No Video Appears When Playing an ASF File from an HTTP Server (243654)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows Media Services 4.1
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 7
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1

This article was previously published under Q243654

SYMPTOMS

When you play a multi-bit rate .asf file from a Web server, the video may not play, even though the audio does.

CAUSE

Generally, Web servers only stream files to a Windows Media Player client. The client is not able to select a video stream for a multi-bit rate .asf file.

RESOLUTION

Put the multi-bit rate file on a Windows Media Server. A Windows Media Server is designed to select the appropriate video in a multi-bit rate .asf file.

MORE INFORMATION

The Windows Media Encoder can encode multiple bit rate .asf files so that clients with varying speeds of Internet connections can automatically select a band of video that closely matches their connection speed. The Windows Media Player and Windows Media Server negotiate the appropriate video band to be sent to the client based on connection speed. Web servers cannot determine this bandwidth negotiation.

If you are creating content that will be placed on a Web server, do not create a multi-bit rate .asf file.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:12/1/2003
Keywords:kbpending kbprb KB243654