After installing the latest Flip4Mac update (mid-October), I can no longer play WMV files. Video previews in Finder no longer work, embedded videos in Safari no longer work, and trying to open the file in QuickTime Player gives the following error: "The document “FILENAME” could not be opened.”

Everything worked fine on 10.6.1 before the latest update. (I guess I was using the Beta version, but I don’t remember for sure.)

Please request any additional details you might need. Also, please explain how to downgrade to a previous version. Thanks!

Safari certainly has some issues.
Quicktime, especially 7.6.2, shouldn't have too many issues though.
If you open QT 7.6.2 and Open/File from within Quicktime what happens?
Make absolutely sure you're using Flip4Mac 2.3.0.14.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

Craig, thank you for your reply.

I have double-checked, and I have 2.3.0.14 installed. I even went so far as to uninstall it completely and re-install again. The Flip4Mac WMV preference pane clearly states “Current version: 2.3.0.14” at the bottom of the Update tab.

Regarding Safari having issues. I did a fresh install of Snow Leopard on a blank formatted disk in early September, and I chose to not install QuickTime 7. Nevertheless, Flip4Mac worked fine. Icon previews and QuickLook previews in Finder, embedded videos in Safari 4, QuickTime X Player – everything worked fine with WMV files. I’d like to stress this: Snow Leopard 10.6 without QT7. Also, after upgrading to iTunes 9, everything continued to work.

I don’t recall the exact version of Flip4Mac I was using, but I believe it was the beta version. (What else could it be?) However, after I have upgraded to 2.3.0.14 in mid-October, all OS X video features stopped working with WMV. I remembered this particular upgrade because it offered to install a Silverlight plug-in (which I chose not to install).

I understand that installing QT7 might solve the issue, but I’d rather not install it. I just want to get back the previous behavior, when the QT7 was not needed (I don’t need exporting etc.). Is this possible? Can you provide a link to the previous version of Flip4Mac that worked? Will installing QT7 give me icon previews and QuickLook previews in Finder? Or will it only work in QuickTime 7 Player app?

Please request any details you might need.

Thank you!

Try opening Quicktime X then and open the WMV in that and tell me what happens.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

It says “The document “So32v64-56k.wmv” could not be opened.”.

Hmm, that sounds like maybe it's a downloaded or pointer file.
In Finder, use File/Get Info and tell me the file size.

Do you have the old Windows Media Player 9 for Mac on your system?
Try downloading and installing it and then set it to open in Rosetta and open the file in that. In that app use it's built in File/Get Info and tell me what it says in that window. Be complete.

In addition to that, try playing the file in VLC 1.0.3 and tell me what happens.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

The file size is 778 KB. (I know, it’s small, but it’s definitely not a pointer file. I’ve just played it in VLC with AirPort turned off. It’s just really small and highly compressed. You can get it at http://www.amd.com/us-en/asset...Assets/So32v64-56k.wmv

Followed your instructions (StuffIt, Rosetta, VISE installer – quite a trip!). WMP9 plays the file fine. Here’s what the Get Info window says:

Length: 01:45
Bit Rate: 64 Kbps
Media Type: Video
Audio Codec: Windows Media Audio 9
8 kbps, 11 kHz, mono 1-pass CBR
Video Codec: Windows Media Video 9
Location: file://Macintosh HD:Users:********esktop:So32v64-56k.wmv

VLC 1.0.3 plays the file fine.

This is really strange. I mean, it’s just a handful of people having these issues, right? Otherwise, this would be a news item. I don’t have anything strange installed on my system. Everything is completely standard. What else can I do?

The file is exactly as you describe . . . and I can play in on my system OS 10.6.1, Quicktime X, Flip4Mac 2.3.0.14. All I had to do was download and double click on it.
Something is definitely interfering with its playback on your system.

Create a New User with Admin status.
Go to Accounts in the PrefPane for that user and delete (not just uncheck) all the login items for that user.
Try playing the file in that New User.
That will tell me if it's a user or a system based issue.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

I’ve just remembered another strange thing that happened during the mid-October 2.3.0.14 installation. After it has been completed, as usual, the 'Flip4Mac' folder opened with the files, including the 'WMV Upgrade' alias. However, when I double-clicked the alias, it said that the alias target could not be found. After I have removed Flip4Mac completely and did a re-install, the alias worked.

I've followed your instructions, created a new user and made sure there are no login items (there were none). Then I've tried to open the file in QuickTime X in this new account, but it gives the same error: "The document “So32v64-56k.wmv” could not be opened.". The only difference is that the Finder displays the QuickTime icon with 'WMV' written at the bottom, whereas in my main account the icon is a white "no-type" document. So, it looks like this is a system issue.

