't have the plain vanilla version of Win 98. 98SE is an upgrade that was put out. Check which version by clicking Start, then click Run. In the Run window type in winver and click OK button.

Do you need an update for WMP, too? There are codecs for some of the older WMP versions which could be added to help play some of the other formats. Which version are you using of WMP. Your dad should be good to go for WMP 11. His problem is stemming from elsewhere.

Ron

[walpoole]

"I was hoping you didn't have the plain vanilla version of Win 98. 98SE is an upgrade that was put out. Check which version by clicking Start, then click Run. In the Run window type in winver and click OK button. "
I did this, it says Windows 98.

"Which version are you using of WMP"
Went to Properties, then Advanced. Under Details, it says No Video. Under Advanced, the Codecs in use area it says Windows Media Audio 9.1-installed, Windows Media Video V8-not installed. Is this the information you want?

N