Cannot play .flv files

[appman1]

I use replay Media Catcher to download streaming video from iplayer and from Youtube etc, and I was able to play it OK. Sometimes there ar other small files and webdump files created when the download is done. Are any of these files needed for playing the .flv files itself? Or has the files timed out for some reason? I think only the iplayer files would be time limited and I thought not time limited if downloaded by Media Catcher. Any Ideas welcome.
Thanks...........

Sorry I forgot to add myreason for posting.......... Some of the .flv files have stopped playing back either in the Applian flv player or Realplayer and some others are still working OK. Ihave cleared out some of the webdump files etc and I was wondering is that the reason.........

[jebear]

Hi appman1

The .flv files should be able to play on their own. You will need a media player to watch .flv files on your PC. VLC (www.videolan.org/vlc) is a great general purpose media player. I use it to watch .flv files.

Just out of curiosty, are you having trouble downloading the larger files from iplayer? I've been trying to download the Crooked House omnibus all day and it tends to freeze at about 250MB.

Best wishes

[appman1]

Thanks for reply, Looked at web page for player you suggest, seems very good but the files used to play OK in realplayer and in Applian flv player. Seems to be something happened all flv filed in the media catcher default download folder. I had copied 2 flv files to another folder some time ago and they still play OK. The iplayer files are .asf files and play ok in realplayer. The largest file I have downloaded is 215 MB and works OK. Sometimes I find mediacatcher or else my broadband drops the download stream and stops before the end of the file and works OK the next time ???
......................

[appman1]

correction to last post.........The iplayer files are .flv the largest is 190 MB and the .asf files are five.tv downloads, the largest is 215 MB.

I installed the player as suggested above, no change, still cannot play some of the .flv files.

Thanks

[jebear]

Hi appman1

It looks like the files have become corrupted somehow. Have you tried re-downloading one of your non-playable files to a different directory and see if it will play?

Maybe look at the obvious culprits, have you installed any software / updates since this problem first occurred? Have you restored from a backup?

Do you get any strange program crashes, blue screens, etc... (Not related to this problem but the system in general.)

[appman1]

Hi Jebear, Thanks for your help
I think I have narrowed it down to possibly only the iplayer downloads.
They played when they were first downloaded. There are no error messages when opening the files in realplayer or applian player, just a blank window. other files and flv play OK.
If I click in realplayer for clip info there is no info for the bit rate or size etc yet the file is 106 MB when browsed in windows explorer

Another maybe related problem noticed was when I first opened media catcher, then went to web page to download as the video program was opening I got a send/dontsend iexplorer error that mentioned a problem with a dll file libmplayer. I searched for the dll file and found 2 copies one in Programfiles/replay av8 and another in Programfiles/Converter 3 folders. I renamed both these xlibmplayer.dll thinking I would get an error "could not find file" but now do not get the ieexplorer error and download then worked. and that is how I have always used it.

The files in question are not available for down load any more but I have downloaded others recently and they work but I wonder will they only work for a few weeks as well ????????

cheers..........