I'm wondering if you have a file type creator type issue. That was a major change in Snow Leopard. Maybe something is awry in that Flip4Mac is not seeing something it should to identify that file as WMV.
Try running the Flip4Mac uninstaller in its application folder.
Repair Disk Permissions.
Reboot
Download and install the older 2.2.3.7. That CERTAINLY will have playback issues BUT if you open Quicktime X and select the file (File/OpenFile) that should open the file (although there may be other issues with playback). If you install 2.2.3.7 you must open the file that way rather than double click though.
Do that and tell me what happens.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

Craig, I’ve followed your instructions and it looks like 2.2.3.7 works great, except one minor hitch.

I have uninstalled Flip4Mac and run Repair Disk Permissions. Here’s what I got:

Repairing permissions for “Macintosh HD”
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAgent" has been modified and will not be repaired.
Warning: SUID file "System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/DesktopServicesPriv.framework/Versions/A/Resources/Locum" has been modified and will not be repaired.

Permissions repair complete

Apple’s support article (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1448) says you can safely ignore these particular messages.

After reboot, I’ve downloaded and installed 2.2.3.7 (opening the preference pane caused System Preferences to restart in 32-bit mode). And everything started working again! Here’s the list of the things I was able to do:

• opening via QuickTime X Player > File > Open… plays the file
• double-clicking opens the QTXP and plays the file
• dragging to Safari window plays the file
• Finder previews in Get Info panel, and Column and CoverFlow views play the file
• QuickLook plays the file
• Finder displays correct icon in List, Column and CoverFlow views
• Finder displays correct icon in Icon view and plays the icon preview, if the icon size is more than 64x64
• Finder displays correct icon in Icon view, if the icon size is less than 64x64 (which is a correct behavior, since controls disappear for all other types as well, once the size becomes less than 64x64)

However, there is still one instance where it doesn’t work:

• Finder displays blank white document icon in Icon view and doesn’t show the playback control, if the icon size equals *exactly* 64x64 (whereas other file types do display controls, starting precisely at 64x64)

It’s actually quite inconvenient, since the Icon view is the default view and 64x64 is the default size. But it’s not that bad, since everything else works fine. So, now I’m able to play the files again without using QT7/VLC/WMP9. Thank you very much for you help!

Now, the question is, what is the exact version that breaks and why? As far as I can see from VersionTracker’s page (http://www.versiontracker.com/...id=11113181&mode=info), there were another two versions between 2.2.3.7 (2009-06-09) and 2.3.0.14 (2009-10-15): the 2.3.0.7-BETA (2009-08-10) version and the 2.3.0.11 (2009-09-16) version. Could you please send me these so I can test them and see if they work (I could not find them on the Telestream Download page)? I’m pretty sure the break occurred in 2.3.0.14, but this needs to be verified. If there’s anything else I can do to help you locate the source of this issue (send system profile, run tests), please don’t hesitate to ask.

Thank you, Craig!

Flip4Mac 2.2.3.7 will have playback issues in Snow Leopard. 2.3.0.14 fixes those. That's why it's odd that it plays for me but not for you. That's why I can't say what breaks because it's not broken in 2.3.0.14 except on your system.

I'm wondering if you have some kind of Finder or System Preferences issue. How did you upgrade to Snow Leopard?

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

Hmm now that you have it working with 2.2.3.7 try updating to 2.3.0.14 again.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

Great, that did it! I now have 2.3.0.14 and everything works without a hitch.

It seems that downgrading to 2.2.3.7 was essential, as simply uninstalling/reinstalling 2.3.0.14 did not work.
Or maybe it was upgrading to OS X 10.6.2 and Safari 4.0.4 that fixed the issue, I don’t know.

Anyway, Craig, thank you very much for your help!
Everything works now, and I’m happy. Thank you!


[P.S. Regarding the Snow Leopard, it was not an upgrade, I did a clean install on a blank hard drive.]

Hello,
I am having the exact same problem as Sy.

Can you please tell me where I can download version 2.2.3.7 so I can try that solution?

Thank you

Hi, joelsdg! http://dynamic.telestream.net/...wnload-flip4macwmv.htm
I also could not see it at first. It’s in the left column.

Thanks. That's it.

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CraigS
Telestream Desktop Forum Moderator

This is NOT a unique situation, I have it too. I suppose I'll have to go through that same drill... uninstall the latest, install the earlier run in 32 bit mode, then upgrade. You guys should fix this!!!

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F4M 2.2.3.x because 2.3 won't run on my system
OS X 10.6.2 (Snow Leopard)

After downgrading to version 2.2.3.7, I did not have to restart (does that mean I am in 32 bit mode?) although I did have to exit System Prefs and reopen (activate Rosetta?) and the video plays fine when opened in QuickTime Player.

So I'm doomed to stay with this version or try to re-install 2.3.0.14. Which do you think I should do from here? And do I restart forcing 64 bit mode?

Please advise.

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F4M 2.2.3.x because 2.3 won't run on my system
OS X 10.6.2 (Snow Leopard)