Vista - Vista MCE: Problem playing DVDs - "Files to display video" error

Greetings,

I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This is on a
Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC video card.
Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback, the DVD
loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first played
other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I have on
this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get - after a
period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments of the
movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display video are
not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".

After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD playback
works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of hard disk
activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip before
attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.

Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a couple of
times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered" error.

I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I have not
installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a new
install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver, that's all.

This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at all
when running XP.

Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia display
drivers in general and Vista MCE?

This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this system
and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.

thanks,
P O Litby

Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also include a
WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips with
MC you are OK.

"politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This is on
> a
> Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC video
> card.
> Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
> When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback, the
> DVD
> loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first played
> other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I have on
> this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get - after
> a
> period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments of the
> movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display video are
> not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
>
> After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD playback
> works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of hard
> disk
> activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip before
> attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
>
> Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a couple of
> times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered" error.
>
> I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I have not
> installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a new
> install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver, that's all.
>
> This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at all
> when running XP.
>
> Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia display
> drivers in general and Vista MCE?
>
> This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
> system
> and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
>
> thanks,
> P O Litby

Well, there has to be a WMV decoder in Vista because those clips play
perfectly, including WMA9Pro audio and all.

And why would playing one of these clips affect DVD (MPEG-2) playback?

/POL

"Curious" wrote:

> Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also include a
> WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
> And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips with
> MC you are OK.
>
> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
> > Greetings,
> >
> > I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This is on
> > a
> > Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC video
> > card.
> > Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
> > When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback, the
> > DVD
> > loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first played
> > other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I have on
> > this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get - after
> > a
> > period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments of the
> > movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display video are
> > not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
> >
> > After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD playback
> > works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of hard
> > disk
> > activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip before
> > attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
> >
> > Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a couple of
> > times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered" error.
> >
> > I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I have not
> > installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a new
> > install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver, that's all.
> >
> > This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at all
> > when running XP.
> >
> > Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia display
> > drivers in general and Vista MCE?
> >
> > This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
> > system
> > and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
> >
> > thanks,
> > P O Litby
>
>
>

It cetainly appears normal that your WMA9Pro program installed its own
decoder when you installed itand therefore will play the clips when you run
it.
However, it appears that when it runs it sets its decoder as the one to use
also for decoding of video from MC TV or DVD. So when you try and play a
MPEG2 encoded TV or a DVD you get the WMA9Pro decoder which of couse can't
decode the Mpeg2 data.
You can use the following 3rd party Vista decoder utility to see what
decoder MC is set to use and you can change it if you like.

http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html

"politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8DEA5082-B7F6-454E-BB21-F076BA480009@microsoft.com...
> Well, there has to be a WMV decoder in Vista because those clips play
> perfectly, including WMA9Pro audio and all.
>
> And why would playing one of these clips affect DVD (MPEG-2) playback?
>
> /POL
>
> "Curious" wrote:
>
>> Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also include
>> a
>> WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
>> And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips
>> with
>> MC you are OK.
>>
>> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
>> > Greetings,
>> >
>> > I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This is
>> > on
>> > a
>> > Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC video
>> > card.
>> > Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
>> > When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback,
>> > the
>> > DVD
>> > loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first
>> > played
>> > other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I have
>> > on
>> > this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get -
>> > after
>> > a
>> > period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments of
>> > the
>> > movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display video
>> > are
>> > not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
>> >
>> > After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD
>> > playback
>> > works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of
>> > hard
>> > disk
>> > activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip before
>> > attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
>> >
>> > Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a couple
>> > of
>> > times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered"
>> > error.
>> >
>> > I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I have
>> > not
>> > installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a new
>> > install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver, that's
>> > all.
>> >
>> > This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at
>> > all
>> > when running XP.
>> >
>> > Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia
>> > display
>> > drivers in general and Vista MCE?
>> >
>> > This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
>> > system
>> > and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
>> >
>> > thanks,
>> > P O Litby
>>
>>
>>

Thanks, I'll try checking which decoder is set after playing a WMV-HD clip.
By the way, I have not installed any WMA9 Pro software, that decoding
appears to come with Vista from start.

but why would a Microsoft supplied WMA/WMV coded change the default MPEG2
decoder?

