The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Jack,
I'm not expecting you to answer this problem, but I just wanted to express my frustration that for some reason I don't get any video when I download your clips, only audio. A pop-up tells me I need to add QuickTime components and takes me to the proper website, but doesn't tell me what components I need! I've downloaded the latest version two or three times over the last few months that I have been aware of your site -- most recently this morning -- but still no dice. I'm dying to see those videos!
John M

Hi,
I can't view your video either, I have a mac, It says that it was compressed with a cedec that will not play on my machine
Regards Marcel

Guys—you will need to use MPlayer to watch Jack’s clips—because of the Windows Media codec that he chooses to use (h264, DivX, or Xvid would be better choices), as unless you are using Windows Media Player on a newer version of Windows, this is the only player that I am aware of that has managed to include a decoder for it. Neither the Flip4Mac software that Microsoft recommends or the discontinued version of Windows Media Player for Mac (not worth downloading, even though I linked it) will play it.

If you want to install more codecs for QuickTime, I recommend Perian, but if I remember correctly, it still does not include the one needed for his videos. I generally use MPlayer and VLC as my players of choice.

The three codecs that I mentioned above are all superior choices because not only are they cross-platform (and would work in basically any player on any system), they are also far more widely used. Personally, I recommend h264 in an .mp4 container, for both optimal quality, file size and compatibility. It works on more non-computer devices, also. Most modern encoding software is capable of outputting this.

Hope this helps.

— MordEth

Jack,
Thanks for putting that montage together. After watching it I made a vow to definitely attend the pre-show next year!!!

Nice work Jack. That's Gary Bernstein, aka "Amberol" at 1:27.

Dave

So Gary is a member here? Cool. He is a nice guy.I met him last year at Wayne and he thought i was somebody he met in Union but i had to tell him i wasnt that person.So he told me that i have a twin! i wonder if that guy realy does look like me? Another thing happened there at Wayne too.He almost made me faint!! Because at the end of the parking lot meet he took the cylinders he didnt like and.......and he.....SMASHED THEM ALL INTO A BAGE!!!! there had too be 60-100 of them.Yes they were slightly moldy but i would have taken them!! So Gary if your out there and you see this save those cylinders for me in April!(i am that 14 year old kid there,but i wont be at the paking lot this year)

Aaron

Dave, thanks for willing to help the Mac users. Sorry, I don’t ‘choose a Windows Media codec’, I use the codec that Microsoft bundles with its .wmv creation software. There have been video format compatibility issues between Microsoft and Apple for a long time and I’m not aware of any definitive solution that works for all Mac users. But I understand that Mac users have several options depending upon what version Mac OS software they use. Mac users might want to download the .wmv file to their machine and then convert that file to an .mp4 format using third party software. I hope your recommendations help. If there is anything I can do, please let me know.

Also any user not having a reliable high-speed internet connection (or for better quality to play the file directly on your PC) can optionally download this .wmv file.

Click or cut ‘n paste this url: http://www.phonojack.com/Shows.htm
Right click on the line *** Orlando Antique Phonograph Show….. January 2009 NEW!
Click Save Target, then Click Save, you’ll see the Filename OrlandoPhono2009.
This will download the OrlandoPhono2009.wmv file to your machine.

If you have a slow connection, this 60 million byte file, might take a long time to download.

Mac users can now locally convert this .wmv file to a .mp4 format using whatever software works with your Mac. I have used a program to convert .wmv to .mp4 for my Apple TV which works beautifully when displayed on an HD 1080 screen, but when I gave these .mp4 files to PC users some complained that .mp4 files won’t play on their machine.

I’m no technology expert, but perhaps downloading and installing/upgrading the latest version of QuickTime, RealPlayer or Windows Media Player might help. The software providers recommend you run their latest version software to keep up with Microsoft and other providers.

JohnM, please don’t die because of me. You are probably in the pre-show video, so please stick around long enough to collect your royalty payments! Also I want to get out Madison when you launch your phonograph museum (you’ll need a video to help promote it) and I need an excuse to be at the next BC/Notre Dame game or the Indy 500!

I finally got a chance to watch the video, and can confirm that it works in the version of MPlayer linked both above (and here). As always, Jack does a very impressive photo montage.

I definitely recommend watching it.

Jack—how many photos did you take at the show? From the video, it must have been a very impressive number.

— MordEth

I can get audio, but still no video (black screen) from MPlayer! Also, the audio sounds like rock rather than the appropriate track for a phono show! What's wrong?!

Jack, Madison is all the way down in the southern part of the state, about 1.5 hours from Indy. I'm already looking forward to your visit!

John M