Diana the Valkyrie

Problems with high resolution (640 by 480) video

Windows users

Here's a step-by-step method for getting mpeg-2 playback working in Windows Media Player. There are hundreds of ways of doing it, but I find this one is reliable and has minimal effect on other video types etc.
 
If you're using a Mac, chances are you're a computer buff and won't need my help. Besides, I don't have a Mac to test with.
 
Okay, first you have to download the codec. Go here http://sourceforge.net/projects/ffdshow/ and download the October 12 2004 release (or later). The earlier version won't play MPEG-2 files.
 
After downloading, run the executeable to install ffdshow. It will play MPEG-2 files, but by default this is disabled.
 
To enable it, go to the start menu, find the ffdshow folder in Programs and click on Configuration.
 
Now we have a little utility with hundreds of options. We should only have to alter one to get MPEG-2 up and running.
 
Click on "codecs" on the left if you aren't already on the "Supported codecs" page. Now look down the list of codecs until you see "MPEG2". Now, see where it says "disabled" next to that? Click on the word disabled and select "libmpeg2".
 
That's it! Click on OK and high-res clips will work in media player.

Thanks to glen102 for this recipe.

For Mac users

Go to versiontracker.com and find MPlayer. You will have to use that to watch hi-res instead of QuickTime Player.

Explorer problem with video access

There's a problem with Internet Explorer and Media Player when accessing video on a password-protected site

Here's a fix published by Microsoft

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3ben-us%3b813951

Here's an older Microsoft explanation and suggested work-around for a similar propblem

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q190/5/33.asp

An upgrade to your Media Player might fix it. Here's where you can get version 6.4:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer/en/default.asp

Here's where you can get version 7

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/en/software/Playerv7.asp

Here's where you can get version 9

Media Player

Here's another work-around. Let the media player give you the error, THEN LEAVE IT OPEN -- do not close it -- and make the request again. The media player might play the video this time. Continue to leave it open and it will perhaps continue to work as expected.

Here's another fix. Let's suppose that you log on to your Windows each time it starts up with the username "bloggs". Use Windows explorer to find the file "bloggs.pwl" in the "windows" folder of drive C. If you delete that file, that tells Windows to forget *all* your passwords, so that means that ever password that's been filled in for you automatically, will have to be given again. So you shouldn't do this if there's some passwords that you need, but you don't have them written down someplace.

Another alternative is to re-install Internet Explorer.

Mac users

Several Mac users have reported difficulty using Quicktime version 4 to play some of the MPGs on this site. One user has reported that this problem is fixed by using Quicktime version 5

Real Player

Another possibility is to dispense with the player that you're currently using, and download the free Real Player from Real Networks.