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I have a Cine player 2.31 with Windows 2000. I need an upgrade but I keep getting Vista products from Sonic.

CinePlayer will allow you to play DVDs and VCDs on your PC. It offers the widest range of compatibility so that you can watch most titles without problems. The current version is 3.2, so you’re right, you do need an upgrade.

CinePlayer Updates

I went to the Roxio site and they are only offering upgrades for Windows XP and Vista, but I did find a site called VersionTracker that claims it is offering the newest version of CinePlayer for Windows 2000. This is a paid update and will cost about $30. In order to make it work, you need 128MB of RAM and a minimum of 50MB of hard disk space for installation. In addition, you need a 16MB video card a compatible sound card and speakers, a DVD ROM drive and DirectX 9b or later.

DirectX

DirectX is proprietary Windows technology that drives high-speed and multimedia games on your computer. The new 10 version is supported by Windows 2000, but you must be able to validate your system in order for the update to work. You can download DirectX 10 by clicking on the link to the Microsoft website.

Update to Windows XP or Vista

You’re probably not going to want to hear this, but you are going to run into this problem more and more as you continue to use Windows 2000 and have programs that are no longer supporting that platform. Both Windows XP and Vista have more user-friendly graphics interfaces, faster user switching and are much more stable than older versions. Using an older version may be a personal preference, but more and more software is going to drop their support for older versions.

Although I can’t guarantee that it will work with Windows 2000, sites like VersionTracker claim to allow older platforms to update this software, although you might be wise to put the money toward updating your operating system.

I recorded an interview and discovered that I have no audio in the file. The file is blank. It plays for the duration of the recording but no sound or any noise what-so-ever plays. I have other audio files stored on the recorder that work; it just seems that something is wrong with this recording. The battery died in the middle of recording, I put a new one in and thought that would fix the problem. Is there any way to recover lost audio?

Recovering Lost Audio

Data recovery software can recover lost audio files under certain circumstances such as if the file was accidentally deleted. However, in this case, you have the file but it doesn’t play the sound so I don’t think that a data recovery program will do much good. Since your other recordings play, there’s no indication of a problem with your computer’s sound settings.

Original Recording

Is it possible that the original recording did not actually record? I’m not sure what type of setup you used to record the interview, but it’s possible that the recording failed from the beginning. For example, if an external microphone was used, was it turned on? Was the battery in the microphone functional? Something like this would explain why the file “plays” but yet there’s no sound present. If the original sound never recorded, there’s nothing we can do.

Troubleshooting Missing Sound

On the off chance that there’s a file compatibility issue, you might try playing the sound recording file in a different media player. For example, if you’re listening to it in Windows Media Player with no luck, you might try it in QuickTime or Real Player. Double check all of your sound settings to be sure that there’s no “mute” button that’s been accidentally pressed. In addition, if your sound card has a “mixer” setting, it’s possible that one of the mixers is turned down. If so, go into the sound mixer and adjust as needed.

Another thought involves stereo versus mono recordings. If the recording was made on just one of the audio channels, but the speaker or audio output is connected to the opposite channel, you won’t hear it. This would really depend on the device that you recorded the interview on as well as any cabling you have. If the recording device is capable of stereo recordings, then try listening to each channel separately.

A video in an article or email comes up but I can neither see nor hear the video though the sound will come on in spurts.

While more than one reason can lie behind a problem such as this, finding the cause becomes a matter of trial and error. Start with one solution at a time, reboot the computer, and then, try again to view a video.

Common Video Playback Errors: Video Cards

It is important to update your video card from time to time since technology keeps changing. Check your video card’s manufacturer’s website for any available updates and install them.

Common Video Playback Errors: Video Codecs

Another common reason behind video errors occurs when the wrong video codec is being used. Since videos files come in several different formats, it is necessary to have the proper video codec with which to view the specified video. Media players often play only specific video file types. For example:

• “Windows Media Player” opens the .avi file extension.
• “QuickTime” opens the .mov file extension.
• “QuickTime” opens the .qt file extension.
• “RealPlayer” opens the .ram. file extension.

