Windows Media Player 10 problem

Hello,

Problem: Cannot play M3U audio files posted on Web site.

Computer has Windows XP Home Edition with Norton Internet Security 2005 and Windows Media Player 10

Operating system has all security updates except Service Pack 2. System has been scanned for viruses and spyware,

Note: All audio links worked fine with Windows Media Player 9 and Norton Internet Security 2003.

Since I updated Internet Security and the Media Player, whenever I click on an audio link (specifically, National Public Radio's audio files) I get the following message:

(Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file.)

I can receive and play streaming audio radio broadcasts. I also set Windows Media Player preferences to all types of files and made it my default player.

The technican at National Public Radio Web site gave me a list of Ports to open, but it did not help.

Question: Could either Windows Media Player 10 or Norton Internet Security 2005 have changed specific settings to prevent certain types of files from being played or is it a Web site problem? Could old ActiveX files for Windows Media Player 9 be affecting the new Player 10?

Since I updated the Media Player and Norton Internet Security at the same time, I am not sure what is causing the problem.

Thanks for your help,

macpez

 

M3u files are playlists, not actual audio files. The instructions in the m3u file point to specific audio files in specific locations. In order for the playlist to play, those files must be in the exact locations they were in when the playlist was made.

If these m3u's are online, the website might have changed or deleted the file's and/or their locations.

If they are local m3u's on your harddrive, have you moved the audio files, or deleted them from whatever directory (the TEMP directory?) they were originally downloaded to?

Just some thoughts. I hope they help.

 

Eck,

Thanks for the reply.

I understand that the m3u is a "link" to the actual audio file. As stated, I was able to listen to all Web site audio links with Media Player 9. Since I updated to version 10, I keep getting an error message on all Web site audio links that says:

"Windows Media Player cannot play the file. The Player might not support the file type or might not support the codec that was used to compress the file. "

I have reviewed all my settings for Media Player 10 and Norton Internet Security 2005, but cannot see anything that would cause the problem.

Listed below are the URLs for the Web site and the audio file I am having a problem with:

(National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/

(the NPR hourly newscast)
http://www.npr.org/dmg/dmg.php?getProgramStream=true&NPRMediaPref=RM&getAd=1

Many thanks for your help,
macpez