Windows Media player for videos on Safari...

http://flip4mac.com
Windows Media Player for Mac is long dead and not very useful on an Intel Mac.

I have the same problem trying to watch videos on the net which require windows media player.
I have had flip4mac installed for a while now, but it doesn't seem to work when I try to watch anything windows media related on the net, it is either just a blank screen or it keeps freezing. What do I do?

You need to restart your browser after installing any new plug-ins.
I had no trouble with the NBA videos (WMP formats):
http://www.nba.com/broadband/video_faq.html
I couldn't view media at FIFA and got an error saying the server could not be found when the video page loaded.

Hi,

Have you tried emptying the cache under the Safari menu?

Look in Home~/Library/Internet plugins folder any plugins there that maybe interfering, for instance I have not any in that folder, they are all in HD/Library..

The Flip4Mac plugins are in HD/Library/Internet Plugins folder, correct?
They are 2...
Flip4mac WMV plugin.plugin
Flip4mac WMV plugin.webplugin

Keep us posted,

Happy 4th!

Eme'~[)

Thanks for all the info but I have tried everything and still nothing. I just don't get it.

(Deleted, as I was talking rubbish!)

Hi

Have you tried any of the sites in question in Firefox 2.0.4? I use 3 browsers. Primary is Safari. Sites not accessible on Safari, I use Firefox. Sometimes, just because I want something different I'll use Shiira. Firefox usually plays the content not accessible on Safari, although there are exceptions where the content just does not play on the Mac.

Bigger picture: some sites have a Mac bias, where the content cannot be played in any Mac browser. Others sites use code playable on Internet Explorer for Windows (most used browser) without thought of possible compatibility issues on one or more other browsers, especially on the Mac side.

In instances of poor coding practices, Safari seems to struggle, as this browser is stricter than others, adhering to web code standards. In either instance, it's useful to contact the site developer about the lack of availability or compatibility.

Something to consider: As you have an Intel Machine, you can also install Windows Vista or XP. Doing so gives you the option of using Internet Explorer for Windows when you come across content not playable on the Mac side.

My brother recently purchased a MacBook. Installed Windows and Parallels. He's now able to go back and forth between operating systems rather quickly without the need of a restart.

It's good to have options in this day of software diversity.

iMac G5 Rev C 20" 2.5gb RAM 250 gb HD/iBook G4 1.33 ghz 1.5gb RAM 40 gb HD Mac OS X (10.4.10) Seagate 300 gb ext. HD Canon i960 printer, Airport Express (2 units)

Hi Anni,

Welcome to  discussions

Thanks for all the info but I have tried everything and still nothing. I just don't get it.

You're welcome If I may say, you have tried everything is too broad a statement when trying to get help we need to know what you have tried.

Have you tried a freshly created test account? See this doc, on how, if you haven't see this on 10.4 & Adding a new user account to your computer, this helps to show if this is a problem isolated to your username account or system wide.

Do you have the plugin components mentioned?

Are you running 3rd party Safari extending applications?

Has Flip4mac ever worked for you?

Post a Url of the video you are trying to watch, or an example of similar would help, so we may try it.

Can you view Youtube & google vids?

---------------------------------

• If those are your correct specs you show your os is extremely behind, missing all the fixes
the subsequent os updates & security updates offer. If they are incorrect please take a sec, to correct, adding the size of drive & ram would help as well

If you update make sure to back up your personal files & data see this document on, How to back up and restore your important Mac OS X 10.3 & 10.4 files

Look at A. Brodys post on how to update properly a. Brody now that 10.4.6 is out lets review..albeit it os 10.4.6 it still applies up to 10.4.10, his is the first post, ( this was the start of the double boot after os update.)

Apologies if you already know all this I can't not know, prefer err on the side of caution.....

• Note that your problem sounds different then the original posters problem, he doesn't speak of freezing, you are running a ppc ibook he a Macbook on 10.4.10.

Please post your own topic & articulate what the "everything" you have tried happens to be, you are more likely to get the help you need, no doubt it must be most
annoying not to be able to view what you know you can.

Good luck,

Eme'~[) / Maria

Hi again,

You are welcome, thanks for letting me know the plugins are where they need to be.
I just got on to the macbook pro here & the Fifa.com vid do not play, though the site will load.