If you already have one of these media players installed, check its website for current updates and video codecs and install any that are available. Doing so can improve compatibility with other file types.

Common Video Playback Errors: Streaming Video Problems

Video streaming describes the activity that produces the sequence of images that appear over the Internet. If the available bandwidth is insufficient, video quality is usually choppy and poor, which is often referred to as buffering. Your problem sounds a bit more severe than this, yet poor video streaming could have something to do with it. Try viewing videos when fewer people are likely to be doing the same. This should improve the quality of the video. Insufficient memory on the computer can also lead to streaming and buffering errors. Try closing all other open programs, games, etc and see if that improves the quality of the video.

Common Video Playback Errors: Update the Browser

If it has been a long time since you last updated your browser, now would be a good time to do so. You can visit the website for whatever browser you have to obtain the update.

Common Video Playback Errors: Poor Quality Download

Dial-up connections are notorious for providing a poor quality download, resulting in poor audio and sometimes no video. If this is the type of Internet connection that you have, you might just have to deal with less than stellar video viewing even after you download the proper codec.

I am unable to download music from my iTunes Library to my new iPod Nano.

Problems Downloading iTunes Library to iPod Nano

Several situations can lead to problems downloading music from the iTunes Library to an iPod Nano. These include outdated software, faulty software, faulty components due to normal wear and tear, and faulty software due to damage.

Update iTunes Software

Before attempting to do anything else, visit Apple’s website and make sure that you have the latest update for your iTunes software. Even though your Nano is new, your iTunes software might not be if you’ve had it for a while. In order for iTunes downloads to function properly, you need to have the latest software. You’ll find “check for updates” in the setting section in your Nano’s source list.

Set your iTunes to Automatically Update your iPod Nano

If you set your iTunes up to update your iPod Nano automatically, you will simplify this process for yourself. To do so:

• First connect your iPod Nano to the computer and open up your iTunes if you have not already done so.
• Look in the “Devices” section of the iTunes window. It will be on the left-hand side. Select “iPod.”
• Select the “Music” tab that is located in the main browser window for iTunes.
• Mark the box in front of “Sync music.”
• At this point, you have two options. You can either sync all of the songs and playlists that you currently have in your iTunes library or you can opt for selected playlists. Select one of these options.
• Select “Apply.” Your iTunes software will now begin to sync the selected music content to your iPod Nano. You will be able to view the progress that is being made as well as be able to see when the process is complete.

Judging Available Space on the iPod Nano

In order to transfer the music from your iTunes Library to the Nano, you’ll need to have enough space. You’ll need to check both the size of the playlist as well as the iPod Nano’s capacity. Use the bar at the very bottom of the iPod Nano’s settings window to determine how much free space you have. For the size of a playlist, look at the bottom of the iTunes window once you have selected the playlist.

Charge the Nano’s Battery

In order for the music download to function properly, charge your Nano’s battery for at least 30 minutes to ensure that it has sufficient power. Simply connect it to the power adapter or to the USB port on the computer.

How to Manually Manage the iTunes Library Transfer

In order to manage the iTunes Library content manually, select the file that you want and drag it to the iPod Nano icon. Once you have all of the files transferred that you want, you can disconnect the Nano and enjoy.

Troubleshooting Problems Downloading iTunes Library to iPod Nano

If you are still experiencing problems downloading songs from your iTunes Library playlist, you might need to uninstall and reinstall the iTunes software.

Burning DVD R Software

The first place I would look is within the disc burning software that you are using. Does the software have an area where you must choose the disc format? If so, make the adjustment as needed. However, I’m sure that you’ve already checked that, so let’s move on to other possible solutions.

