LOR Video Window Flashes Open Between Sequences

[CovertRain]

Anybody know how to prevent this from appearing?  Two things, I am on Windows 10 and created a virtual desktop.  I found out the hard way that making changes to your virtual desktop mirrors on your main desktop.  So, I screwed up my arrangement of icons.  Anyway.............

 

More importantly, I now have sequences with video.  After creating the virtual desktop with a black background I thought I was good.  That is, until the LOR Video Window briefly appeared between each sequence if there is video in it.  It's a minimized box in the upper left corner.  I have tried everything to hide this but each time a video sequence starts up it flashes open.  It does eventually close but it's distracting and kills the illusion.

 

Any ideas?

[bob]

This happens at least on some machines.  It's nothing that we're asking Windows Media Player to do; we're always asking it to play fullscreen, and we're never asking it to exit fullscreen.  WMP seems to be exiting fullscreen of its own volition.  So, unfortunately, we can't fix this by do something simple like "stop asking WMP to exit fullscreen" (since we're not actually asking it to exit fullscreen in the first place).

 

Perhaps you can work around it, though.  Instead of setting your preferences to have it play fullscreen, set it to not play fullscreen.  Then, manually make the player window as big as possible.  I don't mean "click on its maximize button" - I mean click and drag its borders.  By doing this, you can actually make the window larger than the screen, so that its borders and controls don't show up on that screen (this is especially easy if you have more than one monitor).  The video will then look like it's full screen, even though it's really not.

 

If you don't have more than one monitor, then through judicious combinations of dragging the window and dragging the window's borders, you can still make the window somewhat larger than the screen, so that most of its borders and such don't show.  If that's not sufficient, perhaps it might help to do something like tape small pieces of cardboard over the edges of the monitor (or projector) appropriately positioned to block the view of the window borders and such.

[CovertRain]

This happens at least on some machines.  It's nothing that we're asking Windows Media Player to do; we're always asking it to play fullscreen, and we're never asking it to exit fullscreen.  WMP seems to be exiting fullscreen of its own volition.  So, unfortunately, we can't fix this by do something simple like "stop asking WMP to exit fullscreen" (since we're not actually asking it to exit fullscreen in the first place).

 

Perhaps you can work around it, though.  Instead of setting your preferences to have it play fullscreen, set it to not play fullscreen.  Then, manually make the player window as big as possible.  I don't mean "click on its maximize button" - I mean click and drag its borders.  By doing this, you can actually make the window larger than the screen, so that its borders and controls don't show up on that screen (this is especially easy if you have more than one monitor).  The video will then look like it's full screen, even though it's really not.

 

If you don't have more than one monitor, then through judicious combinations of dragging the window and dragging the window's borders, you can still make the window somewhat larger than the screen, so that most of its borders and such don't show.  If that's not sufficient, perhaps it might help to do something like tape small pieces of cardboard over the edges of the monitor (or projector) appropriately positioned to block the view of the window borders and such.

 

Maybe a dumb question but is this impacted by the final video save file type?  So, does it matter for example the file is WMV versus AVI or some other format?

[bob]

Not that I'm aware of, but I'm not sure that I've ever heard of anyone trying that, so maybe.  If you try changing the file type and you find that it fixes the issue, please let me know.

[CovertRain]

Not that I'm aware of, but I'm not sure that I've ever heard of anyone trying that, so maybe.  If you try changing the file type and you find that it fixes the issue, please let me know.

Will do.  I will experiment and let you know how it goes.  Thanks for the advice above.  I will give that a try as well.

[TonyD]

This happens at least on some machines.  It's nothing that we're asking Windows Media Player to do; we're always asking it to play fullscreen, and we're never asking it to exit fullscreen.  WMP seems to be exiting fullscreen of its own volition.  So, unfortunately, we can't fix this by do something simple like "stop asking WMP to exit fullscreen" (since we're not actually asking it to exit fullscreen in the first place).

 

Perhaps you can work around it, though.  Instead of setting your preferences to have it play fullscreen, set it to not play fullscreen.  Then, manually make the player window as big as possible.  I don't mean "click on its maximize button" - I mean click and drag its borders.  By doing this, you can actually make the window larger than the screen, so that its borders and controls don't show up on that screen (this is especially easy if you have more than one monitor).  The video will then look like it's full screen, even though it's really not.

 

If you don't have more than one monitor, then through judicious combinations of dragging the window and dragging the window's borders, you can still make the window somewhat larger than the screen, so that most of its borders and such don't show.  If that's not sufficient, perhaps it might help to do something like tape small pieces of cardboard over the edges of the monitor (or projector) appropriately positioned to block the view of the window borders and such.

 

You can maneuver a window larger than you can control with a mouse. Keep "stretching" the window but leave the left corner accessible. Then left-click on the upper left corner of the window (sometimes there's a little menu you can select from also) and then select Move. Then use your arrow keys to position the window so it completely covers the screen. After moving into position press enter (or escape to return to previous position). You can also select the Move option with a windows keyboard shortcut alt-space m (hold down alt key while pressing spacebar then press m).

[CovertRain]

Thanks guys.  None of the solutions above worked.  You could use the trick above and stretch the window but the problem is as soon as LOR software calls the video window again, it sort of "resets" and snaps it back down to below the normal viewing area.  It's actually a worse solution than just letting the small little window quickly flash into view.  I even tried finding a way to change the window borders to black or make it invisible via a script but no luck.

 

I wonder if the software, if playing video,  could be written so that it simply keeps the video window open playing a black background in between the sequences if you plan on using video at all.  That way it wouldn't have to technically close the video window and call it again to open with each sequence.  So it would treat it like a continual playlist.

 

At any rate, thanks guys for trying to help.  Maybe something changes in the future with Windows to make playing video and interacting with LOR a better experience.   Sort of throwing in the towel but I think I will skip video for the Christmas display and possibly going forward until there is a solution.

 

Thanks anyway guys and I appreciate the help.

Edited October 21, 2015 by CovertRain

[EmmienLightFan]

Why not set your desktop background as a Christmas picture. Then anybody looking wouldn't notice it as much.

 

I saw that on the old thread you posted on. I doubt they will reply, that thread is nearly four years old.

 

 

You could join them all together and paste the sequences together.

[saxon]

Thanks guys.  None of the solutions above worked.  You could use the trick above and stretch the window but the problem is as soon as LOR software calls the video window again, it sort of "resets" and snaps it back down to below the normal viewing area.  It's actually a worse solution than just letting the small little window quickly flash into view.  I even tried finding a way to change the window borders to black or make it invisible via a script but no luck.

 

I wonder if the software, if playing video,  could be written so that it simply keeps the video window open playing a black background in between the sequences if you plan on using video at all.  That way it wouldn't have to technically close the video window and call it again to open with each sequence.  So it would treat it like a continual playlist.

 

At any rate, thanks guys for trying to help.  Maybe something changes in the future with Windows to make playing video and interacting with LOR a better experience.   Sort of throwing in the towel but I think I will skip video for the Christmas display and possibly going forward until there is a solution.

 

Thanks anyway guys and I appreciate the help.

I understand completely and agree with your suggestion to LOR. An option to leave the video screen on/open and in full screen mode would solve the problems we are having and others too. I mean, I don't see a reason the window has to close just to reopen again, maybe there is a reason, I don't know.

 

Hey a small work around, its not pretty but its something for now:

have it all set up to use full screen / start your show and once your video starts, right click the screen and choose to exit full screen / you will see the pop up video screen in upper left / minimize the pop up screen so it goes to your task bar / from that point on the pop up will not be there and you videos will still be in full screen.

 

This means you have to do this at the start of your show - not pretty, but it works. Please someone else share a better way!!!!

.

[EmmienLightFan]

Send me all your video files and I will put them all together in one long video. Then you can copy and paste all your sequences into a long video. Then the window will only flash up between shows.

[saxon]

ELF

once again you have made a very generous offer and I thank you. But I think I will keep plugging away. I am so close. All I want is to insert 30 second videos of ghost in my windows(with audio) between lighted sequences. Everything works great except it flashes the pop up video box just before it goes full screen. If there was only a way to keep full screen open or have the pop up not show up at all, that would work great.

[johncee]

I am just reviewing a video clip for my 2016 show and happened upon this topic.

I am a very satisfied LOR customer, and have been for some years, as my lack of posts on this forum attests.

However I am intrigued that this problem, and it is a problem, has still not been addressed yet. WHY!

While no one is blaming LOR as the instigater of the issue it exists and there is no doubt that it makes a good professlonally put together show look sloppy. A "its not our problem" really doesn't cut it! 

There is a technical clash somewhere between the LOR software and the Windows Media Player and some solution can be found.

Come on guys we have been throwing around amatuerish work arounds for this for years. Sticking cardboard on and other pretty poor ideas might have been acceptable once but we have to do better now surely!

I can't believe that LOR does not have the technical knowhow within its ranks to fix this. So can we please give it a try? Please?

I know this does not rank with some of the other massive advances that you have made and other shortcomings you have worked through and improved and we applaud you for that, but this really does need some attention now.

John W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[B.Y.R.G.]

I've just incorporated video into my show this year and have run into this problem also with a small window popping up in the upper left corner between songs/videos when playing full screen mode.  After doing some research I am surprised of how long this problem has been ignored.  The only workaround I've been able to come up with is to have it not play in full screen mode and when the small video screen pops up is to resize it by dragging a corner to make it as big as I can get it on my screen.  Not looking forward to having to do this every night......ugh!

Edited September 14, 2016 by B.Y.R.G.

[SPaschall]

I don't use video but just a question as this is a relevant topic, is there a way to assign the video somehow to another video player that doesn't have these issues?

SPaschall

[saxon]

On ‎8‎/‎1‎/‎2016 at 9:08 PM, johncee said:

I am just reviewing a video clip for my 2016 show and happened upon this topic.

I am a very satisfied LOR customer, and have been for some years, as my lack of posts on this forum attests.

However I am intrigued that this problem, and it is a problem, has still not been addressed yet. WHY!

While no one is blaming LOR as the instigater of the issue it exists and there is no doubt that it makes a good professlonally put together show look sloppy. A "its not our problem" really doesn't cut it! 

There is a technical clash somewhere between the LOR software and the Windows Media Player and some solution can be found.

Come on guys we have been throwing around amatuerish work arounds for this for years. Sticking cardboard on and other pretty poor ideas might have been acceptable once but we have to do better now surely!

I can't believe that LOR does not have the technical knowhow within its ranks to fix this. So can we please give it a try? Please?

I know this does not rank with some of the other massive advances that you have made and other shortcomings you have worked through and improved and we applaud you for that, but this really does need some attention now.

John W

 

On ‎9‎/‎14‎/‎2016 at 7:22 AM, B.Y.R.G. said:

I've just incorporated video into my show this year and have run into this problem also with a small window popping up in the upper left corner between songs/videos when playing full screen mode.  After doing some research I am surprised of how long this problem has been ignored.  The only workaround I've been able to come up with is to have it not play in full screen mode and when the small video screen pops up is to resize it by dragging a corner to make it as big as I can get it on my screen.  Not looking forward to having to do this every night......ugh!

 

On ‎9‎/‎21‎/‎2016 at 7:51 PM, SPaschall said:

I don't use video but just a question as this is a relevant topic, is there a way to assign the video somehow to another video player that doesn't have these issues?

SPaschall

.A WORK AROUND!!!

Well it is for me and want to pass it along. You can do the work around I mentioned earlier in this thread, it works but you have to be at your computer at the start of every show,,,,,,,,OR you can try to resize the small box, I have found it reverts back to its small size, and again, you must be at your computer at the beginning of every show,,,,,,,,

Use the duplicate instead of the extend for the 2nd monitor and the box no longer pops up. You will need to hide your desktop icons ( right click on desktop (not an icon) select view and select hide all icons). I don't run a back ground picture so you may have to disable that wall paper if you have one. This will work great if you are running a show computer.

I have tested this many times with sequence, video, sequence, video,,,,, in a mock show and all worked. Using windows 10 and LOR ver4.3.14. Hopefully this will work for everyone, try it out let me know...

MATT

 

 

[CovertRain]

On 9/28/2016 at 4:01 AM, saxon said:

 

 

.A WORK AROUND!!!

Well it is for me and want to pass it along. You can do the work around I mentioned earlier in this thread, it works but you have to be at your computer at the start of every show,,,,,,,,OR you can try to resize the small box, I have found it reverts back to its small size, and again, you must be at your computer at the beginning of every show,,,,,,,,

Use the duplicate instead of the extend for the 2nd monitor and the box no longer pops up. You will need to hide your desktop icons ( right click on desktop (not an icon) select view and select hide all icons). I don't run a back ground picture so you may have to disable that wall paper if you have one. This will work great if you are running a show computer.

I have tested this many times with sequence, video, sequence, video,,,,, in a mock show and all worked. Using windows 10 and LOR ver4.3.14. Hopefully this will work for everyone, try it out let me know...

MATT

 

 

I just happened to check this thread today to see if there has been any progress.  I am now wondering if your workaround is a direct result of them trying to solve this issue.  The reason I am saying that is because you said the popup doesn't show up when using method above on 4.3.14.  I am still on 3.12.2 and even using the method above it doesn't work.  Basically, the issue that I posted above spells out what happens.  You go through the process above then after that video ends and the next ones starts, the windows snaps back to it's original state and does the pop up all over again.  Based on your comment that behavior seems to have changed.

It's still frustrating that after all this time people are still using "workarounds" and LOR has not fixed this issue yet.

[saxon]

4 hours ago, CovertRain said:

I just happened to check this thread today to see if there has been any progress.  I am now wondering if your workaround is a direct result of them trying to solve this issue.  The reason I am saying that is because you said the popup doesn't show up when using method above on 4.3.14.  I am still on 3.12.2 and even using the method above it doesn't work.  Basically, the issue that I posted above spells out what happens.  You go through the process above then after that video ends and the next ones starts, the windows snaps back to it's original state and does the pop up all over again.  Based on your comment that behavior seems to have changed.

It's still frustrating that after all this time people are still using "workarounds" and LOR has not fixed this issue yet.

I agree with the frustration, I think that the more people start to use video the more this problem will show up. 

I was having the same flash problem in 4.3.14 as in 3.12. My first work around does work, by exiting full screen while a video is playing and minimizing it to your task bar- the rest of the videos will not show the pop up flash. This has to be done at start of every show. 

My last work around works but  I have since learned there is a sequence to follow. Try this:

Select a black background and hide your icons

set second monitor up to EXTEND. The go to SE and video preferences and select full screen and set it to the extended monitor- )just like we all have been doing.)

close SE and go back to your projection setting and now select DUPLICATE.

start your show. 

i can't explain it but this works, I no longer have the pop up flash. Now if I change the monitor selection (like from duplicate to extend then back to duplicate) or much of anything else, I will get the pop up flash again and have to repeat the process again. This worked on both my pc. 

I have 7 songs and small videos between each song (10 to 60 sec of ghosts and whatnots) so that 7 different videos. I am finding LOR doesn't always play the videos in full screen, sometimes just plays them in the task bar when the Show scheduler starts a show, 50-50 chance. So I have been starting my shows with the on demand feature ( that seems to always play videos). 

Covert please try again in the order I described and let me know.  I was hoping I had found a solution that worked for everyone. 

[CovertRain]

On 10/24/2016 at 2:21 AM, saxon said:

I agree with the frustration, I think that the more people start to use video the more this problem will show up. 

I was having the same flash problem in 4.3.14 as in 3.12. My first work around does work, by exiting full screen while a video is playing and minimizing it to your task bar- the rest of the videos will not show the pop up flash. This has to be done at start of every show. 

My last work around works but  I have since learned there is a sequence to follow. Try this:

Select a black background and hide your icons

set second monitor up to EXTEND. The go to SE and video preferences and select full screen and set it to the extended monitor- )just like we all have been doing.)

close SE and go back to your projection setting and now select DUPLICATE.

start your show. 

i can't explain it but this works, I no longer have the pop up flash. Now if I change the monitor selection (like from duplicate to extend then back to duplicate) or much of anything else, I will get the pop up flash again and have to repeat the process again. This worked on both my pc. 

I have 7 songs and small videos between each song (10 to 60 sec of ghosts and whatnots) so that 7 different videos. I am finding LOR doesn't always play the videos in full screen, sometimes just plays them in the task bar when the Show scheduler starts a show, 50-50 chance. So I have been starting my shows with the on demand feature ( that seems to always play videos). 

Covert please try again in the order I described and let me know.  I was hoping I had found a solution that worked for everyone. 

I will give it a try tonight.  I didn't want to mess with last night as it was our neighborhood contest.  What is interesting is that I tried another "program" that shall remain nameless, converted one of my sequences and it has zero issues with video.  ZERO.  So, it perplexes me a bit why this is something that seemingly can't be resolved.

Thanks for the info. 

[BMurray]

I haven't noticed any problem with any flashes.  The sequences with video start almost instantaneously.  I am running 6 sequences with pumpkin video projections with each one.  The videos are all animated singing pumpkins projected onto 3 large foam pumpkins.   In the sequence editor go to:  - - >edit-preferences-video preferences make sure display videos and use full screen mode are checked.  Of you are using a dual monitor for your computer you can choose which display to play the video here as well.  I don't use  that option though.  THEN. . . .  Make your show schedule.  Under the LOR menu in your system tray go to Show Editor.  Under this tab you will build your custom show.  It will give you several options that are self explanatory.  The important one in this tab is "options" under  sequence loading make sure that "sequences are loaded before any are played"  is checked.  This will load them in the back ground as the one before it is playing.  This will negate any "flash"  you may see. THEN...  Go to the 'Schedule Editor" this is where you will "Add"  the "Show"  you made in the "Show Editor"  and schedule the times for your own show.  The videos at least for me are darn near instantaneous. I also have a black background set with no desktop icons and the menu bar at the bottom set to "auto hide and the color scheme I have set is also black so there are basically no borders around any of the" windows" so basically everything is black on black.  Oh,  and make sure the "comm listener"  is minimized.  This works for me. Hope this helps anyone and good luck. 

Edited October 28, 2016 by BMurray

[emolnar]

I tried the 'sequences are loaded' option and it didn't make a difference.  The "Light o Rama Video" pop-up window still comes up.  

So unfortunate.  I'm running on an extended desktop and this is the third year of doing video.  We do whole house video with two projectors on an extended desktop.