Web Video Download *.WMV - Format Not Recognised

[Shes Wet]

Hi,

Would anyone please be able to assist me with a problem I am having with some video files that I have downloaded from a web site?

The problem I have is that when trying to convert the files to another format or open them with a video editing program I get messages such as "Invalid data found when processing input" I used a FireFox plug-in called "video downloadhelper" to save the video files to my local ubuntu PC and this saved them as *.wmv files. If I double click the file name then the Totem Mplayer opens up and plays the video OK. The one strange thing is that the file sizes seem to be quite small for what I would expect, for example, a 1 minute video clip is showing with a file size of 145 bytes (not kb or mb but bytes) but they do play OK with the Totem MPlayer.

I have tried converting them to AVI using both FFMpeg and WinFF and both give the same message about "Invalid data found when processing input". Also, if I copy the files to a windows PC and try to open them up with a video editing program such as Sony Vegas this also fails to recognise the files. Finally, if I try to play the files on a windows PC with VLC Player, or GOM Player or Windows Media Player none of them can play the files.


I am hindered in what I can do with the files on my ubuntu PC as I am a total novice with Linux in general so it is a real struggle for me to resolve this.


Any help or advice most appreciated.


Rgds

[ron999]

Hi
Are you sure that you've downloaded the videos?
Maybe you have only downloaded the website links.

[Shes Wet]

Hi
Are you sure that you've downloaded the videos?
Maybe you have only downloaded the website links.

Ron,

Thank you for your reply.

Oops !, you are correct, the video downloadhelper has only downloaded the links to my hard drive and not the files themselves. The strange thing is that it has named them as *.wmv files. They will play if connected to the internet but will not play if the PC is isolated from the internet.

So, it is not an issue with the files, rather, my issue is now why video downloadhelper saved the links and not the files. I think I need to get over to the video downloahelper forum to see if I can get that sorted out.

Putting those things aside, is there any other method I can use to download or capture the video files to my ubuntu PC, for example if I play one of the files online will it be stored in a temp folder anywhere like it often is under windows?

Ron, thx once again for the tip Ron re the links, I have been pulling my wire wool for 2 days on this.


Rgds

[haqking]

Ron,

Thank you for your reply.

Oops !, you are correct, the video downloadhelper has only downloaded the links to my hard drive and not the files themselves. The strange thing is that it has named them as *.wmv files. They will play if connected to the internet but will not play if the PC is isolated from the internet.

So, it is not an issue with the files, rather, my issue is now why video downloadhelper saved the links and not the files. I think I need to get over to the video downloahelper forum to see if I can get that sorted out.

Putting those things aside, is there any other method I can use to download or capture the video files to my ubuntu PC, for example if I play one of the files online will it be stored in a temp folder anywhere like it often is under windows?

Ron, thx once again for the tip Ron re the links, I have been pulling my wire wool for 2 days on this.


Rgds

download helper usually works fine, chesk your preferences.

there is also unplug a nother firefox extension for downloading embedded media

there are many others

[Shes Wet]

download helper usually works fine, chesk your preferences.


haqking,

I have looked at all the preference options in downloadhelper but cannot find anything that would give the option to save the file as a link rather than a video. If I could find an option box that was controlling this I could understand it but there seems to be no such option.

I will have a google for the "unplug" Firefox extension to see if it does any better.

Thx for the reply.


Rgds