/POL

"JW" wrote:

> It cetainly appears normal that your WMA9Pro program installed its own
> decoder when you installed itand therefore will play the clips when you run
> it.
> However, it appears that when it runs it sets its decoder as the one to use
> also for decoding of video from MC TV or DVD. So when you try and play a
> MPEG2 encoded TV or a DVD you get the WMA9Pro decoder which of couse can't
> decode the Mpeg2 data.
> You can use the following 3rd party Vista decoder utility to see what
> decoder MC is set to use and you can change it if you like.
>
> http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html
>
> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8DEA5082-B7F6-454E-BB21-F076BA480009@microsoft.com...
> > Well, there has to be a WMV decoder in Vista because those clips play
> > perfectly, including WMA9Pro audio and all.
> >
> > And why would playing one of these clips affect DVD (MPEG-2) playback?
> >
> > /POL
> >
> > "Curious" wrote:
> >
> >> Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also include
> >> a
> >> WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
> >> And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips
> >> with
> >> MC you are OK.
> >>
> >> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
> >> > Greetings,
> >> >
> >> > I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This is
> >> > on
> >> > a
> >> > Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC video
> >> > card.
> >> > Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
> >> > When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback,
> >> > the
> >> > DVD
> >> > loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first
> >> > played
> >> > other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I have
> >> > on
> >> > this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get -
> >> > after
> >> > a
> >> > period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments of
> >> > the
> >> > movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display video
> >> > are
> >> > not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
> >> >
> >> > After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD
> >> > playback
> >> > works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of
> >> > hard
> >> > disk
> >> > activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip before
> >> > attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
> >> >
> >> > Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a couple
> >> > of
> >> > times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered"
> >> > error.
> >> >
> >> > I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I have
> >> > not
> >> > installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a new
> >> > install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver, that's
> >> > all.
> >> >
> >> > This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at
> >> > all
> >> > when running XP.
> >> >
> >> > Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia
> >> > display
> >> > drivers in general and Vista MCE?
> >> >
> >> > This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
> >> > system
> >> > and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
> >> >
> >> > thanks,
> >> > P O Litby
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>

I am confused are you saying the the WMA9 Pro Software Codec was installed
as part of VIsta itself and not as a separate product?
"politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:0A7B90AB-7CD7-45A2-96AF-58BB52382AF7@microsoft.com...
> Thanks, I'll try checking which decoder is set after playing a WMV-HD
> clip.
> By the way, I have not installed any WMA9 Pro software, that decoding
> appears to come with Vista from start.
>
> but why would a Microsoft supplied WMA/WMV coded change the default MPEG2
> decoder?
>
> /POL
>
> "JW" wrote:
>
>> It cetainly appears normal that your WMA9Pro program installed its own
>> decoder when you installed itand therefore will play the clips when you
>> run
>> it.
>> However, it appears that when it runs it sets its decoder as the one to
>> use
>> also for decoding of video from MC TV or DVD. So when you try and play a
>> MPEG2 encoded TV or a DVD you get the WMA9Pro decoder which of couse
>> can't
>> decode the Mpeg2 data.
>> You can use the following 3rd party Vista decoder utility to see what
>> decoder MC is set to use and you can change it if you like.
>>
>> http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html
>>
>> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:8DEA5082-B7F6-454E-BB21-F076BA480009@microsoft.com...
>> > Well, there has to be a WMV decoder in Vista because those clips play
>> > perfectly, including WMA9Pro audio and all.
>> >
>> > And why would playing one of these clips affect DVD (MPEG-2) playback?
>> >
>> > /POL
>> >
>> > "Curious" wrote:
>> >
>> >> Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also
>> >> include
>> >> a
>> >> WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
>> >> And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips
>> >> with
>> >> MC you are OK.
>> >>
>> >> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
>> >> > Greetings,
>> >> >
>> >> > I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This
>> >> > is
>> >> > on
>> >> > a
>> >> > Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC
>> >> > video
>> >> > card.
>> >> > Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
>> >> > When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback,
>> >> > the
>> >> > DVD
>> >> > loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first
>> >> > played
>> >> > other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I
>> >> > have
>> >> > on
>> >> > this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get -
>> >> > after
>> >> > a
>> >> > period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments
>> >> > of
>> >> > the
>> >> > movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display
>> >> > video
>> >> > are
>> >> > not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
>> >> >
>> >> > After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD
>> >> > playback
>> >> > works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of
>> >> > hard
>> >> > disk
>> >> > activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip
>> >> > before
>> >> > attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
>> >> >
>> >> > Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a
>> >> > couple
>> >> > of
>> >> > times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered"
>> >> > error.
>> >> >
>> >> > I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I
>> >> > have
>> >> > not
>> >> > installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a
>> >> > new
>> >> > install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver,
>> >> > that's
>> >> > all.
>> >> >
>> >> > This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at
>> >> > all
>> >> > when running XP.
>> >> >
>> >> > Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia
>> >> > display
>> >> > drivers in general and Vista MCE?
>> >> >
>> >> > This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
>> >> > system
>> >> > and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
>> >> >
>> >> > thanks,
>> >> > P O Litby
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>>
>>

To elaborate: I have installed Vista Ultimate from the MSDN DVD. I have
installed no extra codec(s) or any other software, this system has nothing in
it that did not come from the Vista DVD, other than the nVidia driver update
from Windows Update.

