NASA TV 'won't play'

[G-CPTN]

I'm using (in this instance) Vista Home Premium (I've dug out a previously pensioned-off 4-year old laptop - as my usual laptop is away under warranty with a 'dead' screen - no backlight).

When I open NASA TV (NASA - NASA TV in Firefox) the picture disappears within a second and is replaced by a small icon in the centre depicting a piece of cine film with a solid square in the centre and a 'music' (two notes) in the bottom right corner. Clicking this opens Windows Media Player (Open : NASA TV) in a separate window instead of playing within the original window, however, WMP 'fails' with the message:-

Windows Media Player cannot play the file because the specified protocol is not supported. If you typed a URL in the Open URL dialog box, try using a different transport protocol (for example, "http:" or "rtsp:").

The webhelp url is:-
Microsoft Windows Media - Web Help
- which suggests that an audio system is faulty . . .

I cannot remember any action that might relate to this problem. As I understand, WMP is an integral part of Vista and cannot be deleted or repaired.
A re-install of Windows is suggested - something that I do not want to do unless it is guaranteed to leave my other programmes installed over three years completely unaffected.


Under MediaPlayerConnectivity 0.8.3 wmplayer.exe is attributed to all except Real and QuickTime files (which are linked respectively to RealPlayer (realplay.exe) and QuickTime (QuickTimePlayer.exe).

Can anyone suggest a fix?

Using IE8 (8.0.6001.18904) results in a blank screen with no picture or icon and clicking the start arrow does 'nothing', leaving just a blank screen where the image of the NASA TV 'video' would play.

[green granite]

You could try downloading quicktime and see if it plays with that.

[G-CPTN]

How do I modify the 'call' embedded in NASA TV to link the picture to QuickTime (which I already have installed - though only allocated to QT type media)

One thing that puzzles me is that NASA TV is expecting to play in a pop-out player rather than the original screen - at some time I must have (?) instructed this - but how do I reverse this?

I have the Media Player plug-in for Firefox (which I disabled) and I have cleared the NASA TV cookie, neither of which had any effect on the 'problem'.

[Sprogget]

Media player add in for firefox is what you need to re enable.

[G-CPTN]

I've uninstalled (then re-installed) Firefox (and checked that the Media Payer plug-in is enabled).
No change to the problem (though the original add-ons were automatically re-activated).

[Bruce Wayne]

tried it in Chrome ?

[Bruce Wayne]

G-CPTN.. just tried it in IE8 on mine.. works fine.. but in Firefox, page loads with "waiting for Video" message on the embed.

you may want to make sure if its a not used much laptop that it has the updated codecs.. if you need codecs download k-lite codec pack (free download) and also flash player

i'm p-o'ed with WMP, keeps throwing up couldnt play file blah blah so using vlc media player (free download) and plays pretty much most vid files from flv to avi to mp4 and loads a lot quicker than WMP..

[frostbite]

How about selecting the 'identify as IE for this site' option?

[G-CPTN]

I, too, use VLC by choice for playing 'media', but when I linked it to NASA TV (via MediaPlayerConnectivity 0.8.3 ) it refused to work.

My problem may be that I'm too tightly controlled by my 'security' systems . . . (I'm too scared to lower my protection in case of intrusive attacks - I am where I am after three years of 'fiddling' and I can't remember what does what.)


Edited to add:- having thought through the above, I cannot see that any firewall or anti-virus programme will cause NASA TV to deselect its usual option and substitute the small icon that calls up the 'external' WMP.

My other (currently away for repair) Vista machine works OK, as does the new W7 machine that I have bought for my daughter.

[Bruce Wayne]

if its any consolation the one i am now is XPP, and just downgraded one omy laptops from Vista Ultimate XPP.. the wife has the only W7 machine.. (also run a server with server 2003). one desktop is 'clean' with no security on it and has never been probed, but being clean, there's chuff all on it anyway.

so the XPP one with IE 8 works fine... i'm securitied up the eyballs two software firewalls and one hardware and run through two subnets (and freak the IP address as well from time) (isn't paranoia but necessity)

if the O/S they work through are on the same network with the same security it probably isnt port blocked (but if the security settings on that one are different thay may cause it)

you could disable all security and see if that works

you may have some random issue with a registry entry somewhere.. download ccleaner www.ccleaner.com , run that and the reg clean function on it and see how that works...

[green granite]

It doesn't work for me either. I've just discovered that when I go to the site It auto-switches to the I.E. tab, resetting it so that it remains in FF then it says I need :

NASA TV requires Windows Media, Real Player or Quicktime plug-ins to play in your preferred player. Please check "Other Viewing Options" on this page or download necessary plug-ins.

[G-CPTN]

I've got the WMP plugin and it's activated - I suppose I could uninstall it (if that's possible) then re-install it . . .

[brockenspectre]

G-CPTN -- my trusty old laptop is using Vista Home Premium+IE8 and when I go to NASA.gov and click on Multimedia and select NASA TV from the drop-down menu, the TV starts no problem.

Have you got the latest JAVA and Flash plugins installed? I remember recently I was trying to load a site which wouldn't play and it turned out that I hadn't got the latest Flash player... just go to the Sun Java site and check.. it may just be that you need a more recent version?

I shall cross fingers that that works :-)

[G-CPTN]

I'll continue to try all suggestions (within reason), but I do tend to keep things up-to-date.

Thanks - keep them coming . . .