IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 My recent film “Napoleon Slept Here” takes you all around France, beginning and ending in Paris, with Notre Dame Cathedral, the Pompidou Center, Eiffel Tower, Napoleon’s Tomb, Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass & the City of Lights at night; plus Nimes with its Roman Arena and Temple, the walled city of Carcassonne, Lourdes, the Palace of Chenonceau, a peek at the Bayeux Tapestry, and much more. This is a free, non-commercial, streaming video on the Windows Media Player. No ads and no strings attached. I sell absolutely nothing. All you need is a high speed internet connection.My video site is: http://www.geocities.com/intrepidberkeleyexplorer/Video.htmlThe gallery of French still pictures can be viewed with any modem at:http://www.geocities.com/intrepidberkeleyexplorer/Page16.htmlThere are 30 of my other amateur travel videos on-line. Visit Italy, England, Antarctica, Bali, Australia, China, Russia, Florida, Mayan Pyramids, Kenya, Hawaii, Greece, American National Parks, or Turkey; see elephants, whales, penguins, or polar bears. The planet is yours, including my Home Page giant galaxy of still pictures at:http://www.geocities.com/intrepidberkeleyexplorer/The Intrepid Berkeley Explorer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 The media has done a good job of scaring off computerphobes like me from opening any attachments or clicking on links such as those given in this thread. I may have no need for concern here (I have some fairly basic anti-virus and spyware protection) but wonder how I can get reliable reassurance that I will not regret clicking on these links.(Sorry that this has gone off the subject thread itself but it seems relevant.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 3, 2006 Author Share Posted January 3, 2006 Alan,You do not specify what amounts to "reliable reassurance" that it is safe to click on the first link that leads to my travel videos.I could offer other links that show my films have been viewed by over 200,000 people, but links appear to be the problem.Let me suggest that you try going to a search engine like Google and do a search of me, as either The Intrepid Berkeley Explorer or under my real name, which is David Mundstock. Those results might provide reassurance that I have a very public reputation for websites, videos, and still pictures, plus some additional subjects. Everything I do has always been both non-commercial and virus-free. A variation on this would be to ask Google for something simpler like "free travel videos". My Intrepid Berkeley Explorer site is likely to come up as number one, so you could then trust Google instead of my post.If these ideas are not adequate, then e-mail me at [email protected] and we can come up with a better approach. You are the first person to raise this concern, so I want to handle it properly in case it comes up in the future.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I've had a look, Alan, and can't see any problems arising from the concerns you may have, but I've not actually viewed David's video. I'm usually happy streaming video on-line, but the system David uses seems to want me to download over 50Mb of file before I can see anything, and I don't really want to do that. On other similar sites the system usually buffers up a few megabytes and then starts displaying the video so that you get some idea of what you're letting yourself in for before you commit to several minutes (or even hours) of download. Is there any way your site can do that David? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thumper,I understood Alan's concerns and hope they have now been resolved. Thanks for your help with that.But you raise a different problem in that the video downloaded, but failed to stream. I just did my own test and everything was fine. "Napoleon Slept Here" immediately starts playing exactly the way streaming video is supposed to.It appears there is something wrong at your end if an automatic download commenced. Among video players, Quicktime always downloads. However, if you were using the Windows Media Player for my Windows Media file, it ought to stream. The system is designed to avoid that lengthy 50 MB download you encountered. Downloads require specific commands, but only for people who want a download.So you present a mystery I would like to solve. Could you help me out. To begin with, which type of media player were you using?Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Zoff Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thanks to both for your comments. I will leave "the experts" to continue any further discussion with this. Some time or other I really must get to grips with understanding this technology though. (Either that, or ask one of my kids to move back in so that they can trouble-shoot for me....) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Sorry Dave, but I've no idea why it's doing it on your site. I have Windows MP (default viewer) and Quick Time both available on my PC, but whatever I do, as soon as I click on the link (or right click and "open") it initiates a 15 minute download of the entire file. It's probably me, so I wouldn't worry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Solved! The file was being hijacked by Realplayer! I truly detest Realplayer and have no idea how it got back onto my machine, so I've uninstalled it (again!) and the file now streams fine straight through Windows MP.The video's great fun. I like your choice of music - some a little tongue-in-cheek I suspect! What are those Chinese/Tibetan guys doing . . . and are you the wine taster/occasional guide and narrator? The image quality is generally very good, especially for on-line material, and I really rather enjoyed my whistle-stop tour of France. Thanks Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thumper,I often end up playing detective with streaming video problems, despite my lack of technical skills. Experience counts too.Despite QuickTime's status as the leading download suspect, Real Player can be just as bad. I'm glad you caught the offender and carried out the necessary punishment.Thanks for the postive review of "Napoleon Slept Here". Yes, that's me doing narration both on and off screen.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 I'm afraid that, even using Windows MP (XP SP2) the file downloads (or rather attemps to), even when I select "stream" (or whatever). Pity that I can't be bothered to wait for the D/L! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 4, 2006 Author Share Posted January 4, 2006 Nick,This is supposed to be streaming video. You should not be confronted by an involuntary download. So it's another gremlin interfering with what's intended.Nobody should have to wait for any download, unless it's by their own choice.Do you have either Quicktime or RealPlayer on your computer, since they can both cause a download by trying to assert control?Normally, a left click on the film title from the page that includes pictures streams the videos on the Windows Media Player with ease. I am not aware of an option to select "stream" and would be interested in learning precisely where that comes from. Normally these problems can be solved.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Yes, I have both (and I can't dispose of either as, for example the BBC streams via realplayer). However, I did specifically try to stream it via MP, with the result as above.Are you sure that the problem is not with your server? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Stranger and stranger!I use Firfox as a browser and it initiates a download even if I click the 'openwith' box.If I use IE 6 then all I get is a 'clonk' noise and no change of page.Apparently IE6 is now downloading in the background (sneaky!) and will open thevideo in WMP when it’s finished! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepBerkExplor Posted January 5, 2006 Author Share Posted January 5, 2006 Nick,The various media players on your computer appear to be fighting each other. If you went into the Windows Media Player, to Tools, Options, File Types, and then made sure the first three boxes were checked, that would help the WMP to stream Windows Media files, which include mine.Then you should do the same thing in reverse with both Quicktime and Real Player, removing any settings which involve Windows Media Files. That has a decent chance of keeping both of them from initiating a download. My videos should then stream properly.Alex,I know zero about Firefox, although people have written that it can work with streaming video. Internet Explorer 6 is a very unlikely suspect for initiating a download on its own. What about other media players on your computer? If you have either Quicktime or Real Player, I suggest trying for the settings described above, in order to keep these rival players from seizing control over the WMP and starting a download.If using Firefox means that you need a different fix, I'm the wrong person to come up with it.Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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