Error inserting MPEG-1 into PowerPoint

Jsnkc wrote on 2/27/2004, 1:43 PM

We've seen lots of problems with MPEG files and powerpoint, they don't like to play well together. We normally convert them to AVI's using the Indeo 5.11 codec and everything works fine, you might want to try that.

RBartlett wrote on 2/27/2004, 1:52 PM

Quicktime player has probably promoted itself over WMP/directshow. It isn't plugging into PPoint. If you remove MPG from the supported types in the QuickTime player, it might allow the lower priority directshow filter to be re-instated.

Watch the bitrates if playing MPEG1 from a laptop HD or some CD outfits.
Hope that helps?

klloyd wrote on 2/27/2004, 2:01 PM

As for AVI, I'm worried about doing that though as many pc's don't have enough virtual memory/processor speed to play AVI's smoothly so I don't want to do that. I just looked at the file associations and in Quicktime to make sure Windows wasn't associating MPG or MPEG with Quicktime and it is not. It is associated with WMP, so that isn't the issue. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Kevin

Jsnkc wrote on 2/27/2004, 2:32 PM

You can actually get avi's in a reasonable size and still have pretty good quality, we normally run the AVI-DV file through ProCoder to make the final avi files, not sure if you can get the same results going through Vegas or not.

klloyd wrote on 2/27/2004, 2:37 PM

It can compress AVI's yes, but the PowerPoint presentation will be on one of those who-knows-what-kind of PC's and who knows what kind of codec they will have. I know there is no way to do this completely universally but in my searches and questions I've heard that MPEG-1 is the most reliable. I would really like to know how one mpg can be inserted and play fine but another cannot. I've checked my MCI extensions and they're correct so it doesn't look like Quicktime has hijacked my registry keys. Still lost...

Kevin

RBartlett wrote on 2/28/2004, 4:13 AM

You can play a PPT within a browser window (in various different guises depending on how much anumation you want to do in PPT). Between power point docuemnts that you split up, you can insert MPEG-1 into either a frame or an entire browser window. That might be your next route. Especially as you need general playback without installing/downloading codecs.

To keep it ergonomic, the PPTs could be selected from a bar along one edge, or through an "end action" URL in the last page of each PPT page.

If you are burning this project to CD, you might want to stick the network installable version of PPT Viewer on there aswell. Maybe IE also, just to cover all the application variations.

klloyd wrote on 3/1/2004, 11:06 AM

But I'm unable to even get the MPEG-1 video into the PPT in the first place. Is there a way to reference it with a link?

klloyd wrote on 3/4/2004, 6:52 AM

But I'm unable to even get the MPEG-1 video into the PPT in the first place. Is there a way to reference it with a link?

Jsnkc wrote on 3/4/2004, 7:41 AM

Let me know when you're ready to go to AVI's so you won't have these problems and I'll get ya the specs we've been running at for years without any problems.

klloyd wrote on 3/4/2004, 2:20 PM

Fire away, I'm willing to try anything at this point. Thanks. Here or email?

Jsnkc wrote on 3/4/2004, 2:27 PM

We normally do it through Procoder so I will try to translate the specs to do it in Vegas.

AVI with Indeo Video 5.11 Codec
32 Bit RGB
29.97 fps
320X240
You can play around with the Video Bitrate to get the file size you want.

Audio
8kHz sample rate
8 bits/sample
Stereo
128kbps bitrate
PCM Uncompressed

Since Quicktime and Windows media can both play AVI files it should work on just about any computer you put it into. We have done tons of samples and tried it in every computer from windows 95-XP as well as Mac os 9 and X and it has worked in every one.

wombat wrote on 3/4/2004, 2:38 PM

I have had no problems at all with putting mpeg1 movies, created with Vegas, into Powerpoint. We do it often where I work - at a university.

If you have a recent version of Powerpoint use:

INSERT / MOVIES AND SOUNDS / MOVIE FROM FILE /

then in the file request box select, under "Files of type''

MOVIE FILE (MPEG)

then select your mpeg file.

You will then be asked if you want it to play automatically or when clicked.

End of story!

SonyTSW wrote on 3/4/2004, 9:24 PM

Any specific reason you are trying to use MPEG-1?

