The other day I tried to play a ripped DVD that I had previously played. It just barely started and then froze. Nothing I could do would get it going. I started a thread here on the problem and Matt solved it for me by having me clear the Bookmark.
I then found another movie that did the same thing. Tried to clear the bookmark in Tags and this time I couldn't get it to clear. Here's what happened:
1. Hovering on it showed about 8 lines of data.
2. Left click shows 1 wide line of data.
3. Click on that shows window below with same data but it's highlighted in blue.
4. Hovering on that shows the 8 lines of data.
5. I could not find any way with left or right clicks or keystrokes that would clear the bookmark. So that movie is now unusable.
I spent a lot of time searching for information on bookmarks. Started in the WIKI and as is typical for me found nothing helpful or explanatory on what bookmarks are all about.
Then searched the Forums and got a variety of information. A bookmark is apparently a location for where in the video it was stopped. This is to allow restarting of the movie at the same spot. A bookmark is apparently a tag that is in the database for each video.
I searched and searched in Tools, Options for some settings that dealt with bookmarks. No luck! I then found this interesting forum post:
"Panic Over People
I found the solution.
For those who need to know and are stupid like me :-
First open the action window (usually in the bottom left)
select the tag option
at the top left of this little window is a funny little button reresented by a few horizontal lines - click this and move mouse to "also show" - then scroll down to "use bookmarking" - make sure this is ticked
the use bookmarking setting should now show in the tag section
Select the file you want to change (or multi select files)
click on the "use bookmarking" setting and a little dropdown menu should appear
click on the arrow at the right of this and select "no"
all the files you selected previously should now be set to, not using bookmarks and when you stop them, they will start from the beginning next time, without pressing stop twice.
hope this helps anyone who has problems like me, following instructions that are written by someone who know what they are talking about (without whom we would be totally lost)
cheers"
Finding those setting is completely unintuitive and unlabeled. As best I can determine these settings deal with bookmarks on a per file basis. Not globally. I think someone said you can make it deal with all videos by selecting all of them and then applying the settings. But then what happens when you add more videos???
I have read of others having similar problems to me. Also many people have asked for a system used in other players. When starting the video the program asks you if you want to resume where you left off, or start at the beginning? That approach works and is easily understood by anyone.
I also read that to clear the bookmark at the end of the movie to hit stop twice. That is thoroughly non intuitive and Un-WAF!
I don't know if their are periodic bugs that cause some of us to have difficulties with bookmarks or if it is something peculiar to individual systems. But I can unequivocally state that to watch a movie in Theater View and have to detour to Standard View to clear a bookmark (and then sometimes not be able to) does not put this program in prime time for those of us with videos.
So I propose the following changes be made. Have a setting under Options that will allow:
1. Present the option at the start of a movie (If it has previously been stopped other than at the end) to 'Start at the beginning', or 'Resume where last watched'. Do not have the double stop to clear anything.
2. Use the Bookmarking system as it presently is. Make finding the settings for it more obvious.
Many people have requested #1 and it has high usability and WAF. Others have argued to keep the system as it is and that there are some benefits to it. I propose that #1 should be the default as it is way more understandable by the masses, and #2 is selectable by those who want it.
I would also hope that some work could be done to fix whatever the problems are in the existing system that cause freezing for some of us. I would also suggest that there may be many who don't complain and just give up on videos in MC.
There has recently been a lot of wonderful work done with the Red October system to make Videos 'Just Work'. And relative to decoding and picture quality it's been a real success. but for some of us Videos don't completely 'Just Work'!
Sorry for the extra long post. Hopefully it will stir some discussion, fixes and improvements.
Thanks,
Rod