It is possible the server is busy as well, at least on fifa.com

I will see if using another plug in works & I shall post back after I trying it.

Eme'~[) Maria


edited by: Eme~ Fireworks time here in Boston, so that is first; )

Hi-
I am brand new to a mac...I have been cruising the
web and a lot of web sites I frequently visited on my
PC laptop are now not working the same. Fifa.com for
example. I go to look at soccer highlights, but the
videos do not work.
When the video screen comes up it originally directed
me to the microsoft page to download windows media
player to be able to view the videos. I downloaded
windows media player and the installer and installed
it onto my mac. However, still when I go to the
webpage it does not work... now when I go to the page
it says "Some content on this page requires an
Internet plug-in that Safari doesn’t support. The
application “Windows Media Player” may be able to
display this content. Would you like to try?" When
I say OK the windows media player pops up and says
"cannot open the file. Verify the path and filename
are correct and try again." I am not sure what to
do... I know it is not the websites problem as on my
PC laptop the videos play fine. I just want to
watch my soccer highlights on my new spiffy Mac,
please help.

THANKS in advance.

MacbBook Mac OS X (10.4.10)

I would like to piggy back on this post. I am having the same problem. I have a 10.2.8 O.S. and the Flip4Mac won't work with my O.S. I am trying to work my way through a training video and am directed to Windows Media Installer, which I downloaded to no avail.

Thank's for all the help Maria. I'm sorry I wasn't more specific. I'm not the best technical wizard. I will make my own topic like you said, but while I'm here I thought I might answer some of the questions you asked as best I can.

My ibook is a 1.33 GHz Power PC G4 with 512 MB built in memory.

I have Safari browser version 2.0 and I have had flip4mac for a while now. I mainly use it to watch wmv files which I am able to do quite successfully but now I want to use it to watch videos on the net and this is where my problems start.

Yes I have checked the plugin components for flip4mac and they are all there. And I don't think I am running a 3rd party Safari extending applications.

Yes I am able to watch youtube and google videos, and I am even able to listen to music and sometimes even audio which is in a windows media player format. I can also play flash videos with no problems whatsoever.

Here is an example of the type of site that I am having problems watching

www.fox.com/video/index.htm

I hope this helps explain my dilemma better. Is it a case of updating my system? Or is it something more simpler?

Thanks for all the help.

You're very welcome, a pleasure to try to help, thanks for the info, Anni, it helps to know a few thoughts & suggestions

• The more memory the better, I am running 512 built in ram on a Powerbook as well I just purchased 1GB from Crucial ($119-) the PB can run uneven memory. See what the specs are for yours, or use an external HD to store your pics & music they take lots of space & memory.

• Imo you ought to update to 10.4.10, provided that you update all third party apps you maybe running,so to avoid conflicts once your running 10.4.x, sounds more daunting then it is.
thus you would have Safari 2.0.4 which is the latest version ( not including S3 Beta)

Keep a.brody's steps on updating in mind (including backing up your files before updating) , see the link in my previous post.

Never use you mac when running the installer, esp. when the installer is optimizing
Make sure all applications are Quit & are in there appropriate folders, i.e. do not store Safari in a sub- folder or on your desktop, if any apps. are stored elsewhere put them back.

Anni & Jr,

The site http://www.fox.com/video/index.htm works for me, lets see if F4M is configured
correctly, try doing a restart, from under the blue apple if anything setting are changed,.

Flip4mac requires QuickTime version 6.5 or later the latest version of QuickTime is 7.1.6

• Under the menu, go to System preferences->
Flip4Mac preferences......

Browser tab- see the "About..." button is F4mac - version 2.1.2.72?
(note that you can chose to "Launch Qt player" to view vids, by selecting the box

Player tab- Select all you feel apply, I have only the create streaming empty.
see there is a Reclaim button, to reclaim ... playback from other players

Audio tab- mine are all selected & grayed out

Update tab - if it does not show version version 2.1.2.72, click the "Check now" button.

(mine is set to never, I check manually for all updates on my Macs)
imo & others, it is the best option esp. w/ Apple software so you can run Disk permissions repair before & after).


Sorry to be so long winded, I hope this helps some.

Kind regards,

Maria '~[)