Problems with video in 10.8.5

[Stuart Barry]

Hi Mike,

I am having problems with videos in the cue file for our Christmas production in a couple of weeks. Basically the videos play fine the first time through but if I interrupt them or try to replay them, more often than not, the video doesn't play. The effect is intermittent but often I see a green ActiveVideo window appear and if I then go to the Editor, portions of the Editor window are coloured green and remain that way even if I switch cues. This persists until I restart SCS. Provided that we only play through the cues in sequence during the show itself we can probably get away with it working as it does but is is a nuisance during rehearsals and I am concerned about its unreliability during the show which is heavily reliant on both the videos and sound effects.

I am using SCS 10.8.5 on Windows XP with xVideo because I want to fade in and out the videos. The fault occurs on two different XP machines. I have also tried it on a Vista machine where it seems to work without problem. I have produced a cut down version of our cue file containing just the videos and associated sound cues which I can send you. Hopefully you will be able to suggest a work around or even produce a fix in time for the start of our show.

Best wishes

Stuart Barry

[Mike Daniell]

The green screen is a clue. There are a couple of things you can do but what I recommend is that you convert your wmv files to avi (I see from the test cue file you sent me that you are using wmv files).

In the SCS Help under Troubleshooting / Video Problems you will see under Other Tips a suggestion to reduce the video acceleration in Windows Media Player. I know it doesn't appear to make much sense, especially as you are using xVideo, but this tip seems to fix the green screen scenario. But, afaik, the green screen problem only exists with wmv files which is why I recommend converting your files to avi. If you do not have facilities for converting the file, download the NCH Prism Video Converter Software. I have found this to be an excellent piece of software for converting or fixing up video file formats.

[Stuart Barry]

I converted the files to AVI format using the convertor that you suggested. At first they videos wouldn't play at all until I realised that I probably didn't have an AVI codec so I installed the K-Lite codec pack which fixed that issue.

However, I am sorry to report that this hasn't fixed my original problem after all. Once the problem occurs and SCS goes into 'green screen' mode, thereafter whenever I try to play any video I see the green ActiveMovie Window and no video.

[Mike Daniell]

Can you use the Vista machine since that plays the videos OK? If not, then try turning off or at least reducing the hardware acceleration on your XP machine. I found this site which shows you how to do this. Otherwise see if you can borrow a Windows 7 machine.

Suggestions from other users welcome!

[Peter Jackson]

Hi Mike/Stuart

I have only come across green screen on a couple of occasions, the the first was the wrong codec in WMplayer which always seems to gives a green screen when it is can't determin the codec and the second was screen resolution way to high, try bringing it down to basics first 800 x 600 and see if thet cures it then increase up to 1024 x 768.
If none of this helps try getting you footage (if poss) remade in Mpeg 1 which always works for me.

PJ

[Stuart Barry]

Mike,

I followed your suggestion about reducing the hardware acceleration and on my test machine it appears to have fixed the problem - at least I haven't managed to make it go wrong since. Our theatre does have a Windows 7 machine but a colleague of mine reports that he too has had similar problems with videos just refusing to play. Hopefully reducing the hardware acceleration will work on that machine too.

Peter,

Thanks for you suggestions too. If reducing the hardware acceleration doesn't prove to be a solution after all I shall try those next.