Encyclopedia of Rec. Diving

Heya folks,

Wasn't too sure where to put this so if it's in the wrong place, I guess I'll find out soon.

Just tried installing the multimedia cd's on my laptop and I keep getting errors when trying to run the video files. I also had it installed on my desktop and both are running XP. Well the laptop is using pro and the desktop is using home. However, I had no troubles running it on the desktop, even though it says it can't be used on machines running NT and up.

Anyone have any ideas on this please? And also, in most ppl's experience is the book form just as good? Should I just write the CD's off and go and get the book anyway?

thanks in advance,

Arch

Aum:

Heya folks,

Wasn't too sure where to put this so if it's in the wrong place, I guess I'll find out soon.

Just tried installing the multimedia cd's on my laptop and I keep getting errors when trying to run the video files. I also had it installed on my desktop and both are running XP. Well the laptop is using pro and the desktop is using home. However, I had no troubles running it on the desktop, even though it says it can't be used on machines running NT and up.

Anyone have any ideas on this please? And also, in most ppl's experience is the book form just as good? Should I just write the CD's off and go and get the book anyway?

thanks in advance,

Arch

Click to expand...

While the book is always good to have, the CD should work properly.

Here is an email for PADI Tech Support: techsupport@padi.com

They should be able to help you there.

Bonne chance,

Aum:

Heya folks,

Wasn't too sure where to put this so if it's in the wrong place, I guess I'll find out soon.

Just tried installing the multimedia cd's on my laptop and I keep getting errors when trying to run the video files. I also had it installed on my desktop and both are running XP. Well the laptop is using pro and the desktop is using home. However, I had no troubles running it on the desktop, even though it says it can't be used on machines running NT and up.

Anyone have any ideas on this please? And also, in most ppl's experience is the book form just as good? Should I just write the CD's off and go and get the book anyway?

thanks in advance,

Arch

Click to expand...

Let's have the exact error message. I had trouble with mine too at first but I don't remember what it was. Maybe if I see the error message I'll remember.

R..

Diver0001, the error message I get when I first put the disk in and click on the shortcut to run it is

"Unable to load external movie driver for DSAT.mov. Possibly the driver is missing or there is not enough memory."

When I try to open up other vid files I get the same message just a different file name. Not sure if it might be something to do with quicktime or not. My current version is 6.5.1 so I can't imagine that that's it. If anything more current version would be better than the Quicktime 3 that they try to install from the disc?

Submariner, thanks for the tech support link. Haven't had time to contact them yet but will check it out asap.

regards,

Arch

Speaking of a Rec Diver encyclopaedia - has anyone thought to start a Wiki on scuba diving?

Aum:

Diver0001, the error message I get when I first put the disk in and click on the shortcut to run it is

"Unable to load external movie driver for DSAT.mov. Possibly the driver is missing or there is not enough memory."

When I try to open up other vid files I get the same message just a different file name. Not sure if it might be something to do with quicktime or not. My current version is 6.5.1 so I can't imagine that that's it. If anything more current version would be better than the Quicktime 3 that they try to install from the disc?

Submariner, thanks for the tech support link. Haven't had time to contact them yet but will check it out asap.

regards,

Arch

Click to expand...

Right. Now I remember. The good news is you're having exactly the same problem I was having. The bad news is I don't remember exactly how I solved it and I do recall that the problem was hard to solve.

If I remember correctly I had to do three things:

1) install the most recent video drivers you can find for your video card

2) install the most recent version of directX. The link for directx is this: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx

3) Uninstall all versions of quicktime you have on your computer and reinstall the version on the PADI CD's. Your computer is probably running Windows 98 and you need the 16bit version of quicktime to view these movies. Don't ask me why but I discovered that the 32 version didn't work on my computer. During the install skip any directx stuff.

This was one of those rare examples that "downgrading" the software helped better than "upgrading"..... Once you get that far tell us if it worked.

R..

Thanks for the advice Diver0001. Will try that out and see if it works.

1) Not sure if I can d/load latest versions of my video drivers for one. The ATI mobility chip that's in my laptop can't use the normal ATI graphics drivers as its an integrated motherboard and 3d chipset. I've looked on the ATI website but I found out I have to go to the manufacturer site to see if they have updates. The prob there is (as I'm in japan) half the websites I get directed to are in japanese and my jp isn't good enough yet. However I can play Doom 3 on this lil baby and that's graphics intense so I can't see the drivers being a prob. Will look into it again though.

2) Running Directx9 at the moment so I think I'm good there so far.

3) grrr Kinda annoying to have to "downgrade" quicktime just to play these CD's. Not that I really use quicktime that much anyway but still. It begs the question why they haven't brought out new versions of these multimedia CD's when a majority of comps these days run higher OS's. I also think quicktime came bundled as part of the software on the laptop. Still shouldn't be a problem uninstalling though I guess. As I said......grrr.

I'll let you know how it turns out anyway.

regards,

Arch

you can install the older version of QT without UNinstalling the current version (in otherwords you can have two versions of it available on your computer ... i think I'm using 6 and 4).

I had to do the same thing under XP.

the encyclopedia is the only thing that uses the old QT, everything else runs under QT6.

If I remember correctly... there is a folder on the CD containing the video drivers you need. I had the same problem. I think I donloaded a driver from the net, but that didn't work so I installed the one on the CD. ?? It was only 6 weeks ago that I did it, you'd think I could remember.. It wasn't hard to fix, I remember that...

Randy

Aum:

Heya folks,

Wasn't too sure where to put this so if it's in the wrong place, I guess I'll find out soon.

Just tried installing the multimedia cd's on my laptop and I keep getting errors when trying to run the video files. I also had it installed on my desktop and both are running XP. Well the laptop is using pro and the desktop is using home. However, I had no troubles running it on the desktop, even though it says it can't be used on machines running NT and up.

Anyone have any ideas on this please? And also, in most ppl's experience is the book form just as good? Should I just write the CD's off and go and get the book anyway?

thanks in advance,

Arch

Click to expand...

Thanks for the extra info and advice folks. I think I'll try to install the older version along with my current and see if that works first.

Will let you know.

regards,

Arch