Just this week my daughter wanted to add short movies she created using Vegas into PowerPoint. I figured that since PowerPoint is a Microsoft product, WMV would be the best "native" compressed format to use. She rendered using WMV 9 and it worked great. Adding them to her presentation was exactly as wombat outlined. The quality at the higher bitrates is good, too.

Regarding the suggestion to use AVI with the Indeo codec, this is a rather old codec by now. Newer XP systems may not have the Indeo codec as Microsoft has removed it from XP SP1. If you do need it, search our Knowledge Base on Indeo, there is a link to Microsoft where you can download an update to get it.

laffTrax wrote on 3/4/2004, 10:24 PM

Kevin,

I had the SAME exact error message where i work. My Mpeg files played fine on a co-workers computer Power point presentation, but not in mine. I never was able to figure out why. Also, this ProCoder i heard mentioned - is that better than say rendering an avi or mpeg file in Vegas? Is it able to produce higher quality results?

klloyd wrote on 3/5/2004, 6:17 AM

wombat - that is exactly how I have been attempting to put the MPEG-1 into PowerPoint! And I'm running PPT 2002! I can't tell you why it's doing this.

SonyTSW - the reason I'm trying to use MPEG-1 is because this format is supposed to be playable by Quicktime, WMP and Real Player on both PC and Mac. The presentation will be distributed to potential customers so we can't be Windows specific by using WMV. We have no idea what systems people will be using to view the PPT.

Jsnkc - I will try your suggestion out in the near future and report the results. Thanks everybody!

Kevin

klloyd wrote on 3/11/2004, 6:11 AM

I tried rendering in Vegas with all these settings and the AVI inserted into PPT fine, but when playing the PPT the movie would not play, even though I told it to play automatically. It only showed the black box where the movie was located as if stuck at the beginning of the movie.

Chilango wrote on 3/21/2004, 12:34 AM

PowerPoint uses DirectShow for MPEG 1, like all Microsoft Products. Try playing the file with mplay32.exe (used by Office- don´t laugh!). If it don´t play, can´t play in Powerpoint either. There´s a bug I think in Vegas, with register of MainConcept MPEG 1 Decoder. It puts it in first place of DirectShow, but mciqtz32.dll can´t handle it. Easiest way: Rename mcdsmpeg.ax (Vegas/shared/mpeg) in something like mcdsmpeg.ax.hide. Restart Windows and everything´s fine. Load your MPEG 1 in Powerpoint and that´s it. You can also use regsvr.exe /u to get rid off the file, but it´s much easier to rename it.

logiquem wrote on 3/22/2004, 5:54 AM

Kevin,

Just take a look at this Microsoft note, everything should be there :

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q212409&

Btw, i use wmv format myself for PP...

Chilango wrote on 3/23/2004, 6:42 PM

There are lots of reasons for using MPEG-1 Files (runs fine on the old Pentium I Computer of the client...) And the fact is: Why can other software install MainConcept codec without causing problems, and Vegas can´t?
If you run the presentation ONLY on your machine, there´s no problem. MPEG2, WMV, DIVx or anything you like.
But giving a CD with a powerpoint presentation to a customer, without knowing his machine: MPEG1 is normally safe ! DirectShow works fine.
BTW: I like Vegas !

BBTV wrote on 7/25/2004, 12:24 PM

Sony Pictures Digital applications install the MainConcept MPEG-2 Directshow decoder to allow preview and playback of MPEG-2 video in video playback applications. If you encounter problems playing back MPEG video that was created by a Sony Pictures Digital application, do the following:
Do a search (Start-->Search-->For Files or Folders) for "mcdsmpeg.ax" and "mcspmpeg.ax".
Rename those files to "mcdsmpeg.ax.hide" and "mcspmpeg.ax.hide"
(Rename them back to the original name if you run into other trouble)

BBTV wrote on 7/25/2004, 12:25 PM

Sony Pictures Digital applications install the MainConcept MPEG-2 Directshow decoder to allow preview and playback of MPEG-2 video in video playback applications. If you encounter problems playing back MPEG video that was created by a Sony Pictures Digital application, do the following:
Do a search (Start-->Search-->For Files or Folders) for "mcdsmpeg.ax" and "mcspmpeg.ax".
Rename those files to "mcdsmpeg.ax.hide" and "mcspmpeg.ax.hide"
(Rename them back to the original name if you run into other trouble)