DVD + or - R

Since you can copy from the DVD-RW to the DVD-R disc without a problem, I assume that the DVD burner is both + and - R compatible. Now, if you were not able to do so, then I’d have you double check to be sure that you are using compatible discs. Because DVD-R discs in general are extremely finicky, you might want to try a different brand. In addition, consider the possibility that the DVD-R discs may not be formatted yet. It’s possible that the Disc Copy feature has a built-in formatting step as part of the process.  

Adjusting Burn Speed

One of the most common causes of burn failures is having the burn speed set too high. Try adjusting the burn speed to its lowest speed. Does that solve the problem? If so, gradually work your way up in speed until you find the fastest burn speed that works reliably with your DVD-R discs.

DVD Burner Updates

The next thing that I would do is update everything including the DVD burning software, the operating system, and your DVD burner’s device drivers. Updates fix known flaws and conflicts, so it’s possible that this is a bug that has since been fixed through an update.

Create a restore point first so that you can rollback your system if the updates negatively affect it. Use Windows Update to update your operating system and Device Manager (it’s in the Control Panel under System) to update the burner’s device drivers. Your burning software may or may not have an update utility. If so, it’s most likely under the Help or Tools menu.

If none of these adjustments or upgrades makes a difference, let us know the following details:

• Any error messages being generated
• The burning software you are using
• The make and model of your DVD burner
• Your computer’s operating system

WonderShare Movie Story

I just downloaded the trial version of WonderShare Movie Story, made a short slideshow, and have a few ideas for you. Hopefully we can figure this out in time for your presentation. If we can’t get the DVD to work, I’ll show you how to output your WonderShare Movie Story to a different format and burn it to DVD using your regular DVD burning software.

Double Check the Story Board

Let’s make sure that there isn’t something interfering within the slideshow itself. Are all of the clips of the same format? For example, are they all .jpg images or do you have a “mix and match” of file types? I’ve had problems with a similar program when using a mix of file types. Also, does the slideshow get hung up in Preview mode? If so, is it at the same spot? Perhaps the transition or the next clip is bad. Try deleting those elements (save with a different file name if you want) and see if that solves the problem.

Reburn DVD

Burning DVDs is notoriously finicky. Try a fresh blank DVD and burn again. Make sure that Movie Story is the only program running and do not multitask. I’ve found that many errors in similar movie making programs occur when I work on a different program while the movie renders. Brew a pot of coffee or take a nice walk while Movie Story creates a new disc.

Do you get the same problem? Have you tried the disc in different DVD players? Does the disc play in your computer?

The WonderShare Movie Story Menu

Next, I wonder if the first clip is the menu or is it your actual photo clip that you placed in the story board? If it is the menu, there should be an option to launch the slideshow, like a play button. I noticed that the default length of the menu was over a minute. When previewing, the menu played and the show didn’t progress until I clicked the “1″ button on the onscreen remote. Try using the #1 button on your DVD player’s remote. It’s a long shot, but is worth trying.

Another option, if the DVD is stuck on the menu, is to re-burn the DVD without the menu. Do this by clicking the Create button followed by the Options button. Here you’ll find an option labeled “Do not include menu and play the DVD continuously.” Place a check mark in that option box and try burning the slideshow once again.

Try Creating a Video CD

Consider creating a video CD as an alternative to DVDs. Video CDs play in most DVD players though the quality isn’t quite as good. Since you’re in a time crunch though, this may be an option. When you click the Create button, under Output Options click the down arrow. Choose VCD Video Disc.

Output the Slideshow as a File and Burn Separately

Finally, if you can’t get Movie Story to burn a playable CD, you can still salvage all of your hard work in time for your presentation. Go back into the Create button and choose one of the movie file formats from the Output Format. For example, AVI, WMV, and MPEG I or II are all movie file formats. Once created, you can burn the file to DVD using your normal DVD burning software (make sure to choose the appropriate DVD format in your software).

Depending on how you will be presenting the show, you can also insert the file into PowerPoint or a similar application and create a disc using that application.