How to view a .vcm file?

[zinsco]

I have these chess totorials that used to play in an interwise push client. The version I have is v3.0.25 and is discontinued. I downloaded the newer version but it won't play the files I have. I called interwise and they tell me there is nothing they can do about a discontinued version. Does anyone Know how to maybe convert these .vcm files to something that will work in another player like windows media or is there a player that will play these files other than interwise?

[liam858]

Hi and Welcome to Virtual Dr. :)

Try this WMP Codec: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/codecs/vcm/faq.aspx


Liam

[zinsco]

Ya,

I saw that when I did a serch on google and even downloaded it. How do I install it into my windows media player?

[fink]

If you installed the appropriate codec installation package for your specific player from this page then you'd just run it and it would/should automatically install itself into the proper directory.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx?displang=en&qstechnology=

[Welshjim]

fink--That link you posted seems to lead only to a generic MS Help page--perhaps due to old age.
However, I think you have already given the basic procedure.

[fink]

You have to select the codec installation option in the top drop down box on that page to go any further... MS doesn't allow you to access the download/page directly.

[zinsco]

When you run the install it asks you, "Where would you like to install Microsoft Windows Media Video 9 VCM to?" The default location is C:\Program Files\WMV9_VCM. What I don't know is where to tell it to install it. I let it install to program files, but that doesn't do anything for windows media player. I have windows media player 11. Do I need 9? I wouldn't think so.

[fink]

I have windows media player 11. Do I need 9?
No, that should not make any difference.

Are you saying you did install it to the default location but it didn't allow you to view the files with windows media player? Did you try to drag/drop them onto the player? Try one of the other hidden players on the PC... start>run>[type] mplayer2.exe for one of them.

[zinsco]

Yes I did install it to the defalt location but the just creats a folder with some files in it on my hard drive in program files. I don't see how that will work with windows media player. I would think that the files need to go somewhere with in windows media player.

Yes, I did drag the file to the player and it did not work. I also tried other players including mplayer. Nothing works.

[zinsco]

I opened the file with WinRAR and found other files in it. They are JPG pictures and I can view them. There is an .vcr file and I think it is the vidio part but it won't play. I did a google serch on .vcr and found that .vcr is an ATI file and I do have an ATI file player but it won't play it.

[fink]

Many codecs are installed into their own directory. There would be a sort of tag file created to show any media player where to look when the appropriate, related clip is played.

That still doesn't help getting your vcm files played now though. I'll have another look around and see if I can find anything else.

[zinsco]

Maybe if you give me an email address or something so that I can send some of these files to you and you can play with them to see what you can come up with?

[fink]

Upload one to www.rapidshare.com and then post the link here so anyone can download it to try it out.

[zinsco]

Ok, here are a couple of the files.

http://rapidshare.com/files/41286365/DRAGON32-Recorded_cv55_A.vcm


http://rapidshare.com/files/41288151/Classical_GameA.vcm


See what you guys can come up with.

Thanks

[fink]

Can you give a link to the program website as well?

[fink]

You're correct in that it is actually a (renamed) rar archive. Opening it in a hex viewer to see it's code confirms that. It also means that it isn't a typical media file (extension) that can be played in any WMPlayer etc. I believe it's a proprietary file that can only be properly decompressed and then run in it's parent program.

If you can link to it's website so I can see the program I'll have a look around and see if there's anything else that will run it or if there's a place to download an earlier, workable version for your files.

EDIT- I did find this page (you may have seen it as well) that suggests that you can convert the vcr file to mpeg..

http://www.moviecodec.com/topics/91p1.html

But I'm not sure how effective that will be because of all the other files in the archive that would not be included in the conversion. I assume that the original program assembles all of them together to create a multimedia display but the individual parts on their own will be of limited value.

[zinsco]

Ok, I'll give you a link to the website where the program is found. I'll give you a link to download the program exe of the out dated version I have, and a link to one of the files again so they can all be together.

If you install the InterWise Student program that I have and try to play the file, you will see what it does. You should get a message that says, "Software license has expired!".

If you download one of their latest versions and try to play the file with it, you should hear the audio and see the JPG pictures, but it won't play the video where they move the chess pieces giving instruction.


http://www.interwise.com/support/downloadsoftware.html

http://rapidshare.com/files/41376548/inststud.exe

http://rapidshare.com/files/41288151/Classical_GameA.vcm

[zinsco]

EDIT- I did find this page (you may have seen it as well) that suggests that you can convert the vcr file to mpeg..

http://www.moviecodec.com/topics/91p1.html





Yeah, I tried that with the vcr file which I think is the video part of the whole thing. I have an AT Media Center and I tried what they said to do in my ATI Library. If I right click on the file it will give me an option, "export to MPEG2". When I do that, I get a save-in box and I click save and the save-in box goes away like it would if it saved something, but nothing gets saved.

