Member Avatar for normanhilda

Hi I am unable to open WMV fully. I can get sound but no picture. I have windows media player 7.,but cannot find an up date for it. Every thing seems to be for MacX, Any suggestions. Thanks Norm.

  • 4 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 178 Views
  • 4 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by normanhilda

Dani AI

Generated

reported sound but no picture from a WMV on a PowerPC G3 running Mac OS 9.1. , and correctly noted that modern WMV support tends to target later Mac OS releases, so the most reliable route on a classic machine is to diagnose the file and, if needed, transcode it to a format the G3 can decode.

Quick diagnostic checklist:

  • Confirm the WMV actually contains a video stream by playing it on a current PC/Mac with VLC or Windows Media Player.
  • Inspect the file to see which codecs it uses (MediaInfo or ffprobe will show the codec names and stream types). For example:
ffprobe -v error -show_entries stream=index,codec_type,codec_name,width,height -of default=noprint_wrappers=1 input.wmv

If a modern player shows only audio or an unsupported-codec error, the file is either using a newer video codec (or DRM) that OS 9 players cannot decode, or the file is corrupted.

Practical workaround (recommended): transcode the WMV on a newer computer to an OS‑9–friendly format (MPEG‑1 or a low‑bitrate DivX/AVI). MPEG‑1 maximizes compatibility and keeps CPU decoding requirements low on a G3. Example ffmpeg commands:

ffmpeg -i input.wmv -c:v mpeg1video -b:v 1200k -c:a mp2 -b:a 192k output.mpg

To make playback easier on the G3, downscale and lower bitrate:

ffmpeg -i input.wmv -vf scale=320:240 -c:v mpeg1video -b:v 800k -c:a mp2 -b:a 160k output.mpg

Notes and cautions: DRM‑protected WMV files cannot be transcoded without authorization. Converting reduces quality; use conservative resolution/bitrate settings so the G3 can play smoothly. For long‑term access, keep a DRM‑free master copy and the converted file for the classic machine. This approach avoids hunting for obsolete codec components and gives a practical, repeatable solution.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for jbennet

there is no newer version for the mac

Member Avatar for normanhilda

there is no newer version for the mac

Thank you for your reply just as I thought. Regards Norm.

Member Avatar for bondo

I'm not sure about OS 9, but there is a program available that runs as an extension to QuickTime called Flip4Mac. It's free (to download at least. It might be shareware?). I don't have any problems playing WMVs. I have OS X though, so I'm not sure if they make an OS 9 version.

Member Avatar for John A

I'm not sure about OS 9, but there is a program available that runs as an extension to QuickTime called Flip4Mac. It's free (to download at least. It might be shareware?). I don't have any problems playing WMVs. I have OS X though, so I'm not sure if they make an OS 9 version.

Flip4Mac requires Mac OS 10.3.9 or later. It's also worth noting that Windows Media Player 9 is available, but this too requires OS X. Version 7 is about the only way to get Windows Media Player on OS 9.

Member Avatar for normanhilda

I'm not sure about OS 9, but there is a program available that runs as an extension to QuickTime called Flip4Mac. It's free (to download at least. It might be shareware?). I don't have any problems playing WMVs. I have OS X though, so I'm not sure if they make an OS 9 version.

Member Avatar for normanhilda

Thank you Bondo for your reply. You are right there is no up date for O/S.9 only for X Norm.

Member Avatar for normanhilda

Thanks Joe. W.M.Player 7 is all that you can get for Mac O/S 9 Norm.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.