Interesting morning chasing codec

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 12:07:47

This morning I downloaded a couple of MP3s from here http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/downloads/#mp3 One was about the Dawn Chorus and the other Sounds of the Night. The latter eventually played OK in WMP but the first came up with a message (in WMP) that codec Microsoft MPEG-1 (50) was missing and was needed to play this file. The site that it suggested didn't have it and suggested a search. I found that many people using Vista had been searching for this codec when trying to play certain MP3 files. Eventually I came across this

QuoteOpen the folder with the MP3 file in it that you want Windows Media Player
to play.

Click on "Organize" then "Folder and Search Options". Choose the view tag.
Untick "Hide extensions for known file types". Click "OK".

Right click in blank area of the folder. Choose "Properties" then the
"Customize" tab. Select "Documents" from the drop down menu. Click "OK".

You will now see files in the folder with their extensions. Change the
extension of the file you want WMP to play from ".mp3" to ".mp2".

Double click the file. It will play in WMP. The Codec is there all the
time. It is an mp2 codec!

Don't waste time looking for a codec that does not exist.

It now plays in WMP but not in my Sony MP3 player (I'm not bothered about that).

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 12:10:57

How odd. Thanks, Noreen, useful tip!

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 12:20:26

Thanks, Rik. Perhaps someone else with Vista might like to download this file just to see if they get the same message.

kinmel · Jun 11, 2009, 12:34:59

Why not try the VLC media player, it's freeware and plays just about everything straight out of the box, www.videolan.org.

Rik · Jun 11, 2009, 12:41:21

I tried and it went straight to Quicktime, Noreen.

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 12:58:13

Quote from: kinmel on Jun 11, 2009, 12:34:59
Why not try the VLC media player, it's freeware and plays just about everything straight out of the box, www.videolan.org.

WMP does play it now after the change. The problem was that it was supposed to be an MP3 file when (apparently) it was an MP2. The other problem is that the Microsoft message tells you that this codec isn't on your Vista computer and to search for it to play this (MP3) file. However it IS on your computer but it's an MP2 codec but it doesn't tell you that and you won't find it as it's not an MP3 codec..

Strangely the other file at first gave the same message but when I went back to it later it played OK as an MP3 file.

Sebby · Jun 11, 2009, 13:19:03

Quote from: kinmel on Jun 11, 2009, 12:34:59
Why not try the VLC media player, it's freeware and plays just about everything straight out of the box, www.videolan.org.

I agree, VLC is amazing.

Noreen · Jun 11, 2009, 17:37:12

I downloaded a free audio converter and now they are MP3.