Playing WMV HD clips downloaded from Microsoft's sample site works perfectly
with WMA9 Pro audio sent over my SPDIF connection to my Pioneer receiver
(which has WMA9 Pro support). So I guess there is not actually any WMA9 Pro
codec in Vista, it just sends the coded audio stream to the SPDIF output.

/POL

"JW" wrote:

> I am confused are you saying the the WMA9 Pro Software Codec was installed
> as part of VIsta itself and not as a separate product?
> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:0A7B90AB-7CD7-45A2-96AF-58BB52382AF7@microsoft.com...
> > Thanks, I'll try checking which decoder is set after playing a WMV-HD
> > clip.
> > By the way, I have not installed any WMA9 Pro software, that decoding
> > appears to come with Vista from start.
> >
> > but why would a Microsoft supplied WMA/WMV coded change the default MPEG2
> > decoder?
> >
> > /POL
> >
> > "JW" wrote:
> >
> >> It cetainly appears normal that your WMA9Pro program installed its own
> >> decoder when you installed itand therefore will play the clips when you
> >> run
> >> it.
> >> However, it appears that when it runs it sets its decoder as the one to
> >> use
> >> also for decoding of video from MC TV or DVD. So when you try and play a
> >> MPEG2 encoded TV or a DVD you get the WMA9Pro decoder which of couse
> >> can't
> >> decode the Mpeg2 data.
> >> You can use the following 3rd party Vista decoder utility to see what
> >> decoder MC is set to use and you can change it if you like.
> >>
> >> http://mediacenterexpert.blogspot.co...r-utility.html
> >>
> >> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:8DEA5082-B7F6-454E-BB21-F076BA480009@microsoft.com...
> >> > Well, there has to be a WMV decoder in Vista because those clips play
> >> > perfectly, including WMA9Pro audio and all.
> >> >
> >> > And why would playing one of these clips affect DVD (MPEG-2) playback?
> >> >
> >> > /POL
> >> >
> >> > "Curious" wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> Vista includes a default MPEG2 decoder(which AFAIK does not also
> >> >> include
> >> >> a
> >> >> WMV decoder) which it uses with MC for TV and DVDs.
> >> >> And it appears that as long as you don't try and play WMV format clips
> >> >> with
> >> >> MC you are OK.
> >> >>
> >> >> "politby" <politby@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> >> news:85F767F1-3A33-4CFF-962D-00C369B96724@microsoft.com...
> >> >> > Greetings,
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I have just installed the Vista Ultimate RTM release from MSDN. This
> >> >> > is
> >> >> > on
> >> >> > a
> >> >> > Core 2 Duo equipped mATX motherboard with an Asus nVidia 6200 TC
> >> >> > video
> >> >> > card.
> >> >> > Everything works fine except for some problems with DVD playback:
> >> >> > When first starting Media Center and going directly to DVD playback,
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > DVD
> >> >> > loads quickly and plays without any problems. But if I have first
> >> >> > played
> >> >> > other video content (WMV HD clips from Microsoft - which is all I
> >> >> > have
> >> >> > on
> >> >> > this system right now) then when trying to play a DVD I first get -
> >> >> > after
> >> >> > a
> >> >> > period of intense hard disk activity - a couple of jerky fragments
> >> >> > of
> >> >> > the
> >> >> > movie and then playback stops with the message "Files to display
> >> >> > video
> >> >> > are
> >> >> > not installed or not working properly. [snip] restart Media Center".
> >> >> >
> >> >> > After restarting Media Center following this error message, DVD
> >> >> > playback
> >> >> > works again although the DVD loads very slowly and there is lots of
> >> >> > hard
> >> >> > disk
> >> >> > activity before play begins. Again, if I play another video clip
> >> >> > before
> >> >> > attempting DVD playback, the error message appears again.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Once, I even got a BSOD after attempting to play a DVD. Also, a
> >> >> > couple
> >> >> > of
> >> >> > times I've gotten the "the display driver failed but has recovered"
> >> >> > error.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I suspect this may be a display driver or decoder problem, but I
> >> >> > have
> >> >> > not
> >> >> > installed anything at all into this system - it's all fresh after a
> >> >> > new
> >> >> > install. Windows Update has updated the nVidia display driver,
> >> >> > that's
> >> >> > all.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > This system is a dual boot with XP MCE, and there are no problems at
> >> >> > all
> >> >> > when running XP.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Are there any known problems with this video card, or with nVidia
> >> >> > display
> >> >> > drivers in general and Vista MCE?
> >> >> >
> >> >> > This is the only thing stopping me right now from taking XP off this
> >> >> > system
> >> >> > and running Vista so I'd like to see a solution to this.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > thanks,
> >> >> > P O Litby
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>