Movie Maker Timeline Won't Play Back

Hey all.

I know this problem has been brought up here many times before, but I don't
think a sufficient solution has ever been proposed.

I'm using WMM on Vista. I was editing a video last night. The video has no
effects or transitions. Just some elaborate cutting. I spent about an hour
and a half on it, and I was nearly done. But suddenly, the timeline won't
play back. I can't very well do my cutting without a preview.

The play button does nothing.

I've tried many of the makeshift solutions posted. I tried taking out the
opening clip and putting it back. The same with the last clip. I've
rebooted. I've even copy and pasted the entire project into a new project.
When I copy and pasted the video, I got playback on the new project, but when
I transferred the audio track, I ran into the same problem.

If anyone can help me out with this frustrating issue, I would be very
grateful, as I would like to finish my video.

Thank you,
Justin

"Timenotspace" <Timenotspace@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:5FE28D28-68FE-489A-BB4C-A73DF396BCC7@microsoft.com...
> Hey all.
>
> I know this problem has been brought up here many times before, but I
> don't
> think a sufficient solution has ever been proposed.
>
> I'm using WMM on Vista. I was editing a video last night. The video has
> no
> effects or transitions. Just some elaborate cutting. I spent about an
> hour
> and a half on it, and I was nearly done. But suddenly, the timeline won't
> play back. I can't very well do my cutting without a preview.
>
> The play button does nothing.
>
> I've tried many of the makeshift solutions posted. I tried taking out the
> opening clip and putting it back. The same with the last clip. I've
> rebooted. I've even copy and pasted the entire project into a new
> project.
> When I copy and pasted the video, I got playback on the new project, but
> when
> I transferred the audio track, I ran into the same problem.
>
> If anyone can help me out with this frustrating issue, I would be very
> grateful, as I would like to finish my video.
>
> Thank you,
> Justin

A first place to start is to see if you have incompatible source files. Try
this URL:

http://www.myvideoproblems.com/Tutor...patibility.htm

Another trick that sometimes works is to uncheck the boxes in Tools|
Options| Compatibility.

Both the video and the audio I'm importing are .avi. (I'm using the audio of
the .avi video for the audio track. Due to the number of cutaways, I need a
master audio track that is uninterrupted. Is that the problem? I've done it
in the past without an issue.)

This is probably where I make myself look silly, but- the website that lists
compatible and incompatible file types differentiates between dv-avi and
divx-avi. As the files came straight from my digital camcorder, I'm going to
assume they are dv-avi (therefore compatible), but I could be wrong. What's
the difference?

I forgot to mention that I tried the box checking and unchecking. In fact,
I couldn't even start the video editing without WMM crashing before I pulled
that trick.

Assuming my files are compatible, are there any other solutions and/or
explanations as to why this is happening? I mean, it was working perfectly
initially, but then it just stopped.

I think the computer gods have a grudge against me.

I appreciate your time,
Justin

DV-AVI files are about 13 GB per hour of video.... each frame is stored as a
picture and editing such files is easy.

Divx-avi files are compressed MPEG4 files, much smaller than 13 GB per
hour... and harder to impossible to work with in editing software such as
Movie Maker.

Some camcorders record to DV-AVI files and others to Divx-avi or other file
types... it varies by the brand and model.

--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn (MVP)


"Timenotspace" <Timenotspace@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:73947C98-EA92-41B3-97EE-463C32CE18E8@microsoft.com...
> Both the video and the audio I'm importing are .avi. (I'm using the audio
> of
> the .avi video for the audio track. Due to the number of cutaways, I need
> a
> master audio track that is uninterrupted. Is that the problem? I've done
> it
> in the past without an issue.)
>
> This is probably where I make myself look silly, but- the website that
> lists
> compatible and incompatible file types differentiates between dv-avi and
> divx-avi. As the files came straight from my digital camcorder, I'm going
> to
> assume they are dv-avi (therefore compatible), but I could be wrong.
> What's
> the difference?
>
> I forgot to mention that I tried the box checking and unchecking. In
> fact,
> I couldn't even start the video editing without WMM crashing before I
> pulled
> that trick.
>
> Assuming my files are compatible, are there any other solutions and/or
> explanations as to why this is happening? I mean, it was working
> perfectly
> initially, but then it just stopped.
>
> I think the computer gods have a grudge against me.
>
> I appreciate your time,
> Justin

From your description, I'm assuming I've got dv-avi files. They're
incredibly easy to work with, and a sixteen minute video is 3.33 GB.

I checked all over the camcorder box for some more concrete details, but I
couldn't find anything. I've got a Panasonic PV-GS320 if you're familiar
with it. I hook it up with a firewire cord, and it uploads more easily than
any hardware I've had the pleasure of working with.

So, it seems as though I've got a compatible file. And it's worth
mentioning again that it seems as though this problem is a common one.
Unfortunately whenever it gets posted in a forum, the OP seems to get his or
her problem fixed with a "Delete the first clip and then reinsert it", so no
evidence is ever found as to why so many people are having this problem in
the first place.

Thanks,
Justin

yes... it's a mini-DV camcorder that records on tapes... holding an hour...
and when you transfer to your computer by firewire, the file is an AVI....
DV on the camcorder and AVI on the computer. DV-AVI

it's a file type Movie Maker was made to work with....

--
website references are to www.papajohn.org

PapaJohn (MVP)


"Timenotspace" <Timenotspace@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D249D5FC-220D-4356-A1CF-6329F6EB1CF3@microsoft.com...
> From your description, I'm assuming I've got dv-avi files. They're
> incredibly easy to work with, and a sixteen minute video is 3.33 GB.
>
> I checked all over the camcorder box for some more concrete details, but I
> couldn't find anything. I've got a Panasonic PV-GS320 if you're familiar
> with it. I hook it up with a firewire cord, and it uploads more easily
> than
> any hardware I've had the pleasure of working with.
>
> So, it seems as though I've got a compatible file. And it's worth
> mentioning again that it seems as though this problem is a common one.
> Unfortunately whenever it gets posted in a forum, the OP seems to get his
> or
> her problem fixed with a "Delete the first clip and then reinsert it", so
> no
> evidence is ever found as to why so many people are having this problem in
> the first place.
>
> Thanks,
> Justin