Web video errors

smilodon · April 05, 2011, 03:23:51 PM

I've suddenly developed a rather odd problem viewing some streaming video. Certain web sites have packed up while others appear to work fine. For example You Tube is absolutely fine and I can still see all the content. Video in the Steam Application also works fine. However Adobe Tv just gives me a grey panel and nothing else.

For example THIS link doesn't work for me at all. On my Ubuntu Linux machine everything works fine but on Windows it's all gone wrong.

I'm running Windows 7 64 bit Home. The error happens in Chrome, Firefox and IE9 (all latest versions). I'm running Norton Security 2011 but the problem persists whether I have Norton firewall turned on or off. I've cleaned out all my cache files. turned off addons in Chrome and Firefox and run CCLeaner over everything. Although Chrome has Adobe Flash built in I've uninstalled and re-installed Flash, Shockwave and and even Quicktime for good measure. I've Not sure what else to do.

Any help would be much appreciated as a re install of Windows is going to be a complete pain

Gandalf · April 05, 2011, 03:57:36 PM

I wonder if it's a problem with flash crashing. I've been getting it a lot recently on my work and home computer, but have not really paid much attention as the flash that is on webpages is mostly adverts anyway! But I've just gone to Adobe TV and, bang, flash has crashed! And I have a black screen with a sad puzzle face in there. Could be similar to what you're seeing?

smilodon · April 05, 2011, 04:00:23 PM

Hmmm while that's not good news it's also encouraging as it's probably not down to me. I do remember doing an Adobe update quite recently. Maybe that's the problem? Other than I get a grey panel rather than a sad puzzle face. Wonder why Ubuntu works without a problem? Oh wait a minute. :wink:

Gandalf · April 05, 2011, 04:06:46 PM

ok, possible fix in chrome, thanks to http://www.google.co.uk/support/forum/p/Chrome/thread?tid=2b1d26ce48c51ac1&hl=en&fid=2b1d26ce48c51ac100049ed2669f93be&hltp=2

- click 'wrench' (settings) - options - Under the Hood/Bonnet - Content Settings (top of the page) -
Plug-ins Disable individual plug-ins...-

Flash

click the little + sign to reveal Details

Then disable the first Flash plug-in.

smilodon · April 05, 2011, 05:07:11 PM

Thanks. I gave it a whirl but no joy. I don't think I'm crashing as much as teh feed seems to be being blocked. I never see the sad jigsaw and I'm getting exactly the same issue in Firefox 4 and IE 9. I will investigate more.

T-Bag · April 05, 2011, 05:09:57 PM

Running the same OS and using Chrome the video works fine for me. I know this doesn't help fix it, but it rules out some possible answers I guess.

Tutonic · April 06, 2011, 08:19:17 AM

Re-installing Flash didn't fix it? Huh.

Might be worth re-installing your video card drivers.

smilodon · April 06, 2011, 06:31:54 PM

Well maybe we'll never know now. I was also getting problems with my system detecting two networks and failing to connect to either, so I went metal and reinstalled Windows 7. everything works fine now plus the whole system feels more nippy. I just need to copy back my 111 gig steamapps folder plus 97 gig of images and I'm good to go :wink:

Tutonic · April 06, 2011, 07:37:57 PM

Quoteso I went metal

Nice. Slayer or Metallica?

T-Bag · April 06, 2011, 11:14:43 PM

Copy back? I keep mine on a separate drive and just reinstall steam into that folder. Speedier that way. I'll be doing that tomorrow when my new system arrives. I couldn't live without steam anymore, the thought of reinstalling games makes me cringe.

smilodon · April 07, 2011, 12:38:12 AM

Mine's a Western Digital External USB drive. I didn't think a game would work that well over a USB 2.0 connection???

T-Bag · April 07, 2011, 10:35:39 AM

Quote from: smilodon;322866Mine's a Western Digital External USB drive. I didn't think a game would work that well over a USB 2.0 connection???

Nope eSata would likely be fine. USB 2 would probably slow things down significantly. I just meant I have a partition for windows and applications that I blitz every now and again and leave the rest of my hard drives and the other partitions on my primary drive intact.

smilodon · April 07, 2011, 01:14:47 PM

Ah I see. I've always used Sync Toy from Microsoft to do backups of my photographic work and included music files and my WOW install etc as well. I think I might just use the built in Steam archiver this time as it will (I assume) back up all the files needed to run a game. This last manual back up and restore left me with a broken version of ArmaII, Rift and AvP.... and I have no idea why, so missing a crucial file must be the reason.

I've decided to give Comodo back up a run and see how well that works.