Hi driddle00...
This information came from the Microsoft WebPage:
"Cannot play back the file. The format is not supported.
This behavior occurs because PowerPoint can play back only QuickTime movies (.mov and .qt files) that use compression schemes with corresponding Media Control Interface (MCI)-compatible codecs.
A codec (compressor/decompressor) is an algorithm or scheme that is 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, the decompressor cannot display the movie on the screen.
To work around this behavior, use one of the following methods.
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Method 1: Create a hyperlink to the .mov file
loadTOCNode(2, 'workaround');
Create a hyperlink to the .mov file, and then let the QuickTime Player for Windows play the file instead. To do this, follow these steps:
- Select the object or text that you want to assign the hyperlink to.
- On the Insert menu, click Hyperlink.
- Under Link to, click Existing File or Web Page.
- Select the QuickTime movie that you want to play, and then click OK.
Note Under Look in, click Current Folder to see a list of files, click Browsed Pages to see a list of recently viewed Web pages, or click Recent Files to see a list of recently used files.
During the slide show, click the linked object or text to play the movie. If a valid player is available, the player starts, and then the player plays the QuickTime movie.
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Method 2: Convert QuickTime movies to AVI format
loadTOCNode(2, 'workaround');
Note In the following steps, you must use QuickTime 4.0 Pro. You cannot follow these steps 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 instead of QuickTime 4.0 Pro. To do this, see the QuickTime documentation for the relevant steps.
To convert the QuickTime movies to AVI format, follow these steps:
- Start QuickTime Pro, and then 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 then select one from the previous list. Cinepak is a popular format. Select the format that you think works best with the movie.
- Make sure that you change the extension on the file name to .avi, and then click Save.
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Method 3: Recompress the QuickTime movies with compatible codec
loadTOCNode(2, 'workaround');
Note In the following steps, you must use QuickTime 4.0 Pro. You cannot follow these steps 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 instead of QuickTime 4.0 Pro. To do this, see the QuickTime documentation for the relevant steps.
To recompress the QuickTime movies with compatible codec, follow these steps:
- Start QuickTime Pro, and then 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 then select one from the previous list. Cinepak is a popular format. Select the format that you think works best with the movie.
- Click Save.
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Verify that QuickTime movies are compatibleYou can use Microsoft Media Player to...
loadTOCNode(1, 'moreinformation');
Verify that QuickTime movies are compatible
loadTOCNode(2, 'moreinformation');
You can use Microsoft Media Player to verify that a QuickTime movie is compatible with PowerPoint.
Note Microsoft Media Player (Mplayer.exe or Mplay32.exe) is a different program than Windows Media Player. Microsoft Media Player is included with various versions of the Windows operating systems, and is an MCI-compliant device. Windows Media Player, however, is a new technology that does not rely on MCI to play various forms of media. Windows Media Player can play a wider range of video and audio formats than Microsoft Media Player can play.
To determine the compatibility of the movie, follow these steps:
- Click Start, and then click Run.
- In the Open box, type the appropriate command for your operating system:
- In Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, type mplayer.exe, and then click OK.
- In Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Microsoft Windows 2000, or Microsoft Windows XP, type mplay32.exe, and then click OK.
Microsoft Media Player starts.
- On the File menu, click Open.
- Select the QuickTime movie that you want to verify. Click Open.
If the QuickTime movie is compatible, Microsoft Media Player opens the movie. If Microsoft Media Player opens the movie, but PowerPoint does not, there may be a problem with PowerPoint or with the MCI settings. If Microsoft Media Player does not open the movie, and then you receive an error message in Media Player, the movie is not compatible and cannot be played in PowerPoint. You may be able to make the movie compatible by using one of the methods described in the WORKAROUND section of this article."