[fink]

Try doing a file search for the filename after it's saved. eg- if it was movie.vcr search for movie.*.

Maybe it's being silently deposited in a folder on the drive somewhere.

[zinsco]

It shows the folder that it is to go to. In fact, I made a folder, browsed to it, and told it to save it there. When I opened the folder there is nothing. Folder is empty.

[Dr. Bob]

What exactly is it that makes that it doesn't work anymore? Does it need to be in contact with their site in order to work or did it work off-line?

What is it exactly that has been discontinued? Some server application on their side that was needed in an on-line connection as I mentioned above?

Was there a time limit on your license? If not it is their obligation to ensure you can keep using it or is it a 'Win98 application that cannot work in XP' kind of thing? If that's the case just run it in a Win98 environment. Either dual boot or in a Virtual Machine inside XP.

:cool:

[zinsco]

No, I don't think it needed to be in contact to their site in order to work and I think it did work off-line.

I don't think there was a time limit on the license. Probable why the license doesn't work is because the company that I bought the chess tutorials from, "Kasparov Chess University" is no longer in business and so they discontinued the license.

The interwise program probably checks the Internet to verify the license from time to time or something and found that it was expired.

I don't know these things for sure, I asked the people at interwise and these were the ideas they came up with, but the version of this program out dates anyone there that I have talked to.

Thank you for your questions though, because I will talk to their sales department about getting a license. If it worked before it should work now. I can't believe they can't come up with a license or something to make this thing work.

I will have to keep pushing them. I can be rather decent at doing that. I am going at this in many directions. If I can get this thing to work on my own with help from all you guys by converting it or using another player or something, than great. If I can get interwise to step up to the plate, than great. If I can get Chessbase to step up to the plate, (They are the place that had the Kasparov Chess University but they deny ever having such a thing. At least who I have been able to contact in Germany so far) than great.

[Dr. Bob]

Hmmm.... When I Google for:

chessbase "kasparov chess university" interwise

something that could be of interest to you comes up. ;) :D

:cool:

[zinsco]

I can't download the torrent from the Demonoid site because I am not registered and public registration is closed. I need an invitation code.

Anyone have an invitation code?

[fink]

We can stop the discussion about Torrents now. We do not condone the downloading of any software from P2P sites. If this continues I'm afraid I'll have to shut down this thread.

[zinsco]

Sorry, don't know much about torrents. Won't do that again.


That web site did have posibly the only solution to my problem. Maybe I can get registered at that site some how and send a pm to the guy who seemed to have a version that would work and he could send it to me. I don't know. I am trying so hard to get this thing to work.

[fink]

That web site did have posibly the only solution to my problem

That web site offers illegal, stolen software that is uploaded to Bittorent (a sophisticated P2P filesharing network). If you decide to persue that avenue we cannot help you because our site policy forbids discussing pirated software.

You didn't bring the subject up but we need to drop that avenue of dissusion now. Sorry but we just simply cannot discuss illegal activities at Virtualdr.

I tried installing the old version you uploaded but got the same message as you... the software licence is expired. It seems to me that the people that now run the company want you to buy the new version along with the new tutorials etc that go along with it.

I have been unable to find another program or viewer that will load those original files. I suspect that because they have such a relatively small user base that no one has designed one yet (rules of supply and demand) I can't see using a typical media player to view them because of their complex, multimedia structure.

It isn't a codec issue unfortunately.. you can choose to leave the one you installed there or uninstall it. I doubt leaving it there would cause any problems in case you might need it/them to view certain other video clips some day in the future.

[dnvk]

content deleted by mod

Now is there is any way to convert these interwise .vcm files to say mpg/flv files, we can simply avoid carrying the outdated program.

[fink]

dnvk, welcome to Virtualdr. Thankyou for your participation but even though software may be old or out of date offering methods to crack its expiry date and any similar discussion is still out of bounds here.

Thanks for understanding.

[dnvk]

zinsco is referring to interwise vcm files (old version). It is better for him to get a tool to convert to standard formats. Zinsco please let me know if you get hold of any such tool.

Regards