Stop a video in MediaLab (old version) (case 13496)

You are going to laugh, but I have to ask about this for a third time!

We are still using MediaLab 2008, unfortunately. I have students who want to play a video until the user stops it with a spacebar press. They want to record the reaction time. We've tried using Backsound, and this sort of works, but we're getting these errors:

Run-time error '398': Client Site not available
Run-time error '440': Automation error

And then MediaLab crashes. We're on Windows 7.

I know there is a possible way to do this with DirectRT subroutine, but we're having trouble with that too! Would really like to get it done with just MediaLab. Yes, I've looked at the relevant old posts (some of which are mine).

Thanks,

Joe

Joe,


No worries about asking us quesitons! It's what we're here for, and who doesn't have those moments where we need to get help again?


If I were you, I would really do this using DirectRT. If you have the option, DirectRT is the way to go when assessing reaction time. I've attached an example of how you can play the video file in DirectRT and get a reaction time based on pressing the space bar. The key thing is to make sure that the video file is in a format that works with your version of Windows Media Player and to specify the desired size of the video window in parentheses next the video file name in the stim cell of the trial. For more information about using video stimuli in DirectRT, see [url]http://www.empirisoft.com/directrt/help/directrt_stim.htm[/url].


I will look into these error messages you reported, but can you check to see what version you have a file named evideo.ocx? It should be in a folder named WindowsSystemFolder. Version 1.11 means you have MediaLab v2008.1.33 which suggests that you would want to install MediaLab V2008.1.33e from this webpage: [url]http://www.empirisoft.com/download_old.aspx[/url]. Version 1.19 means you already have MediaLab v2008.1.33e installed.


Also, could you describe the details of the crash? Does it always happen in the same place or after the same item in your MediaLab files? Does it freeze on a screen in MediaLab or exit MediaLab? When do you see those two error messages?


Finally, is there a reason you use the BackSound and not the BackVideo field to play the video file?


Best.


Jason

Jason, thanks for the super-prompt reply.

First, we are indeed using Backvideo (not Backsound). Just got mixed up in my typing.

The evideo.ocx file is 1.0.0.19 or something like that. I believe we do have the most recent v2008, because we had to reinstall a few months ago when they swapped out our PCs. Our IT folks downloaded it from your website.

MediaLab plays the video, and then I hit the spacebar about 1/2 way through the 20-second QuickTime video. It does go on to the next slide. At this point, we were happy, thinking it worked. But then about 10 seconds later, we get the two error boxes and MediaLab closes. We see the error boxes at about the time the video would be ending (sort of like it's still going in the background). MediaLab doesn't freeze, it just goes away (closes) after we dismiss the error boxes.

My reluctance to use DirectRT stems in part from another bug that affects v2008 -- the one that requires changing the regkey. I'm hoping not to get into that again... we did fix it once, but then we got new PCs.

Thanks for your help,

Joe

What version of DirectRT do you have?

We have Version 2008.2 103.1115.

After talking with Blair, our strongest recommendation would be see what happens with a copy of the latest version of MediaLab v2014. It is the most likely to work well in conjunction with Windows 7. You can download and install a trial copy from our download page [url]http://empirisoft.com/Download.aspx?index=4[/url].


You could try to embed the video file in html code and then place that htm file in the Background field of an Instruction item. Please refer to this thread from our online forums for a nice summary of the process of embedding video [url]http://www.empirisoft.com/support/showthread.php/3442-Video-Playback-Issues-Summary[/url] or this thread with another example of html code to embed videos [url]http://www.empirisoft.com/support/showthread.php/236-Controlling-Movie-Files?highlight=embed+video[/url]

Jason, we have done exactly as you suggested. We downloaded the 2014 demo onto one PC. And it solved our problem -- it works just fine.

For this one project, this one semester, the demo will allow us to get by. In the very near future we will upgrade all of our PCs to the 2014 version. Thanks for your help,

Joe

Glad to hear that we have a solution! Please let us know if there is anything else we can do.

Good luck with your study!