Why can't I get this video to play?
You've come upon this page—either because you've been directed here, or because you're having trouble playing a downloaded video. I cannot promise that your solution will be found here, but odds are, for most of you, it will.
MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
This video won't play in Windows Media Player! It's broken! What do I do?
Try VLC Player. It'll play almost anything, without any extra add-ons required.
This video won't play in RealPlayer! It's broken! What do I do?
Try VLC Player. It'll play almost anything, without any extra add-ons required.
This video won't play in Quicktime! It's broken! What do I do?
Try VLC Player. It'll play almost anything, without any extra add-ons required.
Okay. I had to go with a bit of humor there. (Or at least I thought it was humor!) But honestly, that is the answer to about 90% of the problems people have with these videos. Almost always, VLC Player is the solution. It's the free, cross-platform, versatile player which covers pretty much all the bases, without much extra effort from you.
So, the first thing I ask whenever anyone has any problems playing a video is (as predicted), "How does it play in VLC Player?"
Some other commonly asked questions:
Question: Why won't you make this video in the WMV format? Then it would be so much easier for me to play it.
Answer: Because a lot of vidders have decided that WMV isn't very good. The quality-minded AnimeMusicVideos.org (which have been a significant influence for the tutorials written here, and whose own vidding guides strive for excellence) do not recommend WMV. I've never seen an WMV equal the quality of a good XviD AVI or H.264.
Also—it isn't as if XviD/DivX or H.264 are off-beat or non-mainstream video formats. You'll see them often on the Internet. It's not a bad thing for your computer to be set up to play them. The fact that Windows Media Player won't instantly play the files doesn't mean that there's something wrong with them—if anything, it means that there's something wrong with Windows Media Player, for not being sufficiently versatile. (But let's discuss that subject some other time, shall we?)
Question: I have tried to install VLC Player, and it crashes or conflicts with my other software. What do I do?
Answer: You still should be able to play the videos, even without VLC Player. Let's go down the list, by file type:
| XviD or DivX AVI files: | Option 1: Download and install the XviD codec. (It's a small file.) This should enable Windows Media Player to now recognize and play the XviD or DivX AVI file. Option 2: Go to DivX.com and install the DivX Player. You should be able to play the files in the DivX Player, but also the DivX codec (which is also installed) might allow Windows Media Player (or Quicktime for Mac) to recognize the file. |
| MP4 or MOV files (H.264 codec): | Option 1. Install the Quicktime 7 Player. It might play the file on its own, but if it doesn't (it doesn't always on the Windows version of Quicktime), then very likely RealPlayer might. (BUT ONLY IF QUICKTIME 7 IS ALSO INSTALLED.) Option 2. Install Quicktime Alternative. (Windows only.) |
| MOV files (Sorenson 3 codec): | Option 1. Install the Quicktime 6 or 7 Player. It should play just fine in Quicktime. Very likely RealPlayer will play it as well. (BUT ONLY IF QUICKTIME 6 OR 7 IS ALSO INSTALLED.) Option 2. Install Quicktime Alternative. (Windows only.) |
Question: The MOV or MP4 file with the H.264 codec won't play well, will only play audio, or plays very haltingly or "jerky." What do I do?
Answer: Let me guess—you've got an older computer, right? Yeah, one of the drawbacks of H.264 is that it is a little too much for older computers. Your solution is to play the "dial-up" version of the H.264 file (if one is available), or stick with the XviD/DivX or Sorenson 3 version.
Question: I'm on a Mac, and the XviD or DivX file has no audio when I play it in Quicktime. What do I do?
Answer: Use VLC Player. There are some XviD files which have audio that is not picked up on Quicktime (don't know why).
Question: I'm using Windows 98 or Mac OS 10.2 (Jaguar) and I cannot get VLC Player to work. What do I do?
Answer: Don't give up on VLC Player just yet! Try these suggestions:
| Mac OS X 10.2 (Jaguar) | At the bottom of the VLC download page there's a download link for an older version of VLC Player, version 0.8.4a. It has been confirmed to play DivX/XviD AVI files, H.264 files, and M4V (iPod) files in Jaguar. NOTE: If you get this older version of VLC Player to work, DO NOT also install the DivX or 3ivX codec as well. They seem to interfere with VLC's ability to play H.264 and M4V files properly. |
| Windows 98 | On the right side of the VLC download page there's a link to supplemental Windows files which might enable Windows 98 to use VLC Player. |
(Please note that VLC Player has no Mac OS 9 version)
Question: VLC still refuses to work on Mac OS 10.2 or Windows 98 (or will not play selected files). What do I do?
Answer: There are still options open for you. Let's go through a few of them:
Play Sorenson 3 Quicktime files: Look for a MOV version of the fan video that either is described as using the "Sorenson" codec, is described as being playable with "both Quicktime 6 and 7" or has "Sorenson" in its file name. (i.e. fanvideo-sorenson.mov). Videos encoded with the Sorenson 3 codec will play with Quicktime 6, which is available for both Mac OS 10.2.8 and Windows 98. (If you're on a Mac you've probably already upgraded to this version already.) Windows 98 users can also try an older version of Quicktime Alternative (look for the link to the file which says it's for Windows 98). I haven't tested this software, but presumably it'll play Sorenson 3 files.
Install an older version of DivX or XviD: Not all new DivX/XviD files will play with an older codec, but many will. Download the DivX 5 codec for your Mac or PC system. With this codec installed, your existing media player (like Windows Media Player for PC or Quicktime for Mac) may now be able to play XviD/DivX AVI files.
Try the 3ivx codec: Available for both Mac and PC and will work with ancient operating systems such as Windows 95 and Mac OS 8.6. Hey, it's worth a shot! Download the Windows or Macintosh version. 3ivx is a variation of XviD/DivX and may help you play XviD/DivX AVI files in your other video players (such as Windows Media Player or Quicktime).
Look for MPEG-1 files: We don't host too many MPEG-1 videos here (or on our "sister" sites), but if you find an MPEG version of the video, it's definitely the one for you. It'll play on almost any system. The quality is a little less, but still watchable.
Question: I'm still using Mac OS 9. There is no VLC Player available for me. Is there anything I can play? What do I do?
Answer: Actually, Mac OS 9 users are not as bad off as you might think! First off, make sure you are updated to Quicktime 6.0.3 (for Mac OS 8.6 and OS 9). This will allow you to play the Sorenson 3 MOV files. Then, install the 3ivx codec for Mac OS 9. This should enable Quicktime 6 to recognize and play DivX and XviD files. (It worked great on my old Mac with OS 9.2.2!) The DivX 5.1.1 codec for Mac OS is also available, but I couldn't get it to work. But, with Quicktime 6 and 3ivX installed, I was able to play many videos hosted here and on our "sister" sites, which was a delightful surprise!
Question: I'm nervous about installing any of this new software on my computer. How can I be sure that it won't contain viruses or malicious spyware?
Answer: Make sure your virus software is updated regularly, and stop being so paranoid! All the software linked to from this page (VLC Player, Quicktime, Quicktime Alternative) is from well-known sources and should most emphatically be virus-free. VLC is overwhelmingly favored by many savvy computer users who enjoy watching video online. Quicktime is an old established program which comes bundled with iTunes (which is necessary if you use the ubiquitous iPod).
You cannot go through your entire computing life being afraid to install any new software. As long as you get the program from reputable sources and use a virus scanner, there isn't much to worry about. Fear of trying new software will diminish your enjoyment of your computer and limit your access to interesting and exciting new things. That doesn't sound like any fun at all!
Is your question not answered here? Read this page on the AnimeMusicVideos.org site about how to play those [darned] files!