PPT97: Unable to Insert QuickTime Movies

ID: Q247057

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft PowerPoint 97 For Windows

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to insert an Apple QuickTime movie into Microsoft PowerPoint 97, you may receive the following error message:

PowerPoint couldn't insert movie from the selected file.

CAUSE

Microsoft PowerPoint 97 can only play back QuickTime movies (*.mov files) that use compression schemes with corresponding Media Control Interface (MCI) compatible codecs.

A codec (Compressor/Decompressor) is an algorithm or scheme used to record digital video or audio. For example, when you transmit video over the Internet, the video must be compressed on the sending end and decompressed on the receiving end. A codec can be chosen based upon the user's audio or image quality and image size preferences.

When you read a QuickTime movie, a Video for Windows decompressor decompresses the QuickTime files. If the decompressor does not support the compression method used by the QuickTime movie, it cannot render the movie onto the screen.

WORKAROUND

Create a Hyperlink to the .MOV File

If you do not mind not having your movie play in-place, or not having it play automatically, you can create a hyperlink to the .MOV file, and let the QuickTime player for Windows play the file instead:

Select the object or text you want to assign the hyperlink to.

On the Insert menu, click Hyperlink.

In the Link to file or URL box, click Browse.

Click File under Browse to, and locate the .mov file that you want to play.

Click OK, and then click OK again.

During the slide show, all you need to do is click the linked object or text. If a valid player is available, it will start and play the Quicktime movie.

Verify That QuickTime Movies Are Not Compatible

If you don't want to create a hyperlink, then before proceeding with any conversions, it is best to verify that the QuickTime movie is not compatible with PowerPoint 97. There is a quick test for this: can Media Player play the movie?

Media Player, or Mplayer.exe, is not the same program as the Windows Media Player. Media Player is shipped with various versions of the Windows operating systems, and is an MCI-compliant device. However, Windows Media Player is a new technology that does not rely on MCI for its capabilities to play various forms of media. Windows Media Player can play a wider range of video and audio formats than can Media Player.

How to verify if the movie is not compatible

To determine the compatibility of the movie:

On the Windows Start menu, click Run.

In the Open box type:

mplayer.exe

Click OK.

Media Player is started.

On the File menu, click Open.

Browse to the QuickTime movie that you want to verify. Click Open.

If the QuickTime movie is compatible, then Media Player will open it. If this happens, there may be a problem with PowerPoint 97 or with the MCI settings. For more information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q178291 PPT97: Unable to Insert a Movie from the Selected File

If the movie is not played and you receive an error message in Media Player, the movie is not compatible and cannot be played in PowerPoint 97. To make it compatible, you can convert it to a compatible compression format, using either of the following methods.

NOTES:

The following codecs are those that are present on both the Windows platforms and with QuickTime 4.0. Although there may be other codecs that are available on both platforms, this list contains those that are standard across both platforms and that you can use with little worry:

Standard Compression Formats
BMP

Cinepak

DV-NTSC

DV-PAL

Intel Indeo Video R3.2

Intel RAW

None

The following steps make use of QuickTime 4.0 Pro and cannot be performed with the basic version of QuickTime 4.0. The steps are the same for both Windows and Macintosh versions of QuickTime 4.0. You can use other QuickTime editing programs in place of QuickTime 4.0 Pro; see their documentation for the relevant steps.

Method 1: Convert QuickTime Movies to AVI Format

To convert the QuickTime movies to AVI format:

Start QuickTime Pro, and open the file that you want to convert.

On the File menu, click Export.

Set the Export file type to Movie to AVI.

Click Options, and then click Settings.

In the Compressor group, click the list of compressors and choose one from the previous list. One of the more popular formats is Cinepak, but choose the one that you think works best with the movie.

Make sure to change the extension on the file name to .avi, and then click Save.

Method 2: Recompress the QuickTime Movies with Compatible Codec

To recompress the QuickTime movies with compatible codec:

Start QuickTime Pro, and open the file that you want to convert.

On the File menu, click Export.

Set the Export file type to Movie to QuickTime Movie.

Click Options, and then click Settings.

In the Compressor group, click the list of compressors and choose one from the previous list. One of the more popular formats is Cinepak, but choose the one that you think works best with the movie.

Click Save.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about QuickTime 4.0, its capabilities, and support, see the following Web page on the Apple Computer Web site:

http://www.info.apple.com/support/quicktime/

The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

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Keywords : kbmm kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb