Microsoft KB Archive/261862

= No Visualization for MIDI Files =

Article ID: 261862

Article Last Modified on 1/25/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1
 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.0

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This article was previously published under Q261862



SYMPTOMS
Windows Media Player 7 and 7.1 do not display visualizations while playing MIDI format music files.



CAUSE
This occurs because MIDI files contain only descriptive information about the music, not actual sound data. MIDI information describes the notes played and the manner in which they are played, but it does not represent the actual sound. A MIDI file played on different soundcards using different wavetables will produce completely different music and may even use different instrumentation than what was originally intended.

Media Player produces visualization information before sending the data to the sound card. Because the sound has not yet been created by the wavetable on the soundcard, Media Player cannot place MIDI data into a suitable context in order to produce visualization data.



MORE INFORMATION
A visualization consists of splashes of color and geometric shapes that change with the beat of the audio (music) that is currently playing. Windows Media Player 7 and 7.1 include more than 30 visualizations.

Keywords: kbprb